/> No year in recent memory threw forward such a scintillating slew of cinema, from the pathbreaking Rock On to the bone-shattering Ghajini.

2008 was also the year when we saw a series of meritorious terror-extremism films which cannibalized real life attacks intelligently and sensitively. When quizzed most directors named some of the terrorist cinema among their favourites. The dark ominous kind of c inema dominated the favourites.

Apart from Jaane Tu...Ya Jaane Na the light frothy film was just not the flavour of the year.

Imtiaz Ali: Mumbai Meri Jaan
Oye Lucky Oye
Rock On

Gulzar: Taare Zameen Par: for the subject and lyrics(Prasoon Joshi)

A Wednesday: subject and performances
Yuvraaj: Because it's mine

Rakesh Roshan: Jodhaa-Akbar
A Wednesday
Rock On

Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra: The Dark Knight
Taare Zameen Par
Slumdog Millionaire

Vipul Shah: Jodhaa-Akbar: Took me back to Mughal-e-Azam
Mumbai Mera Jaan: first film to find humour in the bomb blasts/Rock On: A cult musical
A Wednesday/ Jaane Tu....Ya Jaane Na: brought back the college romance

Nikhil Advani: Neeraj Pandey's A Wednesday: A taut narrative, stellar performances
Abhishek Kapoor's Rock On: Farhan Akhtar is brilliant!
Tarun Mansukhani's Dostana: It delivers everything it promises

Kunal Kohli: Ghajini
Jaane Tu...Ya Jaane Na
Rock On. All 3 broke the mould and touched me

Kabir Khan: Rock On: for its sensitive portrayal of relationships and aspirations
Oye Lucky Lucky Oye: for taking me back to Delhi not by taking me as a tourist but to show how Delihites live.Credible dialogues
Dostana: Unpretentious fun and foot-tapping music

Amole Gupte: Abhishek Kapoor's Rock On: a real bonding experience
Neeraj Pandey's A Wednesday : effective storytelling
Batman : The Dark Knight: The Heath Ledger legend packaged to advantage

Ritesh Sidhwani: Rock On
The Dark Knight
Jodhaa-Akbar

Ken Ghosh: Ghajini
Ghajini
Ghajini. Reason? Aamir Khan

Vijay Krishna Acharya (director Tashan): Dibakar Bannerjee's Oye Lucky Lucky Oye for its fantastic flavour, dialogue and characters;
The Dark Knight for being spectacular and edgy, and for Heath Ledger.
Across The Universe

Tigmanshu Dhulia: Taare Zameen Par
Jaane Tu...Ya Jaane Na
A Wednesday.
Alll these were difficult subjects yet the public appreciated them

Rajkumar Gupta (director Aamir): Shyam Benegal's Welcome To Sajjanpur: Good film brilliant writing and it spoke about the "other" India away from the madness of the city
Rock On: More about a dream lost and found than about a rock band
The Dark Knight: Absolutely loved it. It left me speechless. I wanted to see it again. It proved where a brilliant director can take a script and character

Jagmohan Mundhra: A Wednesday: good performances, clever script
Nishikant Kamat's Mumbai Meri Jaan: For Paresh Rawal's character and the writing
Rock On: Broke new ground in Hindi cinema

Rahul Dholakia (Parzania, Lamhaa): Sohaib Mansoor's Khuda Ke Liye: Because it needed to be told so sensitively by Pakistani and made in Pakistan at such an important time
Rock On: everyone took a chance and succeeded

Anand Mahadevan: Khuda Ke Liye: For its balanced portrayal of a community coming to terms with a world reality
Mumbai Meri Jaan: Stark portrayal of the aftermath of terrorism
Kanchivaram: stirring plight of silk weavers in pre-Independence India, Priyan's best film to date

Hansal Mehta: Oye Lucky, Lucky Oye: best film in recent years. Fresh narrative style, attention to detail, delightful writing, great performances, Wish I'd made it
Jaane Tu...Ya Jaane Na: Sweetest film of the year. Welcome to the fold, Imran Khan. Well-written, original, fresh and lots of fun. Great music.
Rock On & A Wednesday: Both well made and well enacted.

Soham Shah: A Wednesday: brilliant direction and very gripping thriller
Fashion: always liked Madhur Bhandarkar's films
Ghajini & Jaaane Tu ...Ya Jaane Na: well directed and enacted

Prawaal Raman (director of Darna Manaa Hai, Darna Zaroori Hai, Charles & I): Rock On: moves radically away from accepted formula and conventions and 'proposal' projects. Has the nerve to reach out to a new generation.
Mumbai Meri Jaan: a brilliant effort to portray the human spirit. Passionately written and brilliantly executed
Mani Shankar's Mukhbiir: an honest approach to issue-based cinema targeted at tackling a serious theme rather than cracking the boxoffice

Siddharth Anand: My own Bachna Ae Hseenon: if it wasn't my favourite I wouldn't have made It's the most romantic film of the year
Jodhaa-Akbar: Loved the romance
Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi: Made by the finest writer and filmmaker in the country. The dialogues stay with you.

Satish Kaushik: Rock On : India's first rock movie, story about friendship done innovatively, Farhan's honest singing and performance made us fall in love with him
A Wednesday: pathbreaking directorial skill, powerful performances by Naseer and Anupam, it saluted the anger and dignity of the common man
Jaane Tu...Ya Jaane Na: fresh youthful approach and treatment, Rahman's yuppy music made all the difference.