You know a woman knows what she’s talking about when she can sit with full-on tashan and agree that size doesn’t matter. More recently I’ve realized this line works for most things in life with one exception: diamonds. But all this small talk brings me back to sizes. Bollywood likes it big. Huge even. Big stars, big sets, big budgets, big shosha. And yet, in more recent times, the biggest films have failed to bring in big bucks or good reviews, for that matter. In fact, it’s the smaller films which are somehow resonating with audiences and critics. And they even manage to bring in some pretty decent bucks at the box office yet again proving that size does not matter when it comes to making a good film. Some of my most favorite films thus far in 2011 have been small films. Naturally, none of them are blockbusters and only a few received critical acclaim but so what? Koi nahin. Of course, when I tell people that I absolutely adored the simplicity behind Turning 30, they tell me that I must be insane. But really the film really bought some iffy subjects that comes to the mind of every single approaching 30-year-old girl. And if you happen to be Desi, then this film is pretty interesting.
Hostel was a film which only a handful of people even heard of, let alone watch. And this is hardly something we should be proud of. A complete social film, it follows the lives of young college-going hostel-staying students who become prey to severe ragging— a major problem which is swiftly swept under the carpet for the most part.
The bromance of the year for me will definitely be Pyar Ka Punchama! The film, the cast, the music and the plot all worked together to create a young vivacious film which talks about the beautiful art of dating. Not. It in fact, looks at relationships from the perspective of three varied men who fall in love with the wrong women.
And then there are more social films. Khap talks about small societies with rigid rules while Bol looks at the importance of the boy child in modern day Pakistan. On the other hand, there is Bhindi Bazaar Inc.; a crude look at the lives of small time gangs and their desperation for power.
But this year's ace film has to be Stanley Ka Dabba. And what does the film talk about? An orphan who has a hard time with a teacher who steals the tiffins of young students. Bas. But the passion behind this film is one that is so rare that you are kept glued to film hoping, praying, wishing Stanley finally gets a tiffin good enough for his greedy teacher <insert cooing, awing and heart melting sounds here>.
So why should you watch these small time films? Well quite simply because these films are much better than the crass we are being presented with on a weekly basis. For the most part, they house big names but deliver close to nothing. Instead, you’re better off watching films which have heart, soul and a plot which is engaging, different. Yes, they don’t have item numbers or a popular star but a good film, a small film, need not load up on big names. Size is overrated. It’s how you work it, which matters. And that goes for anything, mind you.
