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Never Seen an Indian Movie? These Are Films I'd Recommend
13
items A simple, personal list of Indian films across Hindi, Tamil, and Malayalam cinema, no rankings, just one friend recommending movies to another.
Sections
2
North Indian Filims
South Indian Filims
North Indian Filims
Films that I personally grew up loving and think everyone deserves to see at least once.
Starring Amitabh Bachchan and Dharmendra. Also starring Hema Malini, Sanjeev Kumar, Jaya Bachchan, and Amjad Khan. Written by Salim-Javed. Directed by Ramesh Sippy. Released in 1975. Language: Hindi.
If there is one Indian movie you've heard of, it's probably this one.
A retired police officer enlists two small-time outlaws to help him capture a dreaded bandit who destroyed his family. That's the setup. What follows is a film that has become the single most iconic piece of Indian pop culture ever.
For me, Sholay is not just a film, it is a special memory from my childhood. I was in school when I watched Sholay on TV, and I clearly remember the excitement.
If there is one Indian movie you've heard of, it's probably this one.
A retired police officer enlists two small-time outlaws to help him capture a dreaded bandit who destroyed his family. That's the setup. What follows is a film that has become the single most iconic piece of Indian pop culture ever.
For me, Sholay is not just a film, it is a special memory from my childhood. I was in school when I watched Sholay on TV, and I clearly remember the excitement.
Sholay (1975)
Starring Anil Kapoor, Sridevi, and Amrish Puri. Directed by Shekhar Kapur. Written by Salim-Javed. Released in 1987. Language: Hindi.
A poor but big hearted man who looks after a house full of orphan kids discovers an invisibility device left behind by his scientist father and uses it to fight a megalomaniac villain named Mogambo who wants to take over India.
If that sounds wild, that's because it is. And it works beautifully.
Anil Kapoor brings this lovable, everyman quality to the role that makes you root for him from the first frame. Sridevi is absolutely phenomenal funny, fierce, and completely uninhibited. And then there's Amrish Puri as Mogambo. His catchphrase becam...
This movie is pretty much everything a good Bollywood entertainer should be heart, humor, kids you fall in love with, a villain who still gives you goosebumps, and songs that are impossible to forget.
It's pure joy from start to finish.
A poor but big hearted man who looks after a house full of orphan kids discovers an invisibility device left behind by his scientist father and uses it to fight a megalomaniac villain named Mogambo who wants to take over India.
If that sounds wild, that's because it is. And it works beautifully.
Anil Kapoor brings this lovable, everyman quality to the role that makes you root for him from the first frame. Sridevi is absolutely phenomenal funny, fierce, and completely uninhibited. And then there's Amrish Puri as Mogambo. His catchphrase becam...
This movie is pretty much everything a good Bollywood entertainer should be heart, humor, kids you fall in love with, a villain who still gives you goosebumps, and songs that are impossible to forget.
It's pure joy from start to finish.
Mr. India (1987)
Starring Shah Rukh Khan and Gayatri Joshi. Directed by Ashutosh Gowariker. Released in 2004. Language: Hindi.
A scientist working at NASA returns to India to find his childhood caretaker and ends up finding himself.
Shah Rukh Khan himself once said that making Swades was such an emotionally overwhelming experience that he never watched the finished film he didn't want the feeling to end. That tells you everything about this movie.
It's quiet. It's beautiful.
Even after over 20 years, it still hits just as hard. If you want to understand what India feels like the beauty, the heartbreak, the hope.
A scientist working at NASA returns to India to find his childhood caretaker and ends up finding himself.
Shah Rukh Khan himself once said that making Swades was such an emotionally overwhelming experience that he never watched the finished film he didn't want the feeling to end. That tells you everything about this movie.
It's quiet. It's beautiful.
Even after over 20 years, it still hits just as hard. If you want to understand what India feels like the beauty, the heartbreak, the hope.
Swades (2004) ⭐ 8.2 | Drama, Musical
Starring Aamir Khan and Asin. Directed by A.R. Murugadoss. Released in 2008. Language: Hindi.
A man suffering from short term memory loss is on a relentless mission to avenge the death of the woman he loved.
You feel the rage as if her death happened five minutes ago because for him, it always did.
Aamir Khan makes you relate to his character so deeply that you forget everything else.
And the ending…I won't spoil it, but it elevates the entire film from good to genuinely exceptional. You'll know when you see it.
A man suffering from short term memory loss is on a relentless mission to avenge the death of the woman he loved.
You feel the rage as if her death happened five minutes ago because for him, it always did.
Aamir Khan makes you relate to his character so deeply that you forget everything else.
And the ending…I won't spoil it, but it elevates the entire film from good to genuinely exceptional. You'll know when you see it.
Ghajini (2008)
Main Lead: Ranbir Kapoor Also Starring: Nargis Fakhri Directed by: Imtiaz Ali Year: 2011 Language: Hindi
A boy chases the idea that you need pain to create great art and life eventually teaches him the hard way what that actually means.
The music by A.R. Rahman alone is reason enough to experience this film.
A boy chases the idea that you need pain to create great art and life eventually teaches him the hard way what that actually means.
The music by A.R. Rahman alone is reason enough to experience this film.
Rockstar (2011)
Starring Hrithik Roshan, Sanjay Dutt, Rishi Kapoor, and Priyanka Chopra. Directed by Karan Malhotra. Released in 2012. Hindi.
A son's lifelong quest to avenge his father's murder and take back the village that was stolen from his people.
This is commercial Hindi cinema firing on all cylinders the scale, the music, the raw emotion of injustice, and the oppressed finally rising.
Hrithik Roshan gave one of the most intense performances of his career here, and Sanjay Dutt as the villain Kancha is terrifyingly good.
The way the climax brings everything full circle to the very first scene of the film it's the kind of storytelling that doesn't just entertain you, it shakes you.
A son's lifelong quest to avenge his father's murder and take back the village that was stolen from his people.
This is commercial Hindi cinema firing on all cylinders the scale, the music, the raw emotion of injustice, and the oppressed finally rising.
Hrithik Roshan gave one of the most intense performances of his career here, and Sanjay Dutt as the villain Kancha is terrifyingly good.
The way the climax brings everything full circle to the very first scene of the film it's the kind of storytelling that doesn't just entertain you, it shakes you.
Watch Agneepath (2012)
Starring Salman Khan, Harshaali Malhotra, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, and Kareena Kapoor Khan. Directed by Kabir Khan. Written by V. Vijayendra Prasad. Released in 2015. Hindi.
A kind hearted man takes it upon himself to reunite a mute little girl with her family across the border in Pakistan.
The story is simple. But the emotions are sky high.
This is a film about kindness, compassion, and humanity overcoming borders and it earns every single tear it pulls from you.
A kind hearted man takes it upon himself to reunite a mute little girl with her family across the border in Pakistan.
The story is simple. But the emotions are sky high.
This is a film about kindness, compassion, and humanity overcoming borders and it earns every single tear it pulls from you.
Bajrangi Bhaijaan (2015) ⭐ 8.1 | Adventure, Comedy, Drama
Starring Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan. Also starring Raakhee, Amrish Puri, Kajol, and Mamta Kulkarni. Directed by Rakesh Roshan. Released in 1995. Hindi.
Two brothers. Murdered by their own uncle.
Their mother refuses to believe they are gone and fate proves her right. They return, reincarnated, with no memory of their past lives, to finish what was started. If you want to know what Bollywood masala really means the songs, the action, the dram...
You have two of the biggest superstars Indian cinema has ever seen, together in one film.
This is the kind of movie where entire theaters used to erupt. Start here if you want the full experience.
Two brothers. Murdered by their own uncle.
Their mother refuses to believe they are gone and fate proves her right. They return, reincarnated, with no memory of their past lives, to finish what was started. If you want to know what Bollywood masala really means the songs, the action, the dram...
You have two of the biggest superstars Indian cinema has ever seen, together in one film.
This is the kind of movie where entire theaters used to erupt. Start here if you want the full experience.
Karan Arjun
Starring Salman Khan, Aishwarya Rai, and Ajay Devgn. Directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali. Released in 1999. Hindi
A grand, sweeping love story told with the kind of visual magnificence that only Sanjay Leela Bhansali can pull off.
Every frame looks like a painting. The colors, the music, the costumes it's a feast for the senses. At its core, it's a love triangle that asks a deeply human question about love and sacrifice.
Salman Khan and Aishwarya Rai together on screen is pure magic, and Ajay Devgn brings a quiet dignity to his role that sneaks up on you.
The film was a massive blockbuster and remains one of Bhansali's finest works to this day.
If you love romance and you love cinema that looks breathtakingly beautiful, this one's for you.
A grand, sweeping love story told with the kind of visual magnificence that only Sanjay Leela Bhansali can pull off.
Every frame looks like a painting. The colors, the music, the costumes it's a feast for the senses. At its core, it's a love triangle that asks a deeply human question about love and sacrifice.
Salman Khan and Aishwarya Rai together on screen is pure magic, and Ajay Devgn brings a quiet dignity to his role that sneaks up on you.
The film was a massive blockbuster and remains one of Bhansali's finest works to this day.
If you love romance and you love cinema that looks breathtakingly beautiful, this one's for you.
Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam (1999) ⭐ 7.4
South Indian Filims
Flavour of South Indian Cinema
Starring Super Star Rajinikanth, Nagma, and Raghuvaran. Directed by Suresh Krissna. Released in 1995. Tamil.
An auto rickshaw driver who leads a quiet, humble life but is hiding a dark, violent past.
If you don't know who Rajinikanth is, he's not just a movie star he's practically a force of nature in Indian cinema. And Baashha is the film that shows you exactly why.
His screen presence and style make you forget everything else. Even decades after release, this film still gets prime television slots and excites people like it's brand new.
And if you enjoyed Baashha, do yourself a favor and check out two more Rajinikanth gems Padayappa (1999) and Arunachalam (1997). Trust me, you'll thank me later.
An auto rickshaw driver who leads a quiet, humble life but is hiding a dark, violent past.
If you don't know who Rajinikanth is, he's not just a movie star he's practically a force of nature in Indian cinema. And Baashha is the film that shows you exactly why.
His screen presence and style make you forget everything else. Even decades after release, this film still gets prime television slots and excites people like it's brand new.
And if you enjoyed Baashha, do yourself a favor and check out two more Rajinikanth gems Padayappa (1999) and Arunachalam (1997). Trust me, you'll thank me later.
Baasha (1995) ⭐ 8.3 | Action, Crime, Drama
Guru
Starring Mohanlal and Suresh Gopi. Directed by Rajiv Anchal. Music by Ilaiyaraaja. Released in 1997. Malayalam.
A fantasy drama that unfolds through the life of Raghuraman, played by the great Mohanlal.
The musical score was composed by the legendary Ilaiyaraaja and performed by the Budapest Symphony Orchestra which tells you the kind of scale and ambition this film operates at.
It was the first Malayalam film to be selected as India's official entry to the Oscars for Best Foreign Language Film.
That alone should tell you how special it is. A truly wonderful movie that deserves to be seen by more people around the world.
Starring Mohanlal and Suresh Gopi. Directed by Rajiv Anchal. Music by Ilaiyaraaja. Released in 1997. Malayalam.
A fantasy drama that unfolds through the life of Raghuraman, played by the great Mohanlal.
The musical score was composed by the legendary Ilaiyaraaja and performed by the Budapest Symphony Orchestra which tells you the kind of scale and ambition this film operates at.
It was the first Malayalam film to be selected as India's official entry to the Oscars for Best Foreign Language Film.
That alone should tell you how special it is. A truly wonderful movie that deserves to be seen by more people around the world.
Guru (1997) ⭐ 8.5 | Drama, Fantasy
Starring Mohanlal, Prabhu, Tabu, and Amrish Puri. Directed by Priyadarshan. Music by Ilaiyaraaja. Cinematography by Santosh Sivan. Released in 1996. Malayalam.
Set in 1915, the film focuses on the lives of Indian independence activists imprisoned in the Cellular Jail in Andaman and Nicobar
Islands during the British Raj.
It follows a young doctor named Govardhan, played by Mohanlal, who is wrongly accused of being an extremist freedom fighter and is jailed in the dreaded Cellular Jail at Port Blair.
This is one of those movies that is very close to my hear
Set in 1915, the film focuses on the lives of Indian independence activists imprisoned in the Cellular Jail in Andaman and Nicobar
Islands during the British Raj.
It follows a young doctor named Govardhan, played by Mohanlal, who is wrongly accused of being an extremist freedom fighter and is jailed in the dreaded Cellular Jail at Port Blair.
This is one of those movies that is very close to my hear
Kaalapani (1996) ⭐ 8.5 | Action, Drama, History
Directed by Sreekumar Krishnan Nair. Released in 1993. Malayalam.
This is purely a nostalgia pick.
O Faby was one of the earliest live action and animation hybrid films in Asia a fantasy story with an animated character placed inside a real movie.
That was pretty remarkable for Malayalam cinema back then. There were no big stars, just fresh faces, and it was a small movie. But it was a genuinely nice one.
I'm honestly not even sure how many people remember it now. But I do. It's been sitting in my memory all these years, and that counts for something. Maybe it's for the kids, maybe it's just for the nostalgia but it goes on my list.
There are many incredible Indian films, and others will have their own favorites to share.
This is just a personal list of movies that have stuck with me from my childhood.
Thank you for being here, and I hope you enjoy these movies.
This is purely a nostalgia pick.
O Faby was one of the earliest live action and animation hybrid films in Asia a fantasy story with an animated character placed inside a real movie.
That was pretty remarkable for Malayalam cinema back then. There were no big stars, just fresh faces, and it was a small movie. But it was a genuinely nice one.
I'm honestly not even sure how many people remember it now. But I do. It's been sitting in my memory all these years, and that counts for something. Maybe it's for the kids, maybe it's just for the nostalgia but it goes on my list.
There are many incredible Indian films, and others will have their own favorites to share.
This is just a personal list of movies that have stuck with me from my childhood.
Thank you for being here, and I hope you enjoy these movies.
O' Faby (1993) ⭐ 7.5 | Animation, Drama, Family