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Are you a veteran when it comes to Bollywood Movies?
Or are you new to Indian cinema?
In any case, you’ve come to the right place!
When people talk about films, they mostly know and watch Hollywood movies.
However, countries like India, South Korea, France, and Iran produce entirely different movies that are different from Hollywood in terms of culture, stories and life.
Indian cinema, also known as Bollywood or Hindi cinema, is famous for dynamic storylines representing its diverse culture and music full of dance, colours, and life. You will undoubtedly fall in love with our top 10 Bollywood movies, inspiring you to explore Indian cinema further.
Undoubtedly, the Bollywood film industry is the second biggest movie industry after Hollywood, and it produces almost 1000 movies every year. For India, it is a cultural powerhouse that has introduced Indian culture, history, music, and dance across the globe. Bollywood movies are welcomed in thousands of cinemas in India, across Asia. And worldwide as actors like Shah Rukh Khan, Irrfan Khan, Deepika Padukone, Aamir Khan, and Kareena Kapoor need no introduction.
We will cover some of the best Bollywood movies you can watch online or stream on Netflix or Amazon Prime. The Bollywood movies on this cover genres from comedy to drama and romance to thrillers!
If you want to know modern Indian cinema, your first watch should be Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge. The movie has become a cult classic since its release in 1995. It is one of the longest-running movies still played every day in the Maratha Mandir Theatre in Mumbai, a world record. The movie has many famous dialogues. But one line, ‘Bade bade deshon my choti choti baten hoti rehti hein’, is so famous that even former US president Barack Obama mentioned in a speech.
The movie is a romance/musical and revolves around two characters Raj, played by Shah Rukh Khan, and Simran, played by Kajol. Raj and Simran separately go on a trip to Switzerland with their friends. Simran is a shy girl whose family is somewhat conservative, and his father has already arranged her marriage in India. As the story develops, Simran slowly falls in love with Raj in Europe. However, she is soon bound to India for an arranged marriage. Will Raj follow Simran back to India or return to London to his father? That’s for you to find out. As for its musical drama, dialogues, cast, and locations, it is one of the highest-grossing Bollywood movies of all time.
This is one of the best Bollywood movies on Amazon Prime.
The Lunchbox stars critically acclaimed actor of world cinema Irrfan Khan, besides Nimrat Kaur and Nawazuddin Siddiqui. It was nominated for the BAFTA Award for Best Film Not in the English Language category and won many awards in India. One of the best romantic Bollywood movies that you should watch as Irrfan Khan plays an exceptional lead role in this movie. His loneliness is unmoored by the bustling Mumbai, and the only thing that will make him smile is the delicacy of hand-written note of kindness and love.
The movie is the story of Saajan Fernandes, played by Irrfan Khan, a lonely widower about to retire. Nimrat Kaurplays IIla, a stay-at-home wife ignored by her husband. Ila prepares a lunchbox for her husband, which is, one day, mistakenly delivered to Saajan instead. Accustomed to regular boring food, Saajan enjoys the delicious food and writes a thank you note to the unknown sender. Eventually, a series of heartfelt exchanges starts through handwritten letters delivered through the lunchbox as they find solace in each other’s virtual presence. It is one of the best Bollywood movies that is, in itself, a feast of storytelling and acting.
You can stream The Lunchbox on Prime Video.
Famous for its humor, coming-of-age comedy and social message, 3 Idiots (2009) is one of the highest-grossing Indian films of all time. Additionally, this movie won several awards, including the Filmfare Award for Best Film. As one of the best comedy Bollywood movies of all time, where every character plays a comedic role to the finest.
The movie tells the story of three friends, Rancho, Farhan, and Raju, who are admitted to the top engineering college in India. But do they really belong here? Rancho, played by Aamir Khan, is always questioning the education system. Whereas, Farhan is a passionate photographer forced to study engineering by his father and Raju is a poor student struggling to keep up with his studies. How these divergent characters with different ambitions end up in the same engineering college? And how they find their true calling? All in all, it is an interesting story that unfolds with many twists in one of India’s best comedy Bollywood movies.
You can stream 3 Idiots on Prime Video.
Haider is a crime/drama movie directed by critically acclaimed director Vishal Bhardwaj. Furthermore, it is also an adaptation of William Shakespeare’s play “Hamlet.” The film, when released, won several awards, including National Film Awards and Filmfare Awards. Vishal Bhardwaj is a master storyteller who has adopted the “Hamlet” in the socio-political context of Kashmir highlighting the emotional turmoil experienced by the Kashmiri people. Plus, one of the top Bollywood movies on Netflix that should be on your watchlist.
Haider is set in Indian-occupied Kashmir during the mid-1990s when the insurgency was rising. The story revolves around a young man, Haider Meer, who returns to his hometown of Srinagar when he hears his father has gone missing. As he digs deeper into the circumstances surrounding his father’s disappearance, he unearths a web of political conspiracies, familial tensions, and personal turmoil. One of the best drama themes of revenge, betrayal, and the psychological impact of violence on individuals and society.
When Rang De Basanti was released in 2006, the movie go-ers reacted slowly. However, once its message started to resonate with the Indian audience, there was no looking back as it broke many box-office records. It is one of the best Bollywood movies to watch on Netflix as it perfectly blends entertainment with a social message. As a result, these components urge viewers to question the status quo and cause a change in society.
Rang De Basanti has an ensemble cast of Aamir Khan, Siddharth, Soha Ali Khan, Kunal Kapoor, Sharman Joshi, and Atul Kulkarni. All of them are university students who don’t care about politics and social issues. When an English woman comes to India and casts them in a documentary about India’s freedom fighters, their perspectives are changed completely. One of the characters, Lt Ajay Rathod, a pilot in the Indian Air Force, passed away in a plane crash. This accident made other characters angry about the state, and they question the negligence and corruption of the state.
Munna Bhai M.B.B.S. is one of the best Bollywood comedy movies released in 2003. The film today is popular for its unique storyline, memorable characters, and coupled with humour and emotional drama. Munna Bhai and Circuit are quite popular characters to this day for their on-screen chemistry. One of the best Bollywood movies that you can also stream on Youtube. It is one of the best Bollywood comedy movies that blends humour, social commentary, and emotional moments.
The film has a lead character, Munna Bhai, who is a goon with a kind heart. Munna has falsely tricked his parents into believing he is a doctor, but in reality, he is a college dropout. When his parents find out, Munna enrols in a college by cheating on an admission test to become a doctor. As a goon, he uses his sidekick, Circuit, to convince everyone, including the college dean, that he is a medical student. Being in a medical college, he brings warmth, compassion, and a sense of humanity to the patients and transforms the lives of his fellow students. Finally, what happens at the end is just an emotional rollercoaster for every audience.
Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara is a comedy and drama movie that features an ensemble cast of Hrithik Roshan, Farhan Akhtar, Abhay Deol, Katrina Kaif, and Kalki Koechlin. It is one of the best Bollywood movies to stream on Netflix. As the storyline resonates with everyone due to its message of living life to the fullest and cherishing the moments that come along.
The film follows the story of three friends, Arjun, Kabir and Imraan, who go on a bachelor road trip to Spain before Kabir’s marriage. The journey, in reality, was long overdue, but when it happens, they not only go through new adventures but confront new fears and realities. Arjun, a workaholic, learns to balance his professional life with personal happiness. Kabir faces his commitment issues and reevaluates his priorities. Especially, Imraan, a writer, confronts his father about the past. Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara is one of the best movies on Amazon Prime that captures friendship, self-discovery. The most important thing is: how to of live in the moment.
Queen is a movie that grows on you over time. One of the best Bollywood comedy movies that is about coming-of-age. Queen was a critical and commercial success as it won many awards, including Best Film at the National Film Awards and Best Hindi Film at the Filmfare Awards. It is one of the best Bollywood movies on Netflix, as it has an empowering narrative and Kangana Ranaut‘s remarkable performance in the lead role.
The story is about Rani, a simple and shy girl from Delhi who gets ditched on her wedding day by her fiancé. Instead of wallowing in self-pity, Rani decides to embark on her honeymoon trip to Paris and Amsterdam alone. The trip becomes a journey of self-discovery as Rani steps out of her comfort zone. As she meets new people, goes to dance clubs, and tries new foods. The movie beautifully captures the character’s transformation from a shy girl to a confident and independent woman. This transformation surely made it one of the best Bollywood comedy movies.
Gangs of Wasseypur is one of the best Indian crime films released in 2012. The film has two parts: “Gangs of Wasseypur – Part 1” and “Gangs of Wasseypur – Part 2.” The movie is a cult hit with a dedicated fan following due to realistic, bold dialogues and memorable characters. The film’s success led to its international recognition and screenings at various film festivals. If you’re looking for a movie based on revenge, power dynamics, and the cultural nature of violence, this one is a must-watch.
The story is set in the small town of Wasseypur in Bihar, India, and spans several decades, from the 1940s until the early 2000s. At the centre of the movie, there’s an ongoing rivalry between three crime families—the Khan, Qureshi, and Singh familie. Their thirst for power, revenge, and control over the coal mafia in the region are the main themes. It delves into the lives of various characters and their struggles for survival and dominance in the crime-ridden world of Wasseypur. What unfolds in the story is a gritty and realistic portrayal of crime and its consequences. It is one of the top Bollywood movies on Amazon Prime about the crime that should be on your watchlist.
Barfi! is a critically acclaimed film and was selected as India’s official entry for the Best Foreign Language Film category at the 85th Academy Awards in 2022. Ranbir Kapoor and Priyanka Chopra deliver remarkable performances in the movie, making it one of the best Bollywood comedy movies.
The storyline revolves around Barfi, who is a fun-loving hearing-impaired young man living in the town of Darjeeling. Despite being unable to listen and talk, he leads a joyful and mischievous life, spreading happiness. He forms a deep bond with Shruti, a young woman engaged to someone else. Barfi then meets Jhilmil, an autistic girl he has known since childhood as his father is a car driver for a Jhilmil family. The film follows Barfi’s journey as he navigates love, friendship, and his search for belonging and happiness. One of the top Bollywood movies on Netflix that you should add to your watchlist.
There are a lot of other top Bollywood movies like:
… among many others, that you can include in your weekend watch list.
The movies we have written about are one of the best Bollywood movies to watch, as each movie is dynamic in its subject approach, storyline, actors and directors.
Above all, the movie list includes movies from different regions of India that also tells how diverse Indian culture is. And this is unlike most Bollywood movies to-watch lists that just include films set in and about the movie capital Mumbai. If you also want to explore a cinema full of music, dance, and colours, you must watch these best Bollywood movies.
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