Top 10 Hindi Mystery Movies

hello readers of my blog. In this age of instant gratification, infinite distractions and instantaneous means of entertainment, books have lost their sheen, we are hardly able to focus on one topic before something else comes up to distract us. Reading books has become a chore and that too an arduous one, compared to TV and films where you don't need to be patient or invest mentally or financially.

Some people now even find films to be boring, long and uninteresting. This blog is definitely not for those folks. Some years back I did a post on my favorite English mystery movies, now I'm back with part two(after almost 37 months, insert awkward smile here).


10. Gumnaam - Based on "And then there were none" by Agatha Christie. 10 people are trapped on an island and they get murdered one by one. Manoj Kumar must find the killer before they are all murdered. Great theme music, good ending and atmospheric, the movie was spoiled by some very bad acting and ridiculous/illogical moments. Director should have stuck to the original plot.



9. 404: Error not found - This obscure gem which was released in 2011, is one of those rare pieces of superlative cinema but with a plot which crumbles on scrutiny. A brilliant student starts hallucinating after moving into a room that was occupied by another who committed suicide. Boasting of no star power this one is atmospheric, slow and very much watchable.


8.  Gupt -  In 1997, Bobby Deol, the dashing son of the legendary actor Dharmendra was at his prime and during that period one of his best movies was released filled with cheesy dialogues, fantastic songs , music and typical Bollywood action sequences. The Movie is a murder mystery where Bobby Deol's step dad is killed and of course he is pinned for the murder. The protagonist then goes out on a hunt to find out and catch the real killer, aided by Manisha Koirala and Kajol who were also in their prime, the movie is a Bollywood masala with a genuine murder mystery with a huge cast of suspects and lots of red herrings. Oh and it also has Om Puri!




7.  Woh Kaun Thi? - released way back in 1964, starring the enigmatic Manoj Kumar and directed by the brilliant Raj Khosla. The opening scene of the movie shot through the POV of a driver navigating his car through torrential rains is something that I'm yet to come across again. This movie is a must for msytery and movie buffs in general alike. The brilliant direction transforms even a simple scene of a person driving through rain with no music and only the sound of the wiper into an atmosphere of suspense. The movies keeps on piling impossible situations but in the end screws up everything. Had the ending been better handled, this movie would have been much higher on this list.

Top 10 Mystery Films

I was having a discussion with one of my cousins over the best English whodunits/murder mysteries. We both came up with our lists and I thought it would be nice to share it with a broader audience.

So  here goes:

10. The Name of the Rose - Starring Sean Connery as a detective monk, this movie is based on a novel by  Umberto Eco. William of Baskerville and his novice Adso of Melk travel to a monastery in Northern Italy to attend a theological debate. As they arrive, the monastery is disturbed by a suicide. As the story unfolds, several other monks die under mysterious circumstances. William is tasked by the Abbot of the monastery to investigate the deaths as fresh clues with each murder victim lead William to dead ends and new clues. The protagonists explore a labyrinthine medieval library, discuss the subversive power of laughter, and come face to face with the Inquisition. The scene in the labyrinthine library and the motive for the murders are truly awesome!

9. Witness for the Prosecution - Written by the Queen of Crime, an American living in London, Leonard Vole stands accused of murdering his older benefactress shortly after her will is changed in his favor. Barrister Wilfrid Robarts (Laughton) agrees to take the case, even though he’s recovering from heart trouble and should be avoiding the excitement of a high-profile murder trial. The evidence seems strong against Vole, but his German wife (Dietrich), a clever, mysterious former cabaret performer, steps forward and provides an alibi. Sir Wilfrid has his doubts, which prove prophetic when the wife turns up as a witness for the prosecution, all but shattering his case. The canny barrister finds a way to save his client initially, but there are quite a few more satisfying plot twists and great surprises before we reach the end of the tale.

The Dark Knight Rises

I thought something different was in order after putting up 51 book reviews on this humble little blog. If you have ever read my blog or have met me , you will instantly realize that I like all sort of escapism, whether it be in literature or cinema. My friends and family often get vexed with me for my refusal to indulge my senses in any other form of entertainment other than escapism. But why am I digressing? because I want state a case for a movie review on a blog about classic mystery books, although this is a movie and not a book but it has all the elements that I like in a piece of fiction including of course a well layered mystery . So, lets get down to business.

Plot: After the disturbing incidents of "The Dark Knight", Batman has not been seen for 8 years and Bruce Wayne has become a recluse. Gotham is at peace and Commissioner Gordon is almost ready to hang his boots but the peace of Gotham is only superficial. The League of shadows is targeting Gotham again and this time they will not fail because the ruthless Bane is spearheading this attack. Bane uses Selina Kyle(Catwoman) to get Bruce Wayne's fingerprints and then execute a trade using his prints to bankrupt and then take over Wayne enterprises.