Bollywood Recap 2017: Small budget films that proved content is the real king

2017 has proved to be one of the more disastrous years for Bollywood in terms of performance at the box office.

While viewers blatantly rejected big-ticket movies with their tried-and-tested storylines, small-budget films kept them entertained with its strong content and amazing performances. They also managed to grab maximum attention from all corners.

Here is a list of movies that made their mark in Bollywood this year despite facing competition with big banner films.

Anarkali of Aaraah

Starring Swara Bhaskar, Pankaj Tripathi and Sanjay Mishra, Anarkali of Aarah reiterated the message that Shoojit Sircar's Pink sent out -- No means No -- but in its own unique way.

Though it didn't fare well at the box office, it managed to impress the viewers and critics alike with its storyline.

Trapped

This Vikramaditya Motwane directorial revolved around Rajkummar Rao's character suffering from claustrophobia, and managed to make a mark in the hearts and minds of the audiences with its brilliant and convincing performances.

Lipstick Under My Burkha

The movie made lot of noise when it locked horns with the CBFC which initially banned it over its bold content.

The black comedy narrates the stories of four women aged between 18 and 55 from old Bhopal, questioning the patriarchal mindset towards a woman's sexual needs and desires.

Newton

This Rajkummar Rao movie talked about the importance of voting in the country. Its unique storyline and brilliant narrative struck the right chords with the viewers.

The movie went on to win many accolades and was also selected as India's official entry to Oscars 2018, but did not make it to the short-list.

Hindi Medium

A satirical take on India's education system and its obsession towards English language, this Irrfan Khan and Saba Qamar movie received rave reviews from critics and viewers alike and also fared well at the box office.

Bareilly Ki Barfi

This Ayushmann Khurrana, Kriti Sanon and Rajkummar Rao-starrer was a perfect blend of emotions, quirkiness and unexpected events of three individuals who are in search of true love.

It definitely gave viewers a good flavour of relatable small-town India, which you often
experience in your everyday life but miss in lrger-than-life films.

Shubh Mangal Savdhan

Ayushmann Khurrana and Bhumi Pednekar once again teamed up to entertain audiences with their weird love story which chronicles the struggle of their lovemaking sessions as the groom suffers from erectile dysfunction.

The movie managed to tickle the funny bone of the viewers and was lauded by critics as well.

Kadvi Hawa

Based on climate change, this Sanjay Mishra, Ranvir Shorey and Tillotama Shome-starrer struck the viewers with a hammer, making them think and realise the consequences if human beings fail to understand the importance of preserving nature and proper utilisation of its resources.

Tumhari Sulu

Tumhari Sulu narrated the story of happy-go-lucky housewife Sulochana aka Sulu (Vidya Balan), who wins a pressure cooker through a radio contest that she had taken part in and ends up getting the job of an RJ where she is made to anchor a night show to chat with lonely souls.

Its familarity with the nuances of a middle-class family managed to hit the right chords with the audiences.

Qarib Qarib Singlle

Tanuja Chandra's Qarib Qarib Singlle was released on November 7 starring Irrfan Khan as Yogi and Parvathy as Jaya.

The movie is a story about two people with totally different personalities having a crazy trip to Rishikesh after meeting via an online dating app.

Ajji

Ajji, a Hindi drama directed by Devashish Makhija, released on November 24. It is about a little girl named Manda who is found raped and dumped in a garbage heap.

Her parents' priority was their daughter's survival and then to forget about it and begin a new life. But, since the rapist was a politician's Son, the cops acted powerless and that's when Ajji (grandmother) swung in action and fought to get justice for her granddaughter.

Secret Superstar

Secret Superstar was a musical drama written and directed by Advait Chandan and produced by Aamir Khan and Kiran Rao. It featured Zaira Wasim, Meher Vij and Aamir Khan in lead roles.

The film revolved around schoolgoing girl Insiya Malik, played by Zaira, who aspired to become a singer but was not allowed by her overbearing father. So she took the online route by keeping her identity secret with the help of small-time music director Shakti Kumar.

Fukrey Returns

The 2013 hit film Fukrey turned into a successful franchise with Fukrey Returns, which minted Rs 50 crore in its first week of release.

The movie managed to tickle the funny bone of viewers, who flocked to the theatres. The storyline and brilliant performaces by its lead actors made it a favourite among moviegoers.