How 2017 gave a new turn and Newton to good cinema: A snapshot of Bollywood films through the year

What is common to Rangoon, Tubelight, When Harry Met Sejal, Sarkar 3 and Jagga Jasoos? They are all films that singed their fingers at the box office and will go down in Bollywood as the shining duds of 2017.

As the year comes to a close and trade pundits are busy drawing up their list of hits and misses in 2017 and how much profit or loss the biggest film industry in India made this year, let's take a brief look at what shook and hooked us as far as Hindi cinema goes.

1. There ain't no thing as a sureshot Khan superhit: Yes, whether it was SRK wih Raees, Salman with Tubelight, Aamir with Secret Superstar or even Saif Ali Khan with Rangoon and Chef, all these films proved that just having a reigning superstar or a sale-able Khan in a film does not guarantee box office success.
2. Romance, affairs and break-ups don't create sizzle among lead pairs: Katrina and Ranbir- the IT couple for a while decided to call it quits during the making of Jagga Jasoos. Did people run to catch their chemistry one last time especially in light of the fact that the leading lady swore she will never work with him again, even while she was promoting the film? Nah!
3. Star appeal or not, even good filmmakers can fall out of line: How else do you explain talented and capable directors like Kabir Khan, Imtiaz Ali and Vishal Bharadwaj delivering duds like Tubelight, Jab Harry Met Sejal and Rangoon respectively?
4. Successful star pairings do not mean a good romance: Nobody cared Jab Harry Met Sejal successfully proving this theory.
5. We need to give Chetan Bhagat some rest: Bollywood is so hellbent on turning every film this guy spins out in to a novel that he must be gasping for breath churning out his stories, at the pace the industry seems to be chasing him. Not every book he writes is going to be a 5 Point Someone turned 3 Idiots, so can we not let all his half-hearted books become fodder for celluloid please?
6. Feminism rocks but the script still rules: A good story with a female protagonist is a recipe for fabulous cinema like Queen proved. A lot of times unfortunately, the former part is compromised to stretch our liking for a female central character way too much as seen in Naam Shabana, Behen Hogi Teri, Simran and Meri Pyari Bindu and Noor. Begum Jaan had potential but also highlighted the fact that what's good for regional cinema may not always draw the masses in to the theatre. Not every film is a Sairat or Bahubali.
7. It's all about loving your sequels or franchise films: 2017 spelt this out in block letters like no other year. Just think about the films in this genre that went on to become the highest grossing films of the year- Golmaal Again, Judwaa 2, Jolly LLB 2 and Badrinath ki Dulhania. Commando 2 of course failed as an exception and with good reasons. Vidyut Jamwal flexing his biceps doesn't exactly make a good film you see. Finishing the year on a similar note will be Tiger Zinda Hai as far as speculation goes.
8. Rajkummar Rao- While it has been a fairly good year for Varun Dhawan, the real scene-stealer is undoubtedly Rajkummar Rao, someone who has created his own brand of substantial cinema- his films resonate with a message like Newton, they are gritty even when humorous like Bareilly ki Barfi and celebrate individuality in both characterisation and story like Trapped. He has been a busy man this year and I am hoping for the sake of good cinema- he stays that way.
9. Old wine in a new bottle doesn't always get us piqued- Remember Sanjay Dutt in Bhoomi and the Deol brothers in Poster Boys? Although they dared to be different by exploring unconventional roles for which they deserve full points, sadly they didn't exactly make us scream out 'nostalgia'. Sridevi's 'Mom' however, made an impact after her much-touted English Vinglish which shows how versatility can be strutted, even in your middle age!
10. Content is King, no matter the budget- And finally, I can't emphasise on this aspect enough. Haraamkhor, Trapped, Phillauri, Anarkali of Arrah, Mukti Bhawan, Hindi Medium, Sachin: A Billion Dreams, A Death in the Gunj, Mom, Lipstick Under my Burkha, Bareilly ki Barfi, Shubh Mangal Savdhaan, Newton, Qarib Qarib Singlle, Tumhari Sulu...the fact that the buzz these films created far outdoes the profits that commercial films made sends out a clear message. Content-driven cinema with novelty as a strong element is bound to find an audience in the country at present amid widespread disappointment with regular, cliched fare. This is a strong statement against the urge to stick to the tried-and-tested formula and the audience simply cannot get enough by the looks of it. Long live good cinema and considering Padman is opening 2018, may the trend continue.