Bollywood brought us some really hyped movies in the first quarter of 2024. While some movies lived up to the hype, delivering blockbuster thrills and unforgettable moments, others fell completely flat, leaving audiences wondering what went wrong. Here are the movies that had everyone talking in 2024, for better or for worse, and how they fared when the curtains finally drew.
1. Murder MubarakÂ
Audience Verdict:Â Murder Mubarak, directed by Homi Adajania and produced by Dinesh Vijan, created a lot of hype – primarily due to its talented star cast. The movie starred Pankaj Tripathi alongside Sara Ali Khan, Sanjay Kapoor, Vijay Varma, and Karisma Kapoor in critical roles.
For those unversed, the movie revolves around a murder mystery set in a posh club in Delhi. The story unfolds at the Royal Delhi Club, where wealthy individuals gather, but beneath the luxury lies a web of lies, betrayal, and murder. Despite boasting a strong cast, the movie failed to meet audience expectations. Criticism centered around Sara Ali Khan’s underwhelming performance, waste of talented star cast potential, and a screenplay that failed to engage viewers, ultimately leaving the audience disappointed.
2. Fighter
Audience Verdict:Â Directed by Siddharth Anand, this film marked the first aerial action Indian drama starring Hrithik Roshan and Deepika Padukone in lead roles, also signifying their first collaboration on the silver screen. What added to the hype surrounding ‘Fighter’ was Siddharth Anand’s previous successes with ‘War’ and ‘Pathaan’, both of which turned into blockbusters.
Unfortunately, ‘Fighter’ did not live up to the expectations set by its predecessors. Despite high anticipation, the film failed to deliver the desired verdict, leaving audiences disappointed. From its storyline to cringe-worthy dialogues and underutilization of a talented cast, everything contributed to the audience’s dissatisfaction.
3. Shaitaan
Audience verdict: Similar to “Drishyam,” the movie “Shaitaan” draws inspiration from a regional film. Directed by Vikas Bahl, known for experimenting with different genres, the film adapts the Gujarati movie “Vash” to deliver a gripping experience.
Ajay and Jyothika portray an urban couple struggling to manage their clever kids. During a trip to their farmhouse, they encounter a stranger named Vanraaj (played by Madhavan). Initially appearing friendly, Vanraaj soon reveals himself as an occultist who has possessed their daughter Janvi (played by Janaki Bodiwala). The film has garnered strong support and immense love from audiences due to its thrilling story and outstanding performance by R. Madhavan and Ajay Devgn leaving fans astonished. It has also achieved remarkable success at the box office, breaking records in terms of viewership.
4. Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya
Audience Verdict:Â The most anticipated movie of 2024 as this movie marked the first collaboration of Kriti Sanon and Shahid Kapoor. Writer-director Amit Joshi and Aradhana Shah have conjured up a social experiment that showed us a romantic love story between a robot. Through Shahid’s iconic dance movies and boyish charms, fans loved the movie with all their hearts. This Shahid Kapoor movie has made it a hit at the box office earning praise and support from the audience with energetic performances and dance moves that played a big role in the film.Â
5. Yodha
Audience verdict: Directors Sagar Ambre and Pushkar Ojha brought us the highly anticipated film “Yodha,” starring Siddharth Malhotra, Disha Patani, and Raashii Khanna in key roles. From the moment the trailer hit the screens, the movie garnered immense buzz among fans and audiences alike. “Yodha” revolves around the storyline of a plane hijacking, with Siddharth portraying a brave soldier, Disha as a courageous cabin crew member, and Raashii as Siddharth’s love interest. However, despite the anticipation, “Yodha” didn’t quite hit the mark with audiences as Siddharth’s previous patriotic venture, “Shershaah,” won hearts across India.Â
6. Section 370
Audience Verdict:Â In 2022, director Vivek Agnihotri stirred up strong emotions with his film “The Kashmir Files,” which focused on the 1990 exodus of Kashmiri Hindus. Two years later, Aditya Suhas Jambhale directed “Article 370,” depicting the revocation of Article 370, which granted special status to the state of Jammu and Kashmir. “Article 370” not only narrates the events but also delves into how the escalating violence in Kashmir prompted the current government to abolish Jammu and Kashmir’s special status. The movie proved to be a massive success at the box office.
7. Merry Christmas
Audience Verdict:Â Merry Christmas is a Hindi-Telugu film directed by Sriram Raghavan. The movie starred Katrina Kaif and Vijay Sethupathi in the lead roles. Although the film received positive reviews, with the performances of Katrina and Sethupathi receiving praise, it was a Box office failure as audiences did not like its slow screenplay.
8. Crew
Crew turned out to be one of the most hyped movies of 2024. Given its talented star cast, many were hugely excited about the movie. Unfortunately, the movie received mixed reactions from the audience. Many viewers called it a waste of time, feeling that the movie had forced comedy moments, a boring script, and a straightforward screenplay. While the movie had a great start at the box office, its performance began to decline after the first weekend.
Which Movie did you love and hate the most? Let us know in the comments section below!Â