one of Indian cinema’s most dynamic storytellers known for his gritty style, stylized action, and immersive world-building. These films are ranked based on cultural impact, cinematic craft, box office success, and fan reception.

1. K.G.F: Chapter 2 (2022)

Summary:

The explosive sequel to K.G.F: Chapter 1, this film follows Rocky Bhai as he consolidates power in the gold fields of Kolar while fending off enemies from both the underworld and the government. A visual and narrative escalation from the first part, it’s drenched in operatic intensity and mass appeal.

Rating: 9.5/10

Epic scale, thunderous BGM, and a career-defining performance by Yash.

2. K.G.F: Chapter 1 (2018)

Summary:

A raw, hard-hitting origin story of Rocky, a boy from the streets of Mumbai who rises to become a messianic figure in the blood-soaked gold mines of Kolar. With mythic undertones and a distinctive color palette, it became a pan-India sensation and put Prashanth Neel on the map.

Rating: 9/10

Stylized storytelling with a myth-meets-masala punch.

3. Salaar: Part 1 – Ceasefire (2023)

Summary:

Starring Prabhas, Salaar unfolds in a brutal dystopian world of warring clans. The narrative centers on themes of brotherhood, betrayal, and redemption. The film blends intense action choreography with a brooding tone reminiscent of K.G.F., but in a more political landscape.

Rating: 8.5/10

High-octane, moody, and packed with buildup. A feast for action lovers.

4. Ugramm (2014)

Summary:

Neel’s debut film, Ugramm is a Kannada-language action drama that introduced his trademark style. It follows Agastya, a former gangster drawn back into the violent world he left behind. The film is raw and emotionally charged, laying the groundwork for Neel’s later epics.

Rating: 8/10

Unrefined but powerful—gritty storytelling with emotional weight.

5. Salaar: Part 2 – Shouryaanga Parvam (TBD)

Summary:

Although unreleased, the hype surrounding the second part of Salaar is immense. Promising to delve deeper into the feud between Deva and Vardha, it’s expected to be more political, emotional, and character-driven.

Anticipated Rating: Pending / Hype Score: 9/10

Awaited like a thunderclap—expected to solidify Neel’s mastery of the two-part saga.

James Gunn has done what I honestly thought couldn’t be done he’s made me care deeply about DC and its characters. Not that I wasn’t a fan before, but I was never truly invested. Superman changed that. Gunn masterfully blends the classic campiness of Superman’s roots with a grounded, relatable realism that hits emotionally and feels fresh without losing the charm.

Every actor and actress disappears into their roles, making the characters feel like real people with real stakes. They don’t just play heroes, they become them. And let’s not forget Krypto, the scene-stealing super-pup we all wish we had.

Visually, this film is stunning. You have to see it in IMAX to fully appreciate the scope. From sweeping cityscapes to cosmic moments, Gunn (unsurprisingly, given his Guardians of the Galaxy legacy) brings the comic book pages to life like few directors can.

What makes Superman even more impressive is how it charts a bold new direction for the DC Universe while paying heartfelt homage to past iterations. It’s clear that Gunn and the entire creative team have immense respect for the legacy they’re building upon.

The story is fun, the visuals are dazzling, and the score is absolutely epic. This film is everything a superhero movie should be hopeful, heartfelt, and genuinely entertaining.

I’d rate Superman a 9.8/10. It’s the start of something truly special, and I can’t wait to see where DC goes from here.

A great love story will always sell a film. Star-crossed lovers, multiple obstacles scattered on the road to Happy-Ever-After, and maybe a steamy (but tasteful) sex scene or two, it’s easy to see why the audience doesn’t usually stop to question the power dynamics of the illustrious couple. Luckily, that’s what you have me for!

5 Satine and Christian

2001’s Jukebox musical: Moulin Rouge!, was a spectacular (spectacular) romp into early 20^th century bohemian Paris, and its artistic underworld set around that famous den of iniquity. 

It is here that we follow the penniless writer, Christian (Ewan McGregor), enters a doomed love affair with the Moulin Rouge’s star performer, Satine (Nicole Kidman). We won’t go into Satine being a courtesan and how that would affect an intimate relationship. Instead, let us focus on another plot point, namely, Satine’s ill health.

It is established that Satine is suffering from consumption/tuberculosis. Rife at the time, this bacterial infection was very…well infectious. So Satine was sleeping with Christian (and probably others) with an incredibly infectious, wasting disease. Whether Satine did this knowingly is up for debate, as the bacterium that causes TB had been discovered by this time, but this was poverty stricken part of Paris filled with desperate people. 

Satine and Christian’s tragically beautiful love affair is somewhat ruined by the fact that Satine probably infected Christian with TB. But, hey, the soundtrack still slaps, right?

4  Kathleen Kelly and Joe Fox

Remember the late 90s? When the internet was still considered a wonderous, exciting filled with promise. Maybe even the promise of…love.

1998’s You’ve Got Mail was long before the days of Tinder and Bumble. Back then, there were AOL chat rooms. Our titular couple, Kathleen and Joe, meet in an over-30s chat room (how quaint). Played by 90s romcom staples Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan. This was way before MTV’s Catfish had aired, so our protagonists talked to each other through email anonymously with only the outside fear that one of them could be a serial killer.

He may not be a serial killer, but Joe is not exactly a nice guy, particularly not to Kathleen. Yes, he’s played by the quintessential ‘nice guy’, Hanks, but don’t fall for it. Joe Fox is the head of a book selling conglomerate, ‘Fox Books,’ looking to put Kathleen’s adorable little bookshop, left to her by her late mother, out of business. 

Under a different context, everything Joe does to Kathleen reads more like a narcissist playing with their victim than a cosy romcom. When he finds out it’s Kathleen he’s been corresponding with, he purposefully stands her up (and watches her realize through the restaurant window like a true sociopath). Continues to manipulate Kathleen through seemingly romantic emails, all the while strategically destroying her livelihood. Of course, he reveals himself in the penultimate scene, and Kathleen, like a true victim of Gaslighting, bursts into tears declaring, “I wanted it to be you!”. With her bookstore gone and her previous relationship ended, we can only assume that this woman is not ok.

Fun fact: You’ve Got Mail is actually a remake of a 1940s movie, The Shop Around the Corner, starring James Stewart.

3. Sally Albright and Harry Burns

Feel like I am picking on Meg Ryan at this point. When Harry Met Sally (1989) is a much-loved and quoted film. Harry is played by yet another charismatic actor and comedian; Billy Crystal. He is a classic pessimist who copes with life’s problems using sardonic humour (I wonder that’s like!). Harry begins the movie with heteronormative belief that a man can’t be friends with a woman he finds attractive, because the sex part will always get in the way.

This belief is somewhat justified when he sleeps with his friend of several years, Sally (Ryan). The movie has been criticized in recent years for its misogynistic outlook. Upon meeting Sally, Harry brands her with the age-old misogynistic assertion of ‘high maintenance’ for basically being an ambitious young woman who knows what she wants. He also mocks her for being an optimist (notice the characters’ surnames).

The end scene is probably the most famous (not counting the famous fake orgasm) when Harry declares his apparent love for Sally. Many now agree that Sally’s initial reaction to Harry’s declaration was correct. Harry is just a “lonely” divorced man who is trying to cling to the one person who has put up with his mercurial moods, outbursts, and jabs. 

2. Bridget Jones and Mark Darcy

The Bridget Jones franchise has also been criticized in recent years. But this is not about the weight shaming or the stereotyping of single women as desperate. Instead , let’s look at Bridget’s paramour, Mark Darcy.

Much like Joe Fox, Mark Darcy is not a very nice man wrapped up in a handsome, charismatic actor (Colin Firth). In Bridget Jones Diary (2001) when Mark and Bridget (Renée Zellweger) meet at a New Year’s Day party, Mark is rude and dismissive of Bridget. On top of that, he cruelly insults her to his own mother, calling Bridget a “verbally incontinent spinster” who drinks and smokes too much. He does this in full hearing range of Bridget (which I’m sure he knows).

Many viewers have pointed out that Mark only seems to become interested in Bridget when his rival Daniel Cleaver (Hugh Grant) starts dating her. Even when Mark admits he likes her, Mark can’t seem to help but insult her, calling her “ridiculous” and “an appallingly bad public speaker” (is she supposed to be flattered?!).

Bridget and Mark’s families are neighbours, and they both seem to travel in the same social and professional circles. Despite this, Mark seems to view Bridget as not good enough for him. Is this purely because of the way she looks? 

Suffice it to say, Mark thinks Bridget is below him and treats her as such.

1 Frances ‘Baby’ Houseman and Johnny Castle

Much like You’ve Got Mail, Dirty Dancing (1987) looks a bit suspect on paper. 17-year-old naïve Baby (Jennifer Grey) goes to an upmarket vacation resort with her family in the summer of 1963. It’s at this resort that young Baby is catapulted into a world of classism, secret ‘dirty dancing’ parties, and botched at-home abortions.

It is here she meets 25-year-old Johnny Castle (Patrick Swayze), the resort’s dance instructor. Johnny is arrogant and appears to suffer from anger management issues; despite this, Baby and Johnny begin a clandestine relationship. 

It’s not just the age difference, but Baby does act very young and is clearly sheltered (the nickname ‘Baby’ doesn’t help). Modern viewers have commented that Johnny comes off as ‘slimy’. The owner of the resort even yells at Johnny to keep ‘his hands off’ the guests’ daughters. Which begs the question, how many young girls has Johnny done this with?

Watching the film with a mature mindset shows you that the criticism Baby lobs at her father, when he finds out about her sexual relationship with Johnny, is unfair. Baby’s father is not just being classist about his daughter’s entanglement with a lower-class man. Instead, he is concerned about his teenage daughters’ adult relationship with a seemingly detached grown man with no stable job nor home. An entanglement that encouraged Baby to ask for money from her father to pay for a new friends abortion and lie to her family. Baby, seriously, get back to the corner!