Top 10 Best Bollywood Movies of 2014
Aug 2, 2024, 16:43 IST
2014 has been a very happening year for Bollywood, celebrating large-scale diversity in cinema, which reached out to arrest audiences based on storyline, acting prowess, and technical finesse. Right from riveting dramas to light-hearted comedies, the year's cinematic releases varied across a gamut of genres and styles. Here's a look at the top 10 Bollywood movies of 2014 that stood out for their impact and excellence.
1. Queen
Helmed by Vikas Bahl, Queen is one of the landmark films in the arsenal of Bollywood. The film takes Kangana Ranaut as Rani Mehra, who goes to Europe for a solo honeymoon when her fiancé calls off their marriage. With its empowering storyline and Ranaut's phenomenal performance, Queen connected with audiences and critics like never before.
2. PK
Rajkumar Hirani's PK is a very different genre of sci-fi and social critique. With an alien played by Aamir Khan, who questions all kinds of freakishness in the human belief system, the movie mercilessly exposes the religious and social customs of the land. PK worked its way up the list of the highest box office collections for the year and created debates around its themes.
3. 2 States
Based on the popular novel by Chetan Bhagat, 2 States is directed by Abhishek Varman and stars Arjun Kapoor and Alia Bhatt. It captures the issues between two people from different cultural backgrounds and portrays, rather jarringly realistically, love and family relationships.
4. Mary Kom
Mary Kom needs to be lauded for two subjects for which mainstream Bollywood has finally started paying some attention to—its female lead and the sports. And there's more: finally, a protagonist from the North-East and a biopic on the gritty woman who put India on the map in one of the most unconventional sports for women. Though this is not a perfect film and leaves much to be desired, it's every bit worth a watch for Priyanka's portrayal of Mary and her struggles in becoming a boxing champion.
5. Haider
Haider is a modern retelling of Shakespeare's Hamlet, by Vishal Bhardwaj, set against the backdrop of the Kashmir conflict. Shahid Kapoor turned in a sterling performance in the title role as Haider. This intense narrative, combined with brilliant cinematography, won accolades for the film across the board.
6. Bang Bang!
Bang Bang! is an action-thriller by Siddharth Anand, starring Hrithik Roshan and Katrina Kaif. It's a film filled with a lot of high-octane sequences and visual appeal, and it's garnered the tag of a Hollywood movie Knight and Day's remake with awesome stunts and a glamorous presentation.
7. CityLights
The story of shattering dreams in the big city of dreams – Bombay, and the struggle to win two square meals is not new. However, Hansal Mehta's 'City of Lights' has that heart-piercing quality to its storytelling which holds one to a pause and reflect over those unknown, downtrodden, and defeated faces which we come across every day and pay no heed to. It reminds us of how much financial desperation can drive moral compromise and what deep-rooted clutches of greed and malice have done to our society. Rajkumar Rao and Patraleka are simply outstanding.
8. Singham Returns
The sequel to the 2011 hit Singham comes in the form of Singham Returns, helmed by Rohit Shetty, with Ajay Devgn, continuing the tale of the mighty cop Bajirao Singham. It was a fantastic crescendo of action sequences, coupled with an engrossing narrative that keeps audiences on the edge of their seats.
9. Mardaani
Directed by Pradeep Sarkar and starring Rani Mukerji as a tough, no-nonsense lady police inspector, Mardaani holds up the problems of human trafficking to harsh light. Its rugged realism, aided by some fine acting from the perennially underrated Mukerji, spotlights some grave concerns in society and will remain in people's minds as one of the more memorable films released this year.
10. Dedh Ishqiya
The movie that opened the year 2014 with a bang remained in contention as one of the best cinematic efforts of the year. The sequel worth waiting for of the hugely loved Ishqiya treated the critics with its wit, Urdu poetry, strong female characters, and heady drama. It's a treat to watch Naseeruddin Shah and Arshad Warsi in roles to the credit of their salt. And a befitting comeback for the queen of hearts – Madhuri Dixit.
In 2014, Bollywood churned out films that showed versatility and creativity, using all the elements to tickle everyone's tastes. This list of top 10 movies not only entertained but contributed greatly to the cinematic landscape of the year.
