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Moving Images

A critic's list of the top twenty films of indian cinema

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1. The Apu Trilogy, Satyajit Ray, Bengali, 1955-1959

2. Charulata, Satyajit Ray, Bengali, 1964
The film Ray called his most perfect. Never has a woman been filmed with such sensitivity in Indian cinema as Madhabi Mukherjee in this epic tragedy adapted from a Tagore novella on violation of trust in marriage.

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3. Teen Kanya, Satyajit Ray, Bengali, 1964
Three gems of Tagore converted into vibrant cinema. ‘Postmaster’ is a poignant study of the relationship between a postmaster and an unlettered little girl. ‘Monihara’ an intriguing ghost story about a spoilt wife’s obsession for jewels; and ‘Samaapti’ the tale of the transformation of a tomboy to woman.

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4. Duniya Na Mane, V. Shantaram, Hindi/Marathi, 1937

5. Kismet, Gyan Mukerji, Hindi, 1948
The longest runner in Indian cinema history is a nonpareil entertainer that combines the lost-and-found theme with the story of a crook’s redemption through his love for a lame dancer.

6. Do bigha zameen Bimal Roy, Hindi, 1953
Heart-rending saga of a peasant struggling to save his piece of land. The race between a hand-pulled rickshaw and a horse carriage remains one of the classic sequences of Indian cinema.

7. Udayer Pathey Humrahi, Bimal Roy, Bengali/Hindi, 1944/45

8. Chandralekha, S.S. Vasan, Hindi, 1948
Spectacular Indian costume drama about evil royalty andits overthrow. Grand escapism with suspense, thrills, dances, action, the works.

9. Parineeta, Bimal Roy, Hindi. 1953
Endearingly Indian domestic and class-struggle ethos ina superb adaptation of Sarat Chandra Chatterji’s tale of love and sacrifice.

10. Andaaz, Mehboob Khan, Hindi,1949
Tragic romance played with new-generation stars Nargis,Dilip Kumar, Raj Kapoor centering on the vital theme of liberal westernism vsIndian traditions.

11. Awaara, Raj Kapoor, Hindi, 1956
Grandly-treated show of crime vs social uplift, throughthe leftist theme of environment shaping a man and not birth. Superblymeaningful entertainment for the post-independence audience.

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12. Jagte raho, Raj Kapoor, Hindi, 1956
Off-beat portrayal of an honest rustic accidentallyuncovering, through the course of a single night, the social evils that festerunder the surface of genteel life in a big-city colony.

13. Mother India, Mehboob Khan, Hindi, 1957
The epic of epics: the saga of a peasant woman’ssurvival and devotion to ideals, a celebration of human grit and dignity in theface of seemingly insurmountable odds.

14. Navrang, V. Shantaram,HindI, 1959
A creative artist’s search for libidinal beauty in anorthodox set-up, with splendid use of colours and dances.

15. Pyaasa,Guru Dutt,Hindi, 1957
Brooding and stylish exploration of a poet’s questfor recognition, love and revolt without protest in a materialistic world. Theclassic Indian film on the outsider theme.

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16. Padosan, Jyoti Swaroop for Mehmood, Hindi, 1968
Country bumpkin outwits jealous and cranky musicteacher to woo beautiful urbanised neighbour, with the help of a hilarious bandof amateur musicians. Ridiculous, uproarious, sublime.

17. Ankur,Shyam Benegal, Hindi, 1974
First of the Hindi new-wave hits, with an unusual ruralbackdrop and lingo, fresh faces, studio-less shooting, on the theme oflandlordist exploitation of a labourer woman and her physically  handicapped husband.

18. Swayamvaram,Adoor Gopalakrishnan, Malayalam, 1975
This multiple award-winner was a grim realistic saga ofa couple’s struggle to live life on their own terms.

19. Guide,Vijay Anand, Hindi,1965
Image-breaking R.K. Narayan novel of illicit love,treachery and enforced sainthood, adapted into a lavish yet sensitive filmspanning the entire range of human emotions. Superb songs, exquisite dances.

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20. Satyakam,Hrishikesh Mukherjee, Hindi, 1969
A gripping dramatic narration of one man’s combatagainst the cancer of corruption and exploitation in civic administration.Predictive of the politician-criminal nexus.

Cinema Mystique India
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