What are the best-ever Indian Films?Here are my suggestions(some i've seen,some i've only read about),arranged by director:
Satyajit Ray:Apu Trilogy.Charualata.The Music Room.Days and Nights in the Forest.Home and the World.
Ghatak:Cloud-Capped Star.A River called Titash.Reason,Debate and a Tale.Ajantrik.
Dutt:Pyaasa.Paper Flowers.
Nair:Monsoon Wedding.Salaam Bombay.
Amrohi:Pakeezah.
Sen:Bhuvan Shome
Benegal:Junoon.The Seedling.
Mehbob Khan:Mother India
Karnad:The Forest
Gowariker:Lagaan
Damle,Fattelal:Sant Tukaram
Sippy:Sholay
Barua:Devdas
Raj Kapoor:Awara.Bobby.
Asif:Mughal-e-Azam
Shekhar Kapoor:Bandit Queen
Chopra:Dilwale Dulhaniya le Jayenge
Shahani:Tarang.
Roy:Two Acres of Land.
Johar:Kuch Kuch Hota Hai
Mehta:Fire.Earth
Comments/observations/other suggestions please.I'd be particularly interested in any views on Cloud-Capped Star(1960)by Ritwik Ghatak,which our local Film Society in Wales screened recently,and which polarised opinion.It's regarded by many critics as a classic,but several in the audience thought it the worst film we've shown.I thought it was visually brilliant but could understand the irritation with the brother's singing(it had the guy next to me grimacing)and the less subtle acting.
From the films i've seen,i'd have to say the Apu Trilogy(1955-9)deserves its reputation as India's best.Sholay(1975)and Mother India(1956)were huge successes.Guru Dutt's Pyaasa(1957)is apparently one of the very best.I enjoyed Monsoon Wedding(2001,Venice Golden Lion)more as it went on;extremely colourful and deeper than first impressions led me to expect.







