Sandalwood survived strong

The first decade of the new millennium saw some good films and some threats too. But, the industry stood taller eventually.
We pick 11 most remembered films of the decade gone by!

Jogi
Arguably one of the most talked about film of this decade, Prem’s magnum opus, with Shivarajkumar, was a runaway blockbuster. Glam girl Jennifer Kotwal was introduced through this film, as also was the idea of having B-Town item girls. Remember Yana Gupta singing Bin Ladenu?
 
Mungaaru Male
This was the surprise package of the decade, for it had unknown faces and a one-film-old director. But, once the audience took to the film, the cast and the music, it led to the return of the phenomenon of ‘star’ directors. Who wouldn’t give an arm to work with Yogaraj Bhat today?
 
Jackie
Jackie saw this decade’s most successful actor Puneet Rajkumar teaming up with some new faces. The film’s success saw Puneet, who had a couple of shaky releases prior to this, seal his top position in the industry.

Amruthadhaare
This film starred Dhyaan (Sammir Dattani) and Ramya. With the able hands of Nagathihalli Chandrashekhar manning the ship, this film showcased a beautiful yet simple love story. The film also had Amitabh Bachchan playing himself in a cameo.

Super
Upendra was the most entertaining director of the last decade, who brought in a fresh ways to narrate stories. Super proves that Upendra still continues to have that Midas Touch.
 
Apthamithra
This film, starring late Dr Vishnuvardhan, is recalled as one of his finest. No wonder the film was remade in Tamil with Rajinikanth and in Hindi with Akshay Kumar. Such was the popularity of this film that its sequel Aptharakshaka went on to become an equally big success.
 
Huchcha
Albeit this film was a remake of the Tamil film Sethu, it is fondly remembered as one of Sudeep’s best. After all, it was his first commercial blockbuster and made a star out of him. The film’s soundtrack still rocks.
 
Cyanide
If this decade saw commercial and multiplex films on the rise, there were some alternate films that made their mark too. AMR Ramesh’s Cyanide topping the list for it explored a subject many wouldn’t dare to touch. The film chronicled the last days of Sivarasan and Shubha, the main accused from LTTE in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination.
 
Gulabi Talkies
Who would have thought a film with Umashri in the lead would be so big that it would win multiple awards internationally? And not to mention the National Award for best actor-female. The film, which juxtaposes the liberal India with the life of a midwife, has won rave reviews from both film lovers and critics.
 
Aa Dinagalu
Bangalore has a history too, especially the dark side. This was chronicled excellently in KM Chaitanya’s directorial debut Aa Dinagalu, which was based on the true account of the city’s horrific tales by Agni Shridhar.
 
Rama Shama Bhama
A little dose of comedy is a must to any list. Ramesh Aravind’s directorial debut Rama Shama Bhama was one of the best comedies of the decade, although it was a remake of the Tamil original — Sati Leelavati.