Good cinema and big hits: 2015 was an extraordinary year for Bollywood

It was a mixed bag for Bollywood in 2015 where content-driven films found space while superstars-led movies earned big bucks. The year ended on a high note for the industry after the success of Shah Rukh Khan-Kajol-starrer Dilwale and Deepika Padukone-Ranveer Singh-starrer Bajirao Mastani.

It was a mixed bag for Bollywood in 2015 where content-driven films found space while superstars-led movies earned big bucks. The year ended on a high note for the industry after the success of Shah Rukh Khan-Kajol-starrer Dilwale and Deepika Padukone-Ranveer Singh-starrer Bajirao Mastani.

While there were predictable hits like Bajrangi Bhaijaan, that banked upon star-value, 2015 also saw a wider platform for small-budget, content driven films like Masaan.

Read: Bajrangi Bhaijaan review
Read: Masaan review

Stars were seen experimenting in the big budget format as Salman ditched his action-man image to play a simpleton in Bajrangi Bhaijaan. He had another hit in Prem Ratan Dhan Payo, which was big on nostalgia so was Shah Rukh’s box office outing Dilwale, whose promotions were centered around his iconic chemistry with Kajol.

Watch: SRK romances Kajol in Gerua from Dilwale

The unusual father-daughter chemistry of Amitabh Bachchan and Deepika Padukone in Piku was loved by the audience, Akshay Kumar’s thriller Baby, based on covet operations and SS Rajamouli’s epic historical film Baahubali too received appreciation from people. Ajay Devgn-starrer Drishyam was also a major success.

Watch Big B and Deepika in Piku trailer

Read: What Bajrangi Bhaijaan and Masaan taught us about realities of caste

Apart from the predictable entertainers, there were some surprise hits like Tanu Weds Manu Returns and Masaan. These films did not rake in hundreds of crores at the box office but the ratio of their budget and collections was impressive.

The year, clearly belonged to Deepika as she had three back-to-back hits with Piku, Tamasha and Bajirao Mastani. Kangana Ranaut’s dual performance in Tanu Weds Manu Returns raked in big moolah at the box office but her second outing Katti Batti failed to replicate the success of her earlier release.

Read: Dum Laga Ke Haisha review

Watch Kangana in Ghani Bawri in TWMR

The year also saw wide appreciation for small budget movies like NH10, Manjhi - The Mountain Man, Dum Laga Ke Haisha, Masaan, Titli and Angry Indian Goddesses. Chaitanya Tamhane’s Marathi film Court was one of the most appreciated films of the year. It won the National Award for the best picture and was also announced as India’s official entry to the 88th Annual Academy Awards in the Best Foreign Language Film category.

Watch Dard Karaara from Dum Laga Ke Haisha

Read: Court review
Read: Manjhi review
Read: Titli review