The Tamil-language legal drama Jai Bhim and Dharma Productions’ biographical drama Shershaah have topped the list of Indian films and web series of 2021 announced by IMDb. IMDb, the world's most popular source for information on movies, TV shows, and celebrities, on Thursday unveiled the top ten movies and TV shows in India that were most popular with IMDb users this year.
The data is derived from the IMDbPro movie and TV rankings, which are based on the actual page views of IMDb users and updated weekly throughout the year. The list includes movies that were released theatrically or digitally in India between January 1 and November 29, 2021, and have an average IMDb user rating of 6.5 or higher.
Suriya’s Jai Bhim, written and directed by TJ Gnanavel, is based on true events and revolves around the unfair treatment and discrimination of people from the rural tribe. The movie which premiered on Amazon Prime Video last month garnered positive response from the audience and critics.
The film which ranked second on the IMDb list is the Bollywood movie Shershaah, based on the life of Kargil hero Captain Vikram Batra, played by Sidharth Malhotra. Directed by Vishnu Vardhan, the movie also starred Kiara Advani and was a massive hit after it was released in August on streaming service Prime Video.
Akshay Kumar's much-awaited cop drama Sooryavanshi took the third spot on the list. The film, also starring Katrina Kaif with extended cameos by Ajay Devgn and Ranveer Singh, is directed by Rohit Shetty. Sooryavanshi is the first major Bollywood film to have released in theatres after being delayed for several months owing to the COVID-19 pandemic.
It was followed by Master, starring Vijay Thalapathy and Vijay Sethupathi. The Tamil movie was a huge blockbuster upon its release in cinema halls in January. Shoojit Sircar-helmed Sardar Udham, a biopic on the lesser-known story of freedom fighter Sardar Udham Singh starring Vicky Kaushal in the lead, and Kriti Sanon and Pankaj Tripathi's drama Mimi were placed fifth and sixth, respectively.
The seventh spot went to South star Dhanush's critically-acclaimed Tamil action-drama Karnan, which released theatrically in April, while Hindi romantic drama Shiddat, starring Sunny Kaushal and Radhika Madan, was placed at eighth.
The actress defended her claim that acting demands more than desk jobs in a recent interview.
She said office workers can "chill out" during work hours, unlike film stars.
Fans and working professionals called her comments privileged and out of touch.
The backlash started after her appearance on Amazon Prime's Two Much with Kajol & Twinkle.
Critics pointed out the financial gap and support systems actors have compared to regular employees.
Kajol probably didn't expect this reaction when she sat down with Twinkle Khanna on Two Much. But her comments about actors working harder than people with 9-to-5 jobs have blown up, and not in a good way.
Fans slam Kajol after she says actors work harder than regular employees sparking online outrage Getty Images
The comments that started it all
Kajol was speaking out about her earlier comments on Two Much with Kajol & Twinkle on Amazon Prime, where she said actors work harder than most people. This time she was explaining why she thinks that.
She told The Hollywood Reporter India that her days are full of shoots, events, and very early flights. One day involved waking at 5 AM to catch a flight to Jaipur for a 3 PM event.
But it was her take on regular jobs that got people talking. She claimed desk workers don't need to be "100% present" and can take breaks, "chill out," and relax while working. She kept coming back to the unending scrutiny actors face like the feeling of always being watched or something as simple as how you cross your legs or who's snapping a picture in the background becomes a constant calculation. You have to be switched on, she insisted, all the time.
The internet, frankly, was having none of it. YouTube and Reddit exploded with responses. "For the kind of remuneration actors are paid, they shouldn't have a problem working 12 hours a day for 4 days a week," one user wrote. Another pointed out that films typically take 3-4 months to shoot, while regular jobs run year-round.
The responses got more pointed. "Vanity mein naps or massages bhi toh hum lete hain," a Reddit user commented, referencing the comfort of vanity vans. Someone else joked: "If you work poorly, you get fired. If you act poorly, you get a Filmfare award."
The bluntest response yet? "Respectfully, Kajol, shut up."
Nobody denies acting is demanding. Long hours, public pressure, and constant judgement are very real. But comparing it to regular employment ignores some major differences.
Most people work 12 months a year with two weeks' holiday if they're lucky. They don't have spot boys fetching drinks or vanity vans for rest breaks. One netizen nailed it: "A working parent's schedule is continuous, every single day, with no wrap-up party or off-season."
Online erupts as Kajol defends claim that acting demands more than everyday 9-to-5 workGetty Images
There's also the money. While her fee for a single film is probably more than most people earn in a year, she says that doesn’t make the work easy. Still, it does provide a comfort that regular employees don’t have. Kajol has not yet replied to the backlash.
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