Compared to previous years, there seemed to be fewer outstanding films from Bollywood in 2018.
- Best of 2017: 10 Favorite Bollywood Films
- Best of 2016: 5 Fun Films That Entertained
- Best of 2016: Top 5 Bollywood Based-On-A-True-Story Films of the Year
- Best of 2015: Top 5 Bollywood Films of the Year
However, films like Parmanu: The Story of Pokhran show that Indian films continue to bring strong stories to box offices around the world.
Along with Parmanu, the following films are our top picks for the best Bollywood films in 2018. If you are new to Bollywood, check these out!
1. Padman
Release Date: February 9, 2018
Director: R. Balki
Music by: Amit Trivedi
Produced by: Twinkle Khanna, SPE Films India, KriArj Entertainment, Cape of Good Films, Hope Productions
Description: Drama. Newly married Lakshmikant "Laxmi" Chauhan (Akshay Kumar) causes a stir in his small rural village when he tries to revolutionize the manufacturing of sanitary napkins for women. Based on the short story "The Sanitary Man of Sacred Land" in Twinkle Khanna's book The Legend of Lakshmi Prasad, which is inspired by the life of Arunachalam Muruganantham, a social activist from Tamil Nadu who introduced low-cost sanitary pads
Why I Love this Film: From start to finish, this story focuses on Laxmi's sincere attempts to address a serious need. The film respectfully navigates the issues surrounding a man publicly addressing the private needs of women. While it focuses on women's health issues, it is a film worth seeing by both women and men alike.
2. October
Release Date: 13 April 2018
Director: Shoojit Sircar
Music by: Shantanu Moitra
Produced by: Ronnie Lahiri, Sheel Kumar
Description: Drama. Hotel management trainee Danish "Dan" Walia (Varun Dhawan) is rude and selfish. But being part of the team requires him to work with others in the daily grind. When a fellow trainee is involved in an accident, Dan becomes obsessed with the aftermath.
Why I Love this Film: Dan isn't a likable character. He is pre-occupied with his success and doesn't hesitate to criticize others. But as events unfold his focus changes and he experiences an unmistakable transformation. His slow, quiet story is told with a genuineness that makes this film unforgettable. Kudos to Varun Dhawan for his portrayal of Dan.
3. Sanju
Release Date: June 29, 2018
Director: Rajkumar Hirani
Music by: A. R. Rahman, Rohan-Rohan, Vikram Montrose
Produced by: Vidhu Vinod Chopra, Rajkumar Hirani
Description: Biographical film. Based on the life of Indian superstar Sanjay "Sanju" Dutt, (Ranbir Kapoor), this drama portrays the actor's battles with numerous addictions, his challenging relationship with his father, and other personal issues.
Why I Love this Film: Ranbir Kapoor's depiction of Sanjay Dutt is spot on and while the film is more of a montage of scenes (rather than a seamless narrative) from the superstar's life, it provides an interesting account of a life lived in the public spotlight.
4. Gold: The Dream That United Our Nation
Release Date: August 15, 2018
Director: Reema Kagti
Music by: Sachin–Jigar, Arko Pravo Mukherjee, Tanishk Bagchi
Produced by: Ritesh Sidhwani, Farhan Akhtar
Description: Historical sports drama. After making it through World War II and gaining independence, Tapan Das (Akshay Kumar) reorganizes and leads the Indian field hockey team to win its first Olympic gold medal in 1948.
Why I Love this Film: Despite some drunken musical numbers, this engaging drama highlights an extraordinary time in India's history through the lens of the Olympics while highlighting what it takes to bring together a winning team.
5. AndhaDhun
English Translation: "Blind Tune"
Release Date: October 5, 2018
Director: Sriram Raghavan
Music by: Amit Trivedi, Raftaar, Girish Nakod, Daniel B. George
Produced by: Viacom 18 Motion Pictures, Matchbox Pictures
Description: Dark comedy crime thriller. Blind pianist Akash (Ayushmann Khurrana) experiences a series of mysterious events and a crime that he did not witness. Soon his life is turned upside down.
Why I Love This Film: This story line offers a lot of twists and turns as misconduct is piled on misdeed. Characters who pursue criminal activity get their comeuppance - but from a series of unfortunate events, not from being caught. With the piano being a central part of the narrative, you'll want to be watch the end titles tribute to the piano in Hindi film.
Honorable Mention: Thugs of Hindostan
Release Date: October 5, 2018
Director: Vijay Krishna Acharya
Music by: Ajay-Atul, John Stewart Eduri
Produced by: Aditya Chopra
Description: Action adventure. In the 18th century, the British East India Company is pitted against Khudabaksh (Amitabh Bachchan), a "Thug of the Seas" fighting to liberate his country. The English, not knowing how to defeat him, call on a talented con artist, Firangi Mallah (Aamir Khan).
Why I Love This Film: Pirates of the Caribbean meets Bollywood. This epic adventure is just plain entertaining. As Firangi Mallah, Aamir Khan creates a character whose loyalty regularly flip-flops, making his transformation in the story even more gratifying.
The following playlist features the trailers for each of these films.
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