In a time of propaganda-driven cinema, let’s go back to the films that dared to show you the truth. Films that didn’t just serve as brilliant art, but also a had a message, a caveat. There are certain films that you forget about as soon as the screen is painted black, and there are others you go to sleep with. They change how you think, force you to see the uncomfortable realities around you. These are, after all, the most important ones. Here’s a few you shouldn’t miss:
1. Parched
A widow, a childless woman and a sex worker fight through the patriarchy that has held them by the throat to live their lives as free women. The film explores multiple issues about women in India, and how even today women are treated like sex objects that are owned and thrown away at men’s convenience.
2. Masaan
Masaan is a film that shakes you. It forces you to be uncomfortable, to open your eyes and see the reality of the world around you. Two young people falling in love, should be simple right? A woman wanting to explore her own desires, should be allowed right?
Masaan is a reminder of the society that we have not just become a part of, but have built ourselves. A society that now needs to change.
3.Peepli Live
A compelling satire, Peepli Live highlights the plight of the common man. Two farmers whose lives become a big joke. The two farmers are struggling with poverty, so one of them decides to commit suicide to avail the compensation. Things turn chaotic as the news spreads and the media gets involved. Peepli Live is a striking reminder of the little value we have for human life and how poverty dehumanises people in modern society,
4. PK
An alien lands on Earth. And is immediately robbed off the things he is wearing. What follows is his journey as he tries to navigate through absurd human ideas of life. PK is a film that points out logical flaws in the way we have designed our world, how religion sometimes oppresses rationality, and how we need to begin to think for ourselves.
5. Angry Indian Goddesses
This is a film that will make you very, very angry. Not because of the story, but simply because of how it reflects on life. Just a bunch of young, driven women trying to have fun, trying to live their lives, but it’s never that simple, is it?
6. Pink
Pink is the film India needed. In a country where every day we are bombarded with headlines about rape and abuse, Pink dared to question that world. It reminds us that EVERY woman deserves her freedom. It isn’t about who lives how, it isn’t about what one wears and who one meets. It reminds you to not let your morals stand in the way of treating someone with respect.
7. Mulk
Mulk is a film that aims to fight the divisive politics of the country. The narrative of “us” vs “them”. The Islamophobia that allows for the dehumanisation of people, the subsequent hatred. It attempts to throw light on the Islamophobia that is persistent in the world today, and the other less-talked about forces of terrorism that often get forgotten.
8. Swades
Swades is a film that moved everybody. Be it the brilliant cinematography, the rawness of the characters, or its honesty - all of it strikes you right in the heart. It is a film that reminds you to be proud of your roots, the places that make you who you are. The music, it is just the cherry on top.
9. Matrubhoomi: A Nation Without Women
Imagine a world without women. This film, it is exactly that. A world where men live like savages, where bestiality is acceptable but homosexuality is not. A world where a woman is the most precious gift, but also a mere sexual object. This film will leave you uncomfortable to the point of nausea, and it is not for the faint-hearted.
10. Halkaa
A fight against open defection, a fight for a better life, a fight for dignity. Halkaa is a film that shows you a little boy and his will to fight for basic amenities, a toilet. This film might not be the most entertaining watch, but it is the truth. The fact that thousands of people in our country are still fighting for something as basic as privacy.
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)