Each year the movies teach us different lessons. Last year we learnt that greed is good, and that Akshay Kumar isn't funny anymore. This year we have new lessons. Pay close attention and you'll be wiser going forward. Here's presenting the 5 Lessons We Learnt at the Movies in 2011.
Akshay Kumar needs to reinvent himself...quick!
On the same show last year, we came to the conclusion that Akshay Kumar just isn't funny anymore. This year, we want the star to get some help - in thinking out of the box, and choosing quality over quantity. All his films in 2011 were duds - 'Patiala House', 'Thank You' and 'Desi Boyz', while his brief appearances in the flop 'Speedy Singhs' and the average 'Chalo Dilli' did nothing for himself or the films. Akshay Kumar needs a new plan. Fast.
Look South for big bucks
It's the turn of the strong, larger-than-life hero, taking cues from movies down South. 'Ready', 'Bodyguard' and 'Singham' were 100-crore-plus hits, and all remakes of Telugu, Malayalam and Tamil cinema. Even John Abraham broke his unlucky jinx with Force, which did respectable business. In an industry that loves formula, the South Indian remake seems here to stay.
Women have box-office muscle too!
2011 began on a high note with No One Killed Jessica, that had powerhouse performances from Rani Mukherji and Vidya Balan. And the year ended with The 'Dirty Picture', a monster hit riding on Vidya Balan's...ummm...shoulders. In the same year, Kangana Ranaut pretty much carried 'Tanu Weds Manu' to box-office success. This is the moment we've been waiting for - the girls are back in town!
The big guys have lost their mojo
It's the directors we'd placed our hopes on, but 2011 was not their year. Several big-ticket filmmakers let us down...from Vishal Bharadwaj with '7 Khoon Maaf', Prakash Jha with 'Aarakshan', and Ramgopal Varma with 'Not A Love Story', to Pankaj Kapoor with 'Mausam', and David Dhawan with 'Rascals'. Even Nagesh Kukunoor, once hailed the messiah of small-budget alternative cinema, delivered a dull-as-dishwater dud in Mod. Here's wishing that 2012 ends up as the year for their comebacks.
Cinema finds a new language
If you were listening, all these films had something different to say. Sharp everyday dialogues laced such like 'Pyaar Ka Punchnama', 'Dhobhi Ghat' and 'Delhi Belly', while movies like 'Sahib Biwi Aur Gangster' and 'Yeh Saali Zindagi' reveled in quirky banter and raw, earthy desire. Meanwhile, 'Shaitan' summoned the recklessness of our youth and indulged in a sparkling visual language - setting up the tone of the film with stylish storytelling. We approve.
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