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1. Shwaas (Breath)

(Dir. by Sandeep Sawant (2004), 110 mins, Marathi with English sub-titles)

In this sensitive film that was India's official entry to the 2004 Academy Awards, a farmer from Maharashtra's Konkan coast struggles to come to grips with the tragic choice between his grandson's life and blindness resulting from curing retinal cancer. Aided by some touching performances, the story subtly invites reflections on the sometimes impersonal working of the medical profession, as well as on the rural-urban divide. Stunning shots of the Konkan coast poignantly remind us of the boy's impending loss of sight.

2. Pithamagan (The Almighty)

(Dir. by Bala (2003), 137 mins, Tamil with English sub-titles)

Pithamagan is the powerfully told story of Chithan’s (Vikram) socialisation after having grown up as a caretaker of a graveyard with no contact with the world outside. Pithamagan explores Chithan’s complex journey into the world of human relationships complete with its share of love, friendship and tragedy. Vikram won India’s most prestigious acting award (the Silver Lotus at the National Awards) for his portrayal of Chithan.

3. Khamosh Pani (Silent Water)

(Dir. by Sabiha Sumar (2004), 105 mins, Punjabi/ Urdu with English sub-titles)

Khamosh Pani draws attention to the often ignored plight of women left behind on either side of the India-Pakistan border to protect the ‘honour’ of their families during the partition of 1947. Seen through the eyes of a widowed mother (Kirron Kher as Ayesha Khan), Khamosh Pani is a hard-hitting narrative of the impact of Zia-ul-Haq’s policy of ‘Islamisation’ on her 18 year old son as well as her attempts at reconciling with her own personal history. It won 4 awards at the 56th Locarno International Film Festival, including Best Film and Best Actress.

4. Vanaprastham (The Last Dance)

(Dir. by Shaji Karun (1999), 119 mins, Malayalam with English sub-titles)

Vanaprastham crafts a visually arresting tale of the relation between art and the artist, and between reality and art. The film in Malayalam (a South Indian language) is an Indo-French-German produced feature film, directed by Shaji N. Karun. The story revolves around a male Kathakali dancer Kunhikuttan (Mohanlal), an admirable and respected performer but a member of a lower caste. One night, whilst performing as Arjuna from the epic Mahabarata on stage, his dance is witnessed by Subhadra (Suhasini), a well educated member of an upper caste family. Defying the norms of India's rigid caste system, they have a son, but it soon becomes clear that Subhadra loves the character and not the dancer. More in love with the valiant, noble hero of the Mahabharata, than the dancer Kunhikuttan, she rejects him. Denied access to his son, and rejected by his father, Kunhikuttan returns to the stage, leaving behind his hero roles to play demonic characters until one last dance which brings the feature to a stunning end. The film’s music was scored by Zakir Hussain, one of India’s foremost classical musicians.

5. Sonar Kella (The Golden Fortress)

(Dir. by Satyajit Ray (1974), 120 mins, Bengali with English sub-titles)

A mystery set in Jaisalmer, this film features Ray's well-known characters, detective Feluda and the thriller-writer, Jatayu. Mukul, a young boy is being haunted by memories from a previous life which seem to be connected to an old fort in Rajasthan. Mukul is kidnapped in order to lead his kidnappers to the fort's treasure. Mukul’s father engages Felu da and his assistant, Topshey, to solve the mystery in an exciting plot that includes chasing a train on camel-back! Jatayu's witticisms in the film have acquired proverbial status in Bengali culture.

6. Aa Dinagalu (Those Days)

(Dir. by Chaitanya (2007), 131 mins., Kannada with English sub-titles)

An impressive debut from first-time director Chaitanya, a breath of fresh air amidst the devolution of commercial Indian cinema. Aa Dinagalu (Those days) is a fresh take, based on a true story, on the power and anarchy underworld gangs unleash on ordinary lives on the streets of India's metropolises. Without descending to use dramatic overtures typical of the genre, and no gratuitous violence, Chaitanya creates an atmosphere of simmering dread surrounding a love which faces familial opposition. The tight interlacing of the two narratives, the building rivalry between two gangs and how this rivalry feeds off and feeds the tumultuous love story, makes for engaging viewing. In blending the macrocosmic with the microcosmic, Chaitanya elevates two tired genres to something of artistic value. Shot against a gorgeous backdrop of the city Bangalore, harking back to the days of its pristine greenness, shot entirely early in the mornings to capture the laid back atmosphere of the city of yore, it is as much about a city as it is about the stories of the lives it tries to tell.

7.1947 Earth

(Dir. by Deepa Mehta (1998), 101 mins, Hindi with English sub-titles)

Set in pre-partition Lahore, Earth is an adaptation of Bapsi Sidhwa’s novel ‘Ice Candy Man’. In Earth, a love story and religious hatred surrounding the partition of 1947 move at a furious pace towards the heartbreaking climax where one can no longer be distinguished from the other.