Movie genres are a complex subject.

More often than not, we talk about the kind of films we like. Some of us like comedies, some like dramas, some are fans of horror cinema, while others are all about thrillers.

Ask anyone, and you’re bound to get a bunch of different responses – the most common answer being a mix of genres. Can’t you imagine someone you know jumping at the question and saying something like, “I love comedies but I like dramas too!”?

If that rings a bell, then you are at the right place. Because we, at The Red Sparrow, thought of something unique. Here, we will dissect five films in the last five years that are a mix of several genres, a few of which might even fit with your favourite ones.

Judgementall Hai Kya

If literal mind-blowing was a genre, this movie would fit right in. In technicality, however, this one is a thriller, a dark comedy and carries a social theme over it all. Starring Kangana Ranaut and Rajkumar Rao in two powerful yet absolutely insane roles, this film deals with the life of a young dubbing artiste, Bobby (Ranaut), who is suffering from high-functioning psychosis, a mental ailment where a person’s thoughts and emotions might largely be away from the external realities. How she gets entangled in a murder mystery, how it gets resolved, and how ultimately she finds peace forms the crux of this tale. What stands apart here, is how mental health has been portrayed. It’s actually a pretty welcome change.

Stree

Arguably, never had we ever seen a Hindi film with such a good mix of thriller, comedy, horror and satire. Rajkumar Rao’s choice of cinema has been delightful, and Stree was one of the shiniest feathers in his cap. Originally branded as a one-of-its-kind Indian horror comedy, this film turned out to be a lot more than just that. The satire part was learnt of only after watching the movie – the way it emoted and mocked gender roles, in a way, reversing the whole patriarchal way of looking at society, and the way it handled the meaning and dire need of respect, was incredibly done. The climax, of course, was the cherry on top.

Kapoor & Sons

This was an incredibly special film in many ways. It had romance, it had family drama, chunks of comedy and had a social theme. Why is it special? Because of the way it treated homosexuality. Here, the person was not your stereotypical character making a caricature out of a person. Here, the person was just a person. Like it is in real life. And like it should be in reel. It’s obviously a story of a family, and all the people in it, the complexities involved, and the ultimate desire to keep it all together. But the light-hearted, almost endearing way, everything is presented in makes this multi-genre film a good one.

Nil Battey Sannata

The highly-underrated Nil Battey Sannata had a mix of drama and comedy with a social theme surrounding it all. This film not just talks about a mother-daughter relationship, but how there is no real age where one can stop learning, it’s something that can be achieved at all times. Swara Bhaskar, in a beautiful role, played the role of a mother wanting to study math to help her daughter become better in the subject. She enrolls in her daughter’s school and motivates her to not just become a better student, but a better person too.

Bajrangi Bhaijaan

A mix of action, comedy, drama and a hint of romance, this film had all the elements of a hit. Not to forget, it had a considerable dose of masala too – a Bollywood genre almost honed and owned by Salman Khan. Why this film was genuinely good was because of the way it handled the concept of humanity – something that surpasses all forms of religion. It doesn’t only talk about an unlikely bond between a man and a lost mute child from India and Pakistan, but it also talks about how one doesn’t always need words to communicate.

So how many have you watched from these? And how many are you adding to your watch list?


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