Bollywood fans might disagree on a lot of things. Who is the better Don? Ranveer Singh, Shah Rukh Khan or Amitabh Bachchan? Or whether the real villain of Kuch Kuch Hota Hai was Tina, who cursed Rahul and Anjali to a life of mediocre domesticity using her daughter as a pawn. But if there’s one thing we can all collectively agree on, it’s that Sriram Raghavan, the man behind films like Andhadhun and Badlapur, is one of the best directors around.
The ace director has mastered the art of delivering cunning and suspenseful thrillers that pay homage to his favourite books and movies. His work has inspired countless other filmmakers and his short but impressive body of work is already a mainstay in any Hindi-speaking cinephile’s library. Now, he is all set to make his Tamil-language debut with the upcoming bilingual film Merry Christmas.
Starring Katrina Kaif and Vijay Sethupathi, the movie has generated excitement amongst the fans who have been waiting for the director to give us another film after his last, the Ayushmann Khurrana starrer Andhadhun.
Before we lose ourselves in Sriram Raghavan’s upcoming thriller, we decided to revisit the director’s filmography. Add these to your bingewatch list, stat!
Best Sriram Raghavan Films To Watch Before Merry Christmas
Badlapur (2015)
Sriram Raghavan can be credited for getting Varun Dhawan to deliver a career-best performance in Badlapur. The movie follows a man who decides to take revenge on the criminals who killed his family. It also starred Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Radhika Apte and Huma Qureshi.
Watch it here
Johnny Gaddaar (2007)
This neo-noir thriller is a delightful suspense-filled caper that might not have performed well at the box office but gained widespread critical acclaim. It follows five men who get involved in a drug deal set up by a corrupt police officer. Things go south when one of them decides to betray the others and run away with the money. It marked the debut of Neil Nitin Mukesh in the industry.
Watch it here
Andhadhun (2018)
Raghavan’s Andhadhun did the impossible of bringing together movie fans of all kinds together to debate endlessly about the movie. The fervent online discourse ensured the movie became a cultural moment of the year. The story is about a blind piano player who unwittingly becomes involved in the murder of a retired actor. The movie starred Ayushmann Khurrana, Tabu and Radhika Apte.
Watch it here
Ek Hasina Thi (2004)
Raghavan made his directorial debut with this one. Like Badlapur, this one is also a revenge thriller but it invites us to cheer on Sarika, the protagonist, instead of ruminating about the moral complexities of revenge. In the movie, Sarika (Urmila Matondkar) decides to avenge the wrongs done to her after being convicted for a crime she didn’t commit. The movie also starred Saif Ali Khan.
Watch it here
Agent Vinod (2012)
This globe-trotting spy action thriller looked stunning and had some impressive action sequences, even if the screenplay left a lot to be desired. It follows the titular Agent Vinod as he goes on a secret mission to thwart an insidious, world-threatening conspiracy. It also starred Kareena Kapoor.
Watch it here
