2023 will go down in history as the year when Bollywood made a remarkable comeback and how! From record-breaking blockbusters to surprise hits to OTT gems, Bollywood had something to offer to everyone and no one was complaining. It is the year when Shah Rukh Khan came back on the big screen with a bang and delivered not one but two blockbusters and one hit. While action films ruled the box office, there were also surprise hits like Vidhu Vinod Chopra's 12th Fail&nbsp;- a film that tugged at everyone's heartstrings. Stars like Kareena Kapoor Khan, Kajol and Shahid Kapoor made their digital debut and proved their talent in projects that one usually wouldn't associate them with.&nbsp; 
 
So here it is. As we wrap up 2023, presenting the best Hindi films of the year.&nbsp;

12th Fail 
 
A classic underdog story, Vidhu Vinod Chopra's 12th Fail resonated with one and all. Headlined by the immensely talented actor Vikrant Massey, the film narrates the story of a man from the deep interior of central India who fights several odds including language barrier and poverty and clears the civil service exams - considered one of the toughest exams in India. While the film talked about a man's hardships and how he rose to the occasion despite the odds, the film also managed to put a smile on the viewer's face for its beautiful screenplay. The film's success was pertinent for 2023 as it shined at a time when big-budget action thrillers featuring Bollywood superstars ruled the box office. Yet, 12th Fail worked despite the absence of a big name, only due to its heartwarming story and stupendous performance by its lead. Read <a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/bollywood/news-_2th-fail-movie-review-vikrant-massey-delivers-career-best-performance-651608">WION's review of the film here</a> 
 
Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani 
 
Karan Johar talked of inclusivity and acceptance in this most fun film of the year. At the onset this Ranveer Singh-Alia Bhatt film was a love story of two very different individuals yet when you look deeper it talked of preconceived notions, gender politics and so much more. All wrapped in a quintessential Karan Johar style Bollywood masala entertainer. It helped that the film had great performances from both Ranveer and Alia and included a sweet track involving Dharmendra and Shabana Azmi. Read<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/bollywood/news-rocky-aur-rani-kii-prem-kahaani-review-ranveer-singh-alia-bhatt-shine-in-a-predictable-fun-family-film-620135"> WION's review of the film here.</a>

Three Of Us 
 
Avinash Arun's film features three adults finding love, companionship and friendship at an age when one needs it the most. The film talks of Shailaja, who after discovering she has early onset of dementia, travels back to her childhood home in Konkan village with her husband, and revisits memories of her childhood and meets her former lover. The film is subtle with its messaging yet effective&nbsp;primarily for its beautiful screenplay and stupendous performance by its leads - Shefali Shah and Jaideep Ahlawat.

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/LGMsX_RzGl4?si=3YIFzIrF_7jcPJKX" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>

Kathal - A Jackfruit Mystery 
 
Directed by Yashowardhan Mishra, this satirical drama is mostly fun as its protagonist, Inspector Mahima Basor played by Sanya Malhotra is deputed to find the culprit as two jackfruits go missing from a local political leader's home. The film opens to the complexities that come in the case and Malhotra's character's frustration on being assigned a job that she feels is pointless and only to appease the leader. The film eventually takes a serious turn of events when while looking for the jackfruit thief, Mahima and her team unravel an old missing case that needed attention. Smartly written and well performed, Kathal had its heart in the right place. Read <a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/hollywood/news-kathal-movie-review-sanya-malhotra-shines-in-this-cheeky-satire-594178">WION's review of the film here</a>

Jaane Jaan 
 
Trust Sujoy Ghosh to create the perfect environment for a thriller. Based on Keigo Higashino's novel The Devotion of Suspect X, Jaane Jaan is a murder mystery set in the misty, hilly town of Kalimpong in West Bengal India. Kareena Kapoor plays a single mom, who takes the help of her neighbour, the Teacher (Jaideep Ahlawat) to get rid of a crime she commits one fateful night. Things get complicated when a cop comes to their town to investigate the crime and tries to unearth the sequence of events to arrest the culprit. Ghosh creates a sense of doom and uncertainty with his screenplay and the film is filled with great performances by Kareena Kapoor Khan, Vijay Varma and Jaideep Ahlawat. Read <a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/bollywood/news-jaane-jaan-review-jaideep-ahlawat-kareena-kapoor-vijay-varma-make-the-film-worth-your-time-638178">WION's review of the film here</a>

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/GHX6yT9Lxfo?si=GOgDRBVodoS2DEXx" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>

The Mirror, Lust Stories 2 
 
Konkona Sen Sharma's directorial film The Mirror was part of the anthology series in Lust Stories 2. The brightest film of the lot and also the most sharp - The Mirror took a clever and comical take on the class divide that exists in urban areas of India. A woman finds an unspoken pleasure in witnessing her house help's sexual escapades in her bedroom daily. It becomes routine of sorts- where the house help uses her employer's plush bedroom for intimacy with her husband because the couple never has any time of their own in their own home- a slum cramped with people. The employer initially is shocked at what she is witnessing but eventually secretly derives pleasure from it.&nbsp;Propelled by superb performances by Tilottama Shome and Amruta Subhash- The Mirror not only shows reality to its protagonist but to us viewers as well about our preconceived notions and prejudices about others. Read <a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/bollywood/news-lust-stories-2-review-konkona-sen-sharmas-short-is-the-best-of-the-lot-610455">WION's review of the film here</a> 
 
Jawan 
 
Shah Rukh Khan's second release of the year was essentially a typical Bollywood masala potboiler but in reality, a socialist film which was headlined by the superstar. The vigilante thriller had SRK taking up issues like corruption and red-tapism in the system and delivering a monologue on the importance of voting and choosing the right candidate. All brilliantly enveloped in song-dance-drama. Directed by Atlee Jawan also worked because of SRK's double role, great music by Anirudh, Nayanthara and Deepika Padukone's charm and Vijay Sethupathi as the villain.&nbsp; Read <a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/bollywood/news-jawan-review-shah-rukh-khan-cements-his-position-as-numero-uno-with-this-vigilante-thriller-633248">WION's review of the film here</a>

Sirf Ek Bandaa Kaafi Hai 
 
Filmmaker Apoorv Singh Karki's film featuring Manoj Bajpayee in the lead was a difficult film to watch but also an important one. The film, loosely based on a real-life incident, involved a lone lawyer fighting a case of a minor who has been molested by a spiritual guru at his ashram. The film's story was known to many in India and yet its was propelled due to Bajpayee's credible performance.&nbsp;

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/uO-csOo3uT4?si=VMOS6N548Qw62ZXF" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>

Notable mentions: Khufiya, Ghoomer, Goldfish, Gulmoher

2023 will go down in history as the year when Bollywood made a remarkable comeback and how! From record-breaking blockbusters to surprise hits to OTT gems, Bollywood had something to offer to everyone and no one was complaining.

2023 will go down in history as the year when Bollywood made a remarkable comeback and how! From record-breaking blockbusters to surprise hits to OTT gems, Bollywood had something to offer to everyone and no one was complaining. It is the year when Shah Rukh Khan came back on the big screen with a bang and delivered not one but two blockbusters and one hit. While action films ruled the box office, there were also surprise hits like Vidhu Vinod Chopra's 12th Fail - a film that tugged at everyone's heartstrings. Stars like Kareena Kapoor Khan, Kajol and Shahid Kapoor made their digital debut and proved their talent in projects that one usually wouldn't associate them with. So here it is. As we wrap up 2023, presenting the best Hindi films of the year. 12th Fail A classic underdog story, Vidhu Vinod Chopra's 12th Fail resonated with one and all. Headlined by the immensely talented actor Vikrant Massey, the film narrates the story of a man from the deep interior of central India who fights several odds including language barrier and poverty and clears the civil service exams - considered one of the toughest exams in India. While the film talked about a man's hardships and how he rose to the occasion despite the odds, the film also managed to put a smile on the viewer's face for its beautiful screenplay. The film's success was pertinent for 2023 as it shined at a time when big-budget action thrillers featuring Bollywood superstars ruled the box office. Yet, 12th Fail worked despite the absence of a big name, only due to its heartwarming story and stupendous performance by its lead. Read WION's review of the film here Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani Karan Johar talked of inclusivity and acceptance in this most fun film of the year. At the onset this Ranveer Singh-Alia Bhatt film was a love story of two very different individuals yet when you look deeper it talked of preconceived notions, gender politics and so much more. All wrapped in a quintessential Karan Johar style Bollywood masala entertainer. It helped that the film had great performances from both Ranveer and Alia and included a sweet track involving Dharmendra and Shabana Azmi. Read WION's review of the film here. Three Of Us Avinash Arun's film features three adults finding love, companionship and friendship at an age when one needs it the most. The film talks of Shailaja, who after discovering she has early onset of dementia, travels back to her childhood home in Konkan village with her husband, and revisits memories of her childhood and meets her former lover. The film is subtle with its messaging yet effective primarily for its beautiful screenplay and stupendous performance by its leads - Shefali Shah and Jaideep Ahlawat. Kathal - A Jackfruit Mystery Directed by Yashowardhan Mishra, this satirical drama is mostly fun as its protagonist, Inspector Mahima Basor played by Sanya Malhotra is deputed to find the culprit as two jackfruits go missing from a local political leader's home. The film opens to the complexities that come in the case and Malhotra's character's frustration on being assigned a job that she feels is pointless and only to appease the leader. The film eventually takes a serious turn of events when while looking for the jackfruit thief, Mahima and her team unravel an old missing case that needed attention. Smartly written and well performed, Kathal had its heart in the right place. Read WION's review of the film here Jaane Jaan Trust Sujoy Ghosh to create the perfect environment for a thriller. Based on Keigo Higashino's novel The Devotion of Suspect X, Jaane Jaan is a murder mystery set in the misty, hilly town of Kalimpong in West Bengal India. Kareena Kapoor plays a single mom, who takes the help of her neighbour, the Teacher (Jaideep Ahlawat) to get rid of a crime she commits one fateful night. Things get complicated when a cop comes to their town to investigate the crime and tries to unearth the sequence of events to arrest the culprit. Ghosh creates a sense of doom and uncertainty with his screenplay and the film is filled with great performances by Kareena Kapoor Khan, Vijay Varma and Jaideep Ahlawat. Read WION's review of the film here The Mirror, Lust Stories 2 Konkona Sen Sharma's directorial film The Mirror was part of the anthology series in Lust Stories 2. The brightest film of the lot and also the most sharp - The Mirror took a clever and comical take on the class divide that exists in urban areas of India. A woman finds an unspoken pleasure in witnessing her house help's sexual escapades in her bedroom daily. It becomes routine of sorts- where the house help uses her employer's plush bedroom for intimacy with her husband because the couple never has any time of their own in their own home- a slum cramped with people. The employer initially is shocked at what she is witnessing but eventually secretly derives pleasure from it. Propelled by superb performances by Tilottama Shome and Amruta Subhash- The Mirror not only shows reality to its protagonist but to us viewers as well about our preconceived notions and prejudices about others. Read WION's review of the film here Jawan Shah Rukh Khan's second release of the year was essentially a typical Bollywood masala potboiler but in reality, a socialist film which was headlined by the superstar. The vigilante thriller had SRK taking up issues like corruption and red-tapism in the system and delivering a monologue on the importance of voting and choosing the right candidate. All brilliantly enveloped in song-dance-drama. Directed by Atlee Jawan also worked because of SRK's double role, great music by Anirudh, Nayanthara and Deepika Padukone's charm and Vijay Sethupathi as the villain. Read WION's review of the film here Sirf Ek Bandaa Kaafi Hai Filmmaker Apoorv Singh Karki's film featuring Manoj Bajpayee in the lead was a difficult film to watch but also an important one. The film, loosely based on a real-life incident, involved a lone lawyer fighting a case of a minor who has been molested by a spiritual guru at his ashram. The film's story was known to many in India and yet its was propelled due to Bajpayee's credible performance. Notable mentions: Khufiya, Ghoomer, Goldfish, Gulmoher

Rewind 2023: 12th Fail to Kathal - The best Hindi films of the year

Manoj Bajpayee’s recent flick Sirf Ek Bandaa Kaafi Hai has heralded a new era for the OTT platform&nbsp;ZEE5 following a thunderous response from the audience. The OTT platform with its latest offering has become a favourite among those who enjoy binge-watching meaningful content.&nbsp;

With so much content released on OTT platforms these days, it becomes important for the story to be engaging and unique. ZEE5 has become successful in bringing such stories to audiences that are not only interesting but also have a social message.&nbsp;A few such shows and films are its latest release Sirf Ek Bandaa Kaafi Hai starring the Padma Shri and National Award recipient Manoj Bajpayee, Chhatriwali starring Rakul Preet Singh, Lost starring Yami Gautam, Jaanbaaz Hindustan Ke starring Regina Cassandra and Mita Vashisht, among others.

<h2>Why Sirf Ek Bandaa Kaafi Hai works?</h2>

Why Sirf Ek Bandaa Kaafi Hai works is its compelling narrative, intense performance, and gripping legal battle that has managed to captivate audiences and left an indelible mark on the genre. From fans claiming it to be one of Manoj Bajpayee’s finest performances, to Bollywood's best courtroom drama, the film has created constant buzz since the trailer launch. The intense drama unfolds within the courtroom walls as the weight of evidence, surprising twists, and impassioned arguments keep you on the edge of your seat.&nbsp;

Inspired by true events, the film is based on PC Solanki, a high court lawyer who single-handedly fought an extraordinary case against a self-proclaimed Godman and successfully ended up prosecuting him for the rape of a minor. This heart-wrenching narrative also shows the inspiring story of how one man is persistent in his fight for truth and ultimately one man is enough to seek justice.&nbsp;

We can’t wait to see what OTTs have to offer next.&nbsp;

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>

You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here.</a>

 
&nbsp;

Manoj Bajpayee’s recent flick Sirf Ek Bandaa Kaafi Hai has heralded a new era for the OTT platform ZEE5 following a thunderous response from the audience. The OTT platform with its latest offering has become a favourite among those who enjoy binge-watching meaningful content.

Manoj Bajpayee’s recent flick Sirf Ek Bandaa Kaafi Hai has heralded a new era for the OTT platform ZEE5 following a thunderous response from the audience. The OTT platform with its latest offering has become a favourite among those who enjoy binge-watching meaningful content. With so much content released on OTT platforms these days, it becomes important for the story to be engaging and unique. ZEE5 has become successful in bringing such stories to audiences that are not only interesting but also have a social message. A few such shows and films are its latest release Sirf Ek Bandaa Kaafi Hai starring the Padma Shri and National Award recipient Manoj Bajpayee, Chhatriwali starring Rakul Preet Singh, Lost starring Yami Gautam, Jaanbaaz Hindustan Ke starring Regina Cassandra and Mita Vashisht, among others. Why Sirf Ek Bandaa Kaafi Hai works? Why Sirf Ek Bandaa Kaafi Hai works is its compelling narrative, intense performance, and gripping legal battle that has managed to captivate audiences and left an indelible mark on the genre. From fans claiming it to be one of Manoj Bajpayee’s finest performances, to Bollywood's best courtroom drama, the film has created constant buzz since the trailer launch. The intense drama unfolds within the courtroom walls as the weight of evidence, surprising twists, and impassioned arguments keep you on the edge of your seat. Inspired by true events, the film is based on PC Solanki, a high court lawyer who single-handedly fought an extraordinary case against a self-proclaimed Godman and successfully ended up prosecuting him for the rape of a minor. This heart-wrenching narrative also shows the inspiring story of how one man is persistent in his fight for truth and ultimately one man is enough to seek justice. We can’t wait to see what OTTs have to offer next. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Sirf Ek Bandaa Kaafi Hai heralds a successful era for ZEE5

If there was one film that has hogged the limelight this week, earning critical praise for the story and stellar acting, it has to be Sirf Ek Bandaa Kaafi Hai starring Manoj Bajpayee in the leading role as a lawyer who is out there to prove his point. Streaming currently on ZEE5 after being released on May 23, Sirf Ek Bandaa Kaafi Hai is strong with its storytelling and acting talents it houses under one roof.&nbsp;

Speaking to WION, Suparn S Varma, creative producer for Sirf Ek Bandaa Kaafi Hai opened up on the huge response to his film. On how the film breaks out from the shackles of Bollywood’s idea of commercial cinema, Suparn said, “At the end of the day, all cinemas are commercial cinemas because it’s business, money is involved, and everybody is getting paid. But I understand the construct of it whereby we have managed to tell a story without any draping because we have been true to the story and to the genre of the story we are trying to tell.”

<img alt="Manoj Bajpayee" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="b94ac6b6-2178-42f6-a2c6-14ef2c29e0e7" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/HORIZONS%20-%202023-05-25T175126.091.jpg" />

Prior to its release on OTT in India, Manoj Bajpayee’s Sirf Ek Bandaa Kaafi Hai screened at the New York Indian Film Festival, so it got its world premiere much before it reached India. The pre-release response for the film affirmed his faith in the Manoj Bajpayee starrer. He added,&nbsp;“The film got a standing ovation at the New York Indian Film Festival when it screened there. People have been loving it and posting about it. At the end of the day, our protagonist is a man of faith, fighting for his faith, which is what is unique about our story. So, I always knew it was going to be well received and Manoj Bajpayee is outstanding.”

Watch the trailer of Sirf Ek Bandaa Kaafi Hai:

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/uO-csOo3uT4" title="Sirf Ek Bandaa Kaafi Hai | Official Trailer 2 | Manoj B | A ZEE5 Original Film | Watch Now on ZEE5" width="640"></iframe>

<h2>Where to watch Sirf Ek Bandaa Kaafi Hai</h2>

As someone who’s involved with the film in both pre-and post-production, Suparn revealed how he stays non-judgmental while telling a story. “We just stick to the facts and to the truth and tell the story. We do that as much as possible.”

Sirf Ek Bandaa Kaafi Hai is currently streaming on ZEE5. It is directed by Apoorv Singh Karki as Manoj Bajpayee stars in and as lawyer P.C. Solanki- a high court lawyer who single-handedly fought a case against the country's biggest god man and successfully ended up prosecuting him for the rape of a minor under the POCSO act. The film stars Manoj Bajpayee, Adrija, Kaustuv Sinha, Surya Mohan Kulshrestha, Jaihind Kumar, Durga Sharma.&nbsp;

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>

You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form</a>

 
&nbsp;

If there was one film that has hogged the limelight this week, earning critical praise for the story and stellar acting, it has to be Sirf Ek Bandaa Kaafi Hai starring Manoj Bajpayee in the leading role as a lawyer who is out there to prove his point.

If there was one film that has hogged the limelight this week, earning critical praise for the story and stellar acting, it has to be Sirf Ek Bandaa Kaafi Hai starring Manoj Bajpayee in the leading role as a lawyer who is out there to prove his point. Streaming currently on ZEE5 after being released on May 23, Sirf Ek Bandaa Kaafi Hai is strong with its storytelling and acting talents it houses under one roof. Speaking to WION, Suparn S Varma, creative producer for Sirf Ek Bandaa Kaafi Hai opened up on the huge response to his film. On how the film breaks out from the shackles of Bollywood’s idea of commercial cinema, Suparn said, “At the end of the day, all cinemas are commercial cinemas because it’s business, money is involved, and everybody is getting paid. But I understand the construct of it whereby we have managed to tell a story without any draping because we have been true to the story and to the genre of the story we are trying to tell.” Prior to its release on OTT in India, Manoj Bajpayee’s Sirf Ek Bandaa Kaafi Hai screened at the New York Indian Film Festival, so it got its world premiere much before it reached India. The pre-release response for the film affirmed his faith in the Manoj Bajpayee starrer. He added, “The film got a standing ovation at the New York Indian Film Festival when it screened there. People have been loving it and posting about it. At the end of the day, our protagonist is a man of faith, fighting for his faith, which is what is unique about our story. So, I always knew it was going to be well received and Manoj Bajpayee is outstanding.” Watch the trailer of Sirf Ek Bandaa Kaafi Hai: Where to watch Sirf Ek Bandaa Kaafi Hai As someone who’s involved with the film in both pre-and post-production, Suparn revealed how he stays non-judgmental while telling a story. “We just stick to the facts and to the truth and tell the story. We do that as much as possible.” Sirf Ek Bandaa Kaafi Hai is currently streaming on ZEE5. It is directed by Apoorv Singh Karki as Manoj Bajpayee stars in and as lawyer P.C. Solanki- a high court lawyer who single-handedly fought a case against the country's biggest god man and successfully ended up prosecuting him for the rape of a minor under the POCSO act. The film stars Manoj Bajpayee, Adrija, Kaustuv Sinha, Surya Mohan Kulshrestha, Jaihind Kumar, Durga Sharma. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us on https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form

Sirf Ek Bandaa Kaafi Hai interview: Creative producer on why they were sure of the film's success

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Rewind 2023: 12th Fail to Kathal - The best Hindi films of the year

Sirf Ek Bandaa Kaafi Hai heralds a successful era for ZEE5

Sirf Ek Bandaa Kaafi Hai interview: Creative producer on why they were sure of the film's success