Yearender 2023: Most underrated and overlooked movies of the year

The year 2023 gave us some of the most iconic movies which created history at the box office. WhileBarbieandOppenheimerbecame a global cultural phenomenon, Shah Rukh Khan'sJawanandPathanbecame the highest-grossing Bollywood movies.

However, not all films received the attention they deserved. There were several works from up-and-coming directors whose quality we cannot judge merely by their financial performance.

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From Hollywood and Bollywood to Indian regional cinema, and from drama, thriller to comedy, here's the list of the most underrated and overlooked movies of 2023 which deserved more praise and attention.

Guy Ritchie's The Covenant

Guy Ritchie's The Covenantwas the hidden gem of 2023. The war drama was surprisingly straightforward and celebrated the heroism of soldiers without glorifying violence. The movie depicts the relationship between the American Master Sergeant John Kinley (played by Jake Gyllenhaal) and his Afghan translator Ahmed Abdullah (played by Dar Salim) during a military operation overseas. Although the plot is fictitious, the British filmmaker drew from recent events while creating the plot.

A Thousand and One

A Thousand and Onewas a diamond in the rough. It featured one of the year's best performances by Teyana Taylor. The movie served as a tribute to single parents while criticising the foster care system in the US. Although the film deals with serious problems, it has a lot of heart, humour, and honesty.

Sirf Ek Bandaa Kaafi Hai

Sirf Ek Banda Kaafi Haimight look like another Bollywood courtroom drama with loud tropes and big showdowns, but it was much more than that. Manoj Bajpayee, with his performance, proved once again that he is one of the finest actors in India.

Zwigato

Directed by Nandita Das,Zwigatotells the poignant story of delivery boys, a new working class in India. Kapil Sharma's portrayal of Manas Mahato was genuine and soulful. Das has flawlessly presented the story of the strife and struggle of the gig economy.

Chithha

Chithha, directed by SU Arun Kumar, is a hard-hitting and raw Tamil drama. The movie revolves around the kidnapping of a school girl named Sundari, and her uncle Eeswaram faces the accusations of assaulting Sundari's friend.

Aatmapamphlet

Set in the 1990s,Aatmapampletwas one of the most underrated movies of the year 2023. The coming-of-age Marathi film follows a ten-year-old Ashish as he falls in love with his classmate Srusthi. The film is a wickedly humorous ride, dealing with the unavoidable relation between national and personal history.

Honourable Mentions:

Evil Does Not Exist, Cassando, Afwaah, 12th Fail, Bheed, Kathal, Vaalvi, Maurh, Por Thozhil, Kannur Squad, Balagam, Iratt