The best movies of 2023 and what you can learn from them

Looking back at the year 2023, we had some of the most epic pop culture moments like Zendaya's Rahul Mishra moment at NMACC, Orry’s Bigg Boss appearance, Alia Bhatt’s MET gala debut, Margot Robbie’s wardrobe from the Barbie press tour, Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce confirming their dating rumours, and of course, Bollywood making its big comeback with sequential hits. With Shah Rukh Khan marking his return to the silver screen after five years and Karan Johar reviving the '90s magic at the box office, it's safe to say that the stars have aligned in favour of cinephiles. 

So as we bid adieu to this wholesome year, let's take a look back at some of the best movies of 2023 and what we learned from them (because everything is a lesson). 

Rocky Aur Rani ki Prem Kahani

Karan Johar returned to the director's chair with a significant mission—to reignite the magical moments of 90s romance flicks set in the midst of charming sets with mesmerising silhouettes. A heartwarming rom-com, this movie centres a loud and energetic Rocky Randhawa (Ranveer Singh) and a quintessential liberal Rani Chatterjee (Alia Bhatt). It's a classic meet cute—boy meets girl and they fall in love. The story focuses on the characters and how they navigate their relationship despite their contrasting belief systems. The movie is a classic entertainer, but more importantly, it touches upon subjects like gender norms and patriarchy, leaving a poignant reminder of how much we, as a society, have yet to evolve. One lesson we did take away from the movie is that vulnerability can be your greatest strength. And of course, never underestimate a South Delhi boy ever again. Thanks to Ranveer Singh who shattered many stereotypes.

Kho Gaye Hum Kahan 

Of course, we have a Tiger Baby film on the list. The recently released Netflix movie Kho Gaye Hum Kahan has been quite the talk of the town and for all the right reasons. Through the lives of Imaad Ali (Siddhant Chaturvedi), Ahana Singh (Ananya Panday), and Neil Pereira (Adarsh Gourav), the film gives you a closer look at what it's like to be 20-something navigating through life. What follows is chaos, heartbreaks, wholesome friendships, and a very distorted perspective of reality. There’s a lot you can take from the movie, especially how much we're losing ourselves in the reel and real life.

Gulmohar

The drama film released on Disney+Hotstar earlier this year and covers themes of family, love, and nostalgia. The story centres on the four days of the Batra family who are moving out of their 34-year-old home. After watching the movie, you will find yourself reminiscing about your early childhood memories. Gulmohar has a pleasant takeaway which is that change is the only constant in life. 

Mrs Chatterjee vs Norway

Depicting the real-life story of an immigrant mother Mrs Chatterjee (Rani Mukerji), the film follows her struggle against the Norwegian foster care system and local legal authorities to regain custody of her child. Warning: grab a box of tissues before watching the film. Apart from the waterworks you will experience while watching the film, it's the protagonist's resilience that you should carry with you into 2024. 

12th Fail

Director Vidhu Vinod Chopra attempts (and graciously succeeds) to capture the struggles of an IPS officer Manoj Kumar Sharma and an IRS officer Shraddha Joshi in 12th Fail. We recommend watching the movie as it serves as a poignant year-end reminder that hard work and perseverance always pay off. 

Kathal

A comedy film, featuring Sanya Malhotra, Rajpal Yadav, and Vijay Raaz, Kathal is largely inspired by real-life events and incidents of the past. To give you more on the plot, a local politician's cherished jackfruit disappears, prompting a determined young police officer to solve this rather bizarre case in order to prove herself. In our opinion, this film is quite the underrated gem of 2023, compelling viewers to contemplate issues such as caste-based discrimination and patriarchal systems.