Indian Celebrities Reveal Their Favourite Movies of 2024

Mumbai : As 2024 comes to a close, Indian film industry stars are reflecting on the movies that made an impact on them. In an exclusive interview with The Hollywood Reporter India, Bollywood and regional cinema icons like Kareena Kapoor, Vicky Kaushal, Rajkummar Rao, Shabana Azmi, and others revealed their favourite films from the year.

Kareena Kapoor selected three films that stood out for her in 2024. The first was Laapataa Ladies, directed by Kiran Rao, which was India’s official entry for the Oscars. Kareena praised the film for its direction and said it was “beautifully made.” Her second pick was Madgaon Express, a comedy directed by her brother-in-law Kunal Kemmu, calling it “supremely funny.” Kareena’s third choice was her own film, The Buckingham Murders, directed by Hansal Mehta, where she appreciated the bold mix of English and Hindi in the script.

Vicky Kaushal, who starred in Stree 2, chose the horror-comedy as his favourite for 2024, citing its massive box-office success. He also recommended two South Indian films: Maharaja, a Tamil action thriller starring Vijay Sethupathi, and Manjummel Boys, a Malayalam survival thriller, which he found compelling. Vicky mentioned that these were the only films he watched this year but felt they were outstanding examples of storytelling.

Rajkummar Rao, known for his role in Stree 2, also picked Madgaon Express and highlighted Meiyazhagan, a Tamil film by C Prem Kumar. He also mentioned Aadujeevitham: The Goat Life, a Malayalam survival drama directed by Blessy, praising Prithviraj Sukumaran’s powerful performance.

Veteran actress Shabana Azmi selected Girls Will Be Girls, a coming-of-age film directed by Shuchi Talati, for its sensitive handling of female sexuality. Azmi appreciated how the film managed to portray the topic without exploitation.

Anna Ben, a popular Malayalam actress, chose Girls Will Be Girls as well and also mentioned Brahmayugam, a Malayalam period horror film starring Mammootty. She rounded off her list with Maharaja, a Tamil action-thriller.

Kani Kusruti, known for her roles in All We Imagine As Light and Girls Will Be Girls, recommended Ullozhukku, a Malayalam film by Christo Tomy, as well as Aattam, another Malayalam film by Anand Ekarshi. She also mentioned Sister Midnight, a comedy starring Radhika Apte, directed by Karan Kandhari.

From Bollywood hits like Stree 2 to regional gems such as Maharaja and Girls Will Be Girls, the diverse selections of these stars highlight the rich variety of Indian cinema in 2024. It’s clear that Indian film lovers had an exciting year, and these actors have appreciated films that pushed boundaries and offered fresh, engaging content.