5 Films That Should Have Won Filmfare Best Film Award Instead Of These Films

Back in the day when most of us were naïve enough to take Bollywood award shows way too seriously, we never used to find any trouble with a movie being rewarded based on its box office performance. While major biggest hit of the year was winning the Filmfare Best Film award like a trend, it wasn’t considered a thought to ponder over.

However, such a trend has considerably changed now. Sadly though, the awards have lost the sanctity they once used to carry. Anyway, looking at the winners list of Filmfare Awards in the last twenty years so, there is a significant take away. While most commercially successful film with a big banner has been able to take the best film award home, some of the deserving ones have found themselves snubbed.

While that isn’t the case in every calendar year, we just thought of picking five movies that could have probably made for a more deserving winner :

1998

Winner – Dil To Pagal Hai

More Deserving – Border

Besides the fact that Border was the biggest hit of the year, the JP Dutta directorial was one well-executed war movie too. While India hadn’t seen a well-crafted war movie in a long long time, Border was a difficult movie that brought its essence out on screen wonderfully. Dil To Pagal Hai on the other hand was received to mixed reviews before it picked up to be a big hit. Even the satellite viewership of both these movies has a large divide.

2000

Winner – Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam

More Deserving – Sarfarosh

The year 1999 was one with a number of big hits and successful movies at the box office. While Sanjay Bhansali’s romance drama won the Best Film award based on its scale & execution, Aamir Khan starrer Sarfarosh was one of the most impactful films of the year. Dealing with a number of sensitive subjects like cross-border sponsored terrorism, local smuggling and militancy under the garb of art, this film was one of the bests of the year.

2004

Winner - Koi Mil Gaya

More Deserving - Munna Bhai MBBS

Koi Mil Gaya was a path breaking movie back in 2003 in terms of technology, ideation and experimentation. The Rakesh Roshan directorial was also the highest grossing film of the year but it was fairly recognized that it had traces of a number of Hollywood movies. Munna Bhai MBBS on the other hand was indeed the most original and heart-warming film of the year. The Sanjay Dutt led comedy set the tone of how a good comedy can be made wrapped in an absolutely magical screenplay along with cinematic messages wrapped around it. If anything Raju Hirani deserved for the movie was the Best Film recognition.

2005

Winner - Veer Zara

More Deserving – Swades

Even though Swades was a major box office flop in 2004, Filmfare could have made a statement by giving it the respect we all know it deserved. Veer-Zaara was a good film that worked for a number of reasons but it was the Ashutosh Gowariker directorial that was more cinematically accomplished. When we look back a decade ago, Swades is considered one of the finest films to have come out of the industry.

2011

Winner – Dabangg

More Deserving – My Name Is Khan

It’s not as if a commercial masala isn’t worthy of being chosen as the Best Film and Dabang by all means was a complete entertainer with all the values. However, if the same year produces a film like My Name Is Khan, it certainly rakes up some indigestible decision making. While Shah Rukh won the best actor award, maybe the jury just wanted to even it out by giving Dabangg a big award in the night.

Agree or disagree with our view? You can let us know what your picks in the comments.