The year 2021 stands as a stark anomaly in the annals of Indian cinema, a period defined more by shuttered theatres and anxious delays than by blockbuster glory. The lingering shadow of the Covid-19 pandemic led to production slowdowns, postponed releases, and a profound reluctance among audiences to return to public spaces. This created one of the weakest phases for the global film industry, and Bollywood found itself squarely in the midst of this downturn, with only a handful of notable releases spanning 2021 and 2022.
The Big-Ticket Releases That Finally Arrived
Two of the most anticipated films, originally slated for a March 2020 release, finally saw the light of day at the tail end of 2021. Rohit Shetty's cop universe expanded with "Sooryavanshi," featuring Akshay Kumar in the lead, supported by Ranveer Singh and Ajay Devgn in cameo roles. The film adhered to the director's signature style of high-octane action and familiar tropes.
The other major release was Kabir Khan's "83," a dramatised retelling of India's historic Cricket World Cup victory in 1983. Ranveer Singh delivered a convincing performance as Kapil Dev, with a cast that remarkably resembled the legendary cricket team, albeit with the quintessential Bollywood song-and-dance sequences.
Glimmers of Novelty in Mainstream Cinema
Amidst the formulaic offerings, a film with a genuinely novel premise managed to make waves. Abhishek Kapoor's "Chandigarh Kare Aashiqui" featured Ayushmann Khurrana as a bodybuilder who falls for a trans woman played by Vaani Kapoor. While the idea was groundbreaking for mainstream Bollywood and the performances were commendable, the narrative was critiqued for eventually retreating into safe, trope-heavy storytelling.
On the OTT front, smaller, character-driven narratives found their audience. Umesh Bist's "Pagglait" (Netflix) explored the complex and unconventional grief of a young widow, played by Sanya Malhotra. Its tone found a parallel in Seema Pahwa's "Ramprasad Ki Teravi," a chamber drama starring Naseeruddin Shah and Supriya Pathak, which delved into family dynamics and secrets following a patriarch's death.
The Undisputed Champion: A Punjabi Crime Saga
However, the true masterpiece of 2021 emerged not from the big screen but from the digital domain. Ajitpal Singh's Punjabi-language series "Tabbar" on SonyLIV was, by a significant margin, the best offering of the year. This gripping eight-episode series masterfully blended elements of a tense crime thriller with the emotional depth of a family drama.
Set in Punjab, the story revolves around a family patriarch, brilliantly portrayed by Pavan Malhotra, who goes to extreme lengths to protect his loved ones. He is ably supported by a stellar cast including Supriya Pathak, Ranvir Shorey, and Kanwaljeet Singh. The series was praised for its tight narrative, atmospheric tension, and powerful performances.
Another underrated gem was the Bengali adaptation of Macbeth, "Mandaar" by Anirban Bhattacharya. Featuring Debashish Mondal and Sohini Sarkar in lead roles, this atmospheric remake was hailed as one of the finest Indian, and even global, adaptations of Shakespeare's classic tragedy.
The year also saw Huma Qureshi in a career-defining role in "Maharani" (SonyLIV), created by Subhash Kapoor. The first season, released in 2021, depicted her journey from a naive housewife to a political figure in Bihar, a narrative echoing the real-life saga of Rabri Devi.
In conclusion, 2021 was a year where the traditional metrics of Bollywood success were upended. While theatrical giants finally lumbered into view, it was the nuanced, powerful storytelling from the OTT space, led by the exceptional "Tabbar," that truly captured the critical acclaim and audience admiration, marking a pivotal shift in India's entertainment landscape.
