It's no secret that 2021 was a year of mixed fortunes for the Hindi film industry. Bollywood struggled to regain its mojo once Covid-19 restrictions were eased in March and things returned to 'normal'. The second wave added to its woes as theatres were shut again. The dark clouds finally lifted when theatres in Maharashtra reopened, paving the way for biggies such as Sooryavanshi and Antim to hit the screens. With 2022 around the corner, here are the key moments for Bollywood from the year gone by.
Slow start
The year started on a slow note for the industry as movies such as Ramprasad Ki Tehrvi, 12 'O' Clock and Madam Chief Minister failed to make much of an impact at the box office.
Bollywood pinned its hopes on Mumbai Saga, starring John Abraham and Emraan Hashmi, and Rajkummar Rao's Roohi but nothing came out of it. Around the same time, South Indian movies such as Mammootty's The Priest, the Darshan-starrer Roberrt, Vijay's Master and the Ravi Teja-starrer Krack helped their respective industries bounce back. The perception was that Bollywood's first major releases under the 'new normal' lacked the kind of star power needed to compel fans to visit cinemas in Covid times.
Also Read | 'Roohi' movie review: Rajkummar Rao-starrer is a big disappointment
OTT continues its dominance
OTT emerged as an alternative to theatres during the Covid-19 lockdown in 2020 as major films such as Laxmii, Dil Bechara, Sadak 2 and Gunjan Saxena premiered directly on streaming platforms. The same happened this year as flicks like Bhoot Police, Nail Polish and The Big Bull garnered a fair deal of attention when they premiered digitally, skipping the theatrical route.
It was, however, Radhe that proved to be a definite gamechanger on this front. The Salman Khan-starrer, which had the potential to emerge as a blockbuster in mass markets, premiered on Zee5. It opened to an overwhelming response despite mixed reviews, garnering 4.2 million views on the first day. Sardar Udham too received praise from a class audience when it was released digitally in October.
Women shine bright
The year had its fair share of 'female-led' movies. Vidya Balan, who had previously impressed fans with her work in films such as Bhool Bhulaiyaa and Tumhari Sulu, hit the right notes with her realistic performance in Sherni. The Amit Marsukar-helmed drama had her in the role of a forest officer and catered to cinephiles. Kriti Sanon did justice to the role of a 'surrogate mother' in Mimi while Nushrratt Bharuccha did justice to the most challenging role of her career in Chhorii.
Mixed bag for younger stars
The year proved to be a mediocre one for young stars. Adar Jain suffered a setback when Hello Charlie failed to impress critics when it premiered on OTT in April. Similarly, Meezaan Jafri failed to make an impact with Hungama 2 while Vikrant Massey's 14 Phere did not really give him enough scope to showcase his abilities. Sidharth Malhotra, however, scored big when Shershaah, based on the life of Kargil martyr Captain Vikram Batra, emerged as a 'digital blockbuster in August.
Ayusmann Khurrana garnered attention for his work in Chandigarh Kare Aashiqui, a comedy drama about the relationship between a fitness freak and a Zumba trainer with a past. Ahan Shetty, Suniel Shetty's son, made an impressive debut with Tadap.
Akki, Salman save the day
Akshay Kumar turned saviour for cinemas when Sooryavanshi opened to a blockbuster response at the box office during Diwali and went on to emerge as the industry's first major commercial success in 2021. Antim, starring Salman Khan in an 'extended cameo', kept the momentum going. Interestingly, both movies revolved around the clash between a cop and a deadly foe, a tried-and-tested formula.. Films such as Satyameva Jayate 2 and Bunty Aur Babli 2, sadly failed to deliver.