The Indian film industry faced challenges in 2022. When the cinemas reopened after the COVID catastrophe, it was believed that everything would be back to normal. However, normalcy was absent. In general, crowds avoided going to the movies, with a few exceptions. The quality of films is also somehow diminished, so audience unwillingness is not the only problem.The pandemic introduced OTT to the public. As the time gap between the theatrical release of a film and its OTT release date reduced, people started turning away from movie theatres. Another cause could be the high ticket price. Except in a few southern states, there was no price cap on tickets. So, after the lockdown and all, it’s logical that audiences don’t want to invest in subpar products. They learned from COVID to be more cost-conscious. These are some fairly clear motives that have been extensively covered in numerous publications by cinema journalists. However, we also want to bring up a less-discussed issue: the disappearance of single screens in India. All theatres in India are closed for at least one and a half years due to lockdown and restrictions. While multiplexes survived, many single screens could not and were forced to close. As per a report, 20% single screens could not survive the pandemic. Because of this, many towns in India now have no operating movie theatres.
Therefore, if we want to sum up 2022 from the viewpoint of the film community, we can say that it is all about scepticism and hope. Here, we look back on 2022 and compile our list of top 10 best Indian movies of the year. Throughout the course of the past year, we have watched about 70 Indian movies in various languages. Here is the list of top 10 best Indian movies of 2022.
10. Ante Sundharaniki (Telugu) – Written and directed by Vivek Athreya
Lighthearted rom-coms are always popular in Telugu states despite all the high-octane Masala movies that come out every week. Occasionally, a new director would emerge with a novel approach to rom-coms that avoided all clichés while still wowing the audience. Ante Sundharaniki is a cleverly written rom-com with outstanding performances from Nani and Nazariya Nazim. The stylistic transitions, the non-linear storytelling, and the Quikr background score all work together flawlessly. Given how Nani tells lies throughout the movie, it naturally made our list.
9. Uunchai (Hindi) – Written by Abhishek Dixit, Directed by Sooraj Barjatya
In the film Uunchai, three elderly friends go on a trip to Everest base camp despite all odds in order to keep a promise they made to another friend. Amitabh Bachhan, Anupam Kher and Boman Irani play the leads. This is the most upbeat film of 2022. Sooraj Barjatya’s direction ensures that it does not feel old or predictable, but rather looks incredibly contemporary. Music by Amit Trivedi enhances the movie. Uunchai honors friendship, life, and most importantly, the human spirit. Each character has their own journey and motivations. Every character ultimately found a way to redeem themselves, including the director. Uunchai is unquestionably a redemption for Sooraj Barjatya and Rajshri Films.
8. DAMaN (0dia) – Written and directed by Vishal Mourya, Debi Prasad Lenka
The Odia film industry was experiencing a difficult time. The standard of films has been steadily declining for more than a decade, which leaves spectators with no hope.As a result, people quit going to see Odia movies in theaters.The circumstance was so dire that DAMaN was unable to obtain a screen in the state of Odisha. After much delay and difficulty, it ultimately had a limited release. DAMaN is a biographical drama about Dr. Omkar Hota, who was instrumental in the effort to eradicate malaria from 151 isolated villages in the Malkangiri district. Human empathy is the movie’s central theme. Despite having any commercial toppings, this social drama still holds your attention with its story. It is the much-needed breakthrough film for the Odia film industry. While the big spectacle films and pan India films are the narrative. A modest, locally produced movie like DAMaN, which is still playing to packed theatres in its eighth week as we make this list, speaks to another narrative.
7. Vendhu Thanindhathu Kaadu (Tamil) – Written by B. Jeyamohan , Directed by Gautham Vasudev Menon
In the year of PS-1 and Vikarm, we choose this less-than-perfect movie. VTK, directed by Gautam Vasudev Menon, is more of a character study. The story centres around Muthu’s ascent from a hamlet to a mob lord in Mumbai. Unlike other gangster films, this one is treated extremely differently. It is more raw and humanistic, which gives the movie more room to breathe. This unhurried approach is rather unusual in an era of quick filmmaking. STR is absolutely convincing as Muthu. His nonverbal cues contribute to the film’s eerie worldbuilding. Unquestionably one of our favourite performances of the year. The movie’s refusal to follow a predictable and easy route is its most outstanding aspect.
6. Monica, O My Darling (Hindi) – Written by Yogesh Chandekar, Directed by Vasan Bala
Vasan Bala, a fan of 80s and 90s Hindi cinema, takes you on a joyous voyage. Dark and humorous characters, precise editing, and a fascinating background score with nostalgic ties all work together beautifully. This murder-mystery fun film, adapted from a Japanese novel, is a breath of fresh air. Raj Kumar Rao, Huma Quershi, and Siknder Kher all deliver outstanding performances. In contrast to all the heavy-handed movies released this year, this pulp fiction flick stands out.
5. Attention Please (Malyalam) – Written and directed by Jithin Issac Thomas
The Malayalam film industry has produced several daring and avant-garde works this year. But our favourite is this simple indie film, which was shot entirely in one apartment with six actors. Hari has been a struggling writer seeking to get into the film industry for a long time. He has many stories to tell, but no one is interested. His friends advise him to take up other employment so he can support himself. They criticize him for being subpar and charge him with plagiarism. But Hari wants to tell stories, and he does so throughout the film, keeping everyone’s attention. Jithin, a writer-director, skillfully employs the power of the moving image and sound to address issues like caste prejudice and feudalism. Although there are some unsettling scenes in the movie, they all serve to enhance the overall experience.
4. Chhello Show (Gujrati) – Written and directed by Pan Nalin
Samay(time), a young kid from a very poor family, skips school to see movies. He befriends the projectionist at a local single-screen movie theatre, and in exchange for his tiffin, he sees movies there every day. He is so enthralled by everything that he has decided to convey his own story by hosting his own film show. The adventure has begun. Even though it is told from the viewpoint of a little child, the movie never shies away from the grim reality. Pan Nalin offers a compelling argument regarding the declining 35mm celluloid and single-screen film cultures in India. His background in documentaries helps him convey the intended idea to the audience clearly. Over RRR, Chhello Show is India’s official Oscar entry, and in our opinion, it is well-deserved.
3. Natchathiram Nagargiradhu (Tamil) – Written and directed by Pa. Ranjith
A good political film is becoming a rarity in India. Pa. Ranjith provides us with a wide range of human emotions contained within a political movie. It’s a movie that explores the politics of love, hate, and prejudice, and how art responds to them. Along with having many excellent and interesting characters, it also has a highly distinctive language. Because this movie is so unique, we don’t think everyone will enjoy it. But the attempt to do something like this, which might elicit passionate reactions, has paid off handsomely for Pa. Ranjith.
2. Pada (Malayalam) – Written and directed by Kamal K.M.
Making movies based on true events is currently popular in India. However, they all end up substantially distorting the facts, which is detrimental to the actual incident. But not in this case. Kamal K.M.’s Pada is a superbly crafted sociopolitical thriller. The film is based on a true incident that occurred in 1996 when the then Palakkad collector was held hostage. One of the best screenplays of the year belongs to Pada. It holds your attention without abusing too many cinematic freedoms. The director tries to make it appear as genuine as he can. The film accurately and impartially portrays the horrors committed by the government against the tribal community.
1. Kantara (Kannada) – Written and directed by Rishab Shetty
2022 has been a successful year for the Kannada film industry. KGF-2 ended up becoming the year’s highest-grossing Indian movie. It gives regional film the opportunity to dream big. While we acknowledge KGF’s accomplishment, our pick is Kantara. It is a labor of love. Some of the visuals are amazing. Both the angry scream of the folk dancer and the alluring sound of the Nadaswaram (traditional wind instrument) are fascinating. Kantara deserves all the love and praise she has gotten from Indian viewers. For others, this will serve as a case study on how Rishab Shetty and his team were able to complete this incredible cinematic feat with very little resources. When the Pan India joke is at its height, people tend to believe that by casting several well-known actors from different industries, their film will become a Pan India sensation. Kantara, a film about tribal people from rural districts of Karnataka with no well-known faces in the lead, is a fitting response to that nonsense. A quality film has always transcended linguistic and cultural borders and Kantara is the recent example.
