During The Course Of My Professional And Personal Interactions, The Topic Of Personal Interests Often Crops Up! As Soon As People Know That I Am Passionate About Movies And Have Professionalized My Passion Through PhD In Management Of Movies, The Next Question Is : Which Are The Best Bollywood Movies? Which Are Your Best Bollywood Movies? Can You Give Your Recommendations? As Everyone Knows, It Is A Really Difficult Question…
Everyone’s Idea Of Favorite Movie Is Unique. It Depends On Individual Preferences & Taste. And Every Indian Has Their Favorites In Bollywood, Cricket And Politics. But This Is The List For My Friends, Film-Buffs, Non-Indians & Everyone Who Like Movies – We Can Match Our Favorites ! And I Have Created A Shortlist And A Long-List.
Part 1: The Essential Bollywood List
The aim of this list is to introduce Bollywood to the newbies – people who want to explore Bollywood. The 20 movie list has mix of all genres and periods with a view to introduce versatile Indian stories and colours of India. The list was first compiled during my European abode.
- 3 Idiots
Perfect example of a movie that wins the love of masses and classes. A complete entertainer with excellence as a theme. A comic take on Indian education system through the eyes of three friends. Impeccable acting and beautiful direction. A movie with the heart in right place. Aamir Khan, Boman Irani, Madhavan shine in the Rajkumar Hirani adaptation of Chetan Bhagat’s best-selling novel. Comedy / Drama - Amar Akbar Anthony
Entertainment entertainment entertainment. The trademark magic and masala of Manmohan Desai. One of the best ensemble cast with Amitabh Bachchan, Vinod Khanna and Rishi Kapoor. The mirror scene of Amitabh is legendary. Comedy / Action. - Anand
The classic! Inspirational masterpiece! A dying cancer patient spreads happiness. Art of living! Stalwarts of Indian cinema – Hrishikesh Mukherjee, Gulzar, Amitabh Bachchan and Rajesh Khanna. Beautiful music and memorable moments including: “Babumoshai, Zindagi badi honi chahiye – lambi nai”. Drama. - Baahubali
The cinematic event of the Indian film industry. The South Indian industry showed that Indians can create our own ‘Lord of The Rings’. ‘Why did Katappa killed Baahubali?’ was the question that bothered millions of Indians. Drama / Action / Visual Extravaganza. - Badhaai Ho
A peek into everyday Indian household with the versatile Ayushmann Khurana – the poster boy of unique characters of real India. But there is a twist – what happens when 25 year old man finds his parents are expecting another child? An awesome screenplay with spectacular performances by the entire cast. A taste of Indian cinema’s new stories. Comedy. - Bobby
Innocent, refreshing and beautiful romance of the youth – unchallenged till Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak. Music and freshness were the highlight of the showman Raj Kapoor’s project to pay off debts of Mera Naam Joker and Kal,Aaj Aur Kal. The movie launched the romantic era of Rishi Kapoor and introduced Dimple Kapadia. Romance / Musical. - Dangal
A sports biopic and an emotional saga of a father who fulfils his dream of winning a gold medal for the country by training his daughters. Indian sport of wrestling captured in Aamir Khan’s classic. The movie became a phenomenon in China as well. Sports / Drama. - Deewar
Yash Chopra packs simple ‘Good vs Bad’ plot with a dynamite treatment. Two brothers on the opposite sides of law. Salim Javed’s dialogues and acting master class of Amitabh Bachchan, Shashi Kapoor and Nirupa Roy. ‘Mere paas maa hai’ is one of the most popular dialogues of all time. Drama / Crime / Action. - Devdas
Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s grandeur and larger-than-life treatment of Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay’s novel Devdas. Perfect casting, amazing music, ‘Dola Re’ dance and overflowing emotions….Magical. Shah Rukh Khan, Madhuri Dixit and Aishwarya Rai deliver towering performances. Never has been a loser’s tale presented so magnificently! Drama / Romance / Musical. - Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jaayenge
DDLJ. Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol in the mustard fields is one of the most iconic image of Indian cinema. Love is supreme but parental approval is must – the perfect Indian recipe that touched billion NRI and domestic hearts. A love story with perfectly etched characters, evergreen songs and iconic train scene in the climax. Romance / Musical. - Disco Dancer
The 80s musical. Rags to riches story. Mithun was the heart throb of India and garnered amazing fan following in Russia and other parts of the world. Musical / Dance. - Do Bigha Zameen
The Rabindranath Tagore poem inspired socialist drama was a trendsetter. Impressed with ‘The Bicycle Thieves’, Bimal Roy directed Balraj Sahni and Nirupa Roy in the 1953 classic. A dream to watch Balraj Sahni – he is in another zone. Drama. - Guide
The masterpiece of Indian cinema. A path breaking movie that challenged societal norms and showcased the interesting journey of its lead characters – fallible humans can transform. Excellent music, most memorable songs and amazing moments showcased magically – Genius at work! Dev Anand’s home production was based on R K Narayan’s acclaimed novel of same name – though the author hated the movie. Drama / Romance. - Hum Aapke Hai Kaun
The Indian wedding movie with 14 songs. The wholesome feel-good family movie with a delicate twist. All happy and smiling faces in the Rajshri drama of 1990s. Launched at a single theatre, the movie became a craze of the nation. Salman Khan and Madhuri Dixit song and dance lighted weddings for years to come. Romance / Music / Drama. - Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam
Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s sensitive treatment of an interesting dilemma of a young Indian woman. What is true love? A strong story with amazing visuals, powerful dialogues and world-class music. Salman, Aishwarya Rai and Ajay Devgan give dazzling performances. Cryptic title. Romance / Musical / Drama. - Kabhi Khushi Kabhi sGham
The quintessential Bollywood family movie with the right dose of all the right emotions. The finest looking ensemble cast in beautiful locales with foot tapping music. Shah Rukh Khan, Amitabh Bachchan, Hrithik Roshan, Kareen Kapoor and Kajol with Rani Mukherjee and Jaya Bachchan. Karan Johar’s glorious success! Keh diya! Romance / Family / Drama / Music. - Mother India
An iconic India movie. Mehboob Khan’s remake of his own movie (Aurat) was the most expensive and most successful revenue earner of that time. Despite facing numerous hardships and exploitation at the hands of money-lender, poverty-hit protagonist Nargis stands for integrity and righteousness. Inspirational Drama. - Mughal E Azam
K Asif’s Mughal-E-Azam is a landmark of Indian cinema. A movie that took 14 years to make! The epic timeless saga of romance broke all box office records. Emperor Akbar’s son Salim loves a courtesan but the emperor does not approve the relationship. Each and every dialogue is memorable. Also, the mesmerising music and amazing cast of Madhubala, Prithviraj Kapoor and Dilip Kumar. Jab Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kya….Music / Drama / Historical. - Pakeezah
Meena Kumari’s finest performance as a courtesan in Kamal Amrohi’s musical drama. Timeless music, strong dialogues, royal grandeur and impeccable direction. Drama / Music. - Sholay
The complete Bollywood masala movie. It had the perfect mix of action, drama, adventure, romance, comedy, suspense with memorable characters, dialogues and songs. Ramesh Sippy directed the biggest names of the industry and created an all-time popular movie. Each and every character was perfectly sketched and given full life. Al the stalwarts – Amitabh Bachchan, Dharmendra, Hema Malini, Amjad Khan and Sanjeev Kumar. ‘Kitnay Aadmi the’ and other dialogues are popular even today! Drama / Action.
Noteworthy Movies: Lagaan, Dil To Pagal Hai, Pyaasa are many other great movies.
Part 2: The Unique & Universal Bollywood List
Bollywood has experienced a paradigm shift and found a new confidence in recent years. The death of the formula movies and rise of content-driven stories is a much needed change – Ironically people in more than a dozen unique countries have lamented the death of old Bollywood. Interesting!
The aim of this list is to introduce 20 unique and different Bollywood movies. The brave and new stories. The movies that are universal. It does include a few earlier age movies that still fit the theme of the list.
- 3 Idiots
A complete entertainer with excellence as a theme. A comic take on education system through the eyes of three friends. Impeccable acting and direction with a strong script. A movie with the heart in right place. Aamir Khan, Boman Irani, Madhavan shine in the Rajkumar Hirani adaptation of Chetan Bhagat’s best-selling novel. Comedy / Drama - A Death In The Gunj
A disturbing melancholic film about a shy introvert young man set in a small hilly town of the 70s. A rich ensemble cast, beautiful script, haunting background score and an impeccable direction by Konkona Sen Sharma. The films grows on you! A masterpiece, a beautiful painting – a must watch movie! - Article 15
A brave and courageous piece of cinema. Thought provoking and hard-hitting movie. An urban officer defends the Indian constitution and fights caste discrimination. A masterpiece. Anubhav Sinha and Ayushmann Khurana – take a bow. Drama / Crime. - Black Friday
Anurag Kashyap directs the powerful and gritty Bombay Blast investigation drama. Kay Kay Menon, Imtiaz Ali, Pavan Malhotra and others leave you speechless. Crime / Drama / Thriller. - Dor
A gem of a movie. A moving story of forgiveness and friendship of two women in beautiful Rajasthan. One lady’s husband accidentally kills another woman’s husband and she is seeking forgiveness. Gul Panag and Ayesha Takia’s beautiful performances take Nagesh Kukonoor poetic movie to the next level. ‘Yeh Hosla Kaise’ is a song for all times. Drama. - Ek Doctor Ki Maut
A classic tale of how a scientist gets reprimand and hardship instead of recognition for his discovery of a cure for leprosy. Pankaj Kapur shines in the Tapan Sinha directed masterpiece. Drama - Guide
The masterpiece of Indian cinema. A path breaking movie that challenged societal norms and showcased the interesting journey of its lead characters – fallible humans can transform. Excellent music, most memorable songs and amazing moments showcased magically – Genius at work! Dev Anand’s home production was based on R K Narayan’s acclaimed novel of same name – though the author hated the movie. Drama / Romance. - Haider
Vishal Bharadwaj’s Shakespearean magnum-opus. Breath-taking Kashmir. Shahid’s portrayal of Haider. Tabu in another class act with equal support from Kay Kay and Irfan. Mind-blowing music. Movies are like this ! A rare blend of critical acclaim and commercial success. Equally good are Maqbool and Omkara – the other movies in Vishal Bharadwaj’s Shakespearean trilogy. Drama. - Lootera
A visual poetry. Beautiful and slow and stunning. The romance drama is based on O Henry’s ‘The Last Leaf’. Ranveer and Sonakshi’s amazing and heart-warming performances. Out of world music of Amit Trivedi. The music is a character in itself. One of the best endings. Magical. Romance / Drama. - Masaan
Poetry, pain and beauty against the multicoloured Varanasi. Neeraj brings heart and art into cinema and showcases four lives stuck in Varanasi. Tu Kisi Rail Si Guzaarti Hai – Just Wow ! Masterpiece. Romance / Drama. - Mukti Bhawan
An amazing film about death, life and father-son relationship set in Varanasi raises many interesting questions. What happens when you are waiting for your death? Drama. - Newton
Rajkumar Rao shines as a honest and stubborn government official assigned to election duty in remote naxal-infected Chhattisgarh forest. Watch-out the beautiful screenplay, cinematography and strong cast including the brilliant Anjali Patil. Drama. - October
Poetry on screen. Visually arresting. Touching story of love, loss and longing. Slow down India – this is the movie for the soul. Movie of the unconditional love and beauty of silence in a loud loud India. Romance - Queen
Kangana rules! Inspiring story – Seek your own happiness, live life to the fullest and fight one’s own battle. Perfect treatment of a great script. Nice direction. Lisa Haydon, Europe and Rajkumar Rao provide great support. The ‘London Thumakda’ and the movie rocked the box office as well! - Taare Zameen Par
One of the finest movies that explores the sensitive topic of dyslexia. Every child is special. The eight year old Ishaan and his struggles are captured in a touching manner. The art teacher inspires the young boy and develops confidence through compassion and patience. Aamir Khan’s directorial debut with Amol Gupte’s rich story. Music is another highlight with ‘Maa’ emerging as a universal tear machine. Drama. - The Lunchbox
The LunchBox is a ‘Food For Thought’ movie that will make you hungry after the movie! The Lunchbox is a moving story of two lonely individuals in a big metropolis, who accidentally get connected and developed a liking for each other. It is a simple love story made with lot of care and attention to detail. Very layered and textured. The outstanding performances of Irrfan, Nimrat and Nawazuddin light up the movie. Romance. - The Ship Of Theseus
A thought provoking and soul-stirring movie based on Theseus Paradox. Three stories of a photographer, an ailing monk and a young stockbroker with a common theme. A visual treat with great direction and awesome screenplay. Cinema par excellence. - Tumbadd
An Indian movie to be proud of! A visually gorgeous treat. Deep and intriguing metaphors. Set in a small village of Maharashtra, Tumbbad is a psychological horror at its best. Fear is scary but greed of humans is scarier and it turns men into monsters. Solid writing, world-class CGI, Hollywood style production values, background music and cinematography make Tumbbad a very original and distinct movie. The Ship of Theseus man Sohum Shah delivers a performance that is par excellence. An original and a different Indian movie! - Udaan
A courageous movie. A highly captivating coming-of-age movie. The young protagonist escapes an abusive father and follows his dreams. Powerful content, mind-blowing acting and awesome direction. Vikramditya Motwane’s classic directorial debut with touching music and Jamshedpur backdrop. Drama. - Udta Punjab
Alia Bhatt steals the show in a hard-hitting and strong movie on the drug menace in Punjab. Abihshek Chaubey shows his prowess with a deft handling of a powerful script and total control over characters. Shahid Kapoor and music are the other highlights. Drama.
Gulaal, Dev D, Rocksar, Gangs of Wasseypur, Haasil, Tamasha, Titli, Highway, Jagga Jasoos and many other do deserve attention.
Part 3: Ash Favourites
A list of personal favourites – the 20 movies that I loved and enjoyed and connected to them! No rationale!
- 3 Idiots
A complete entertainer with excellence as a theme. A comic take on education system through the eyes of three friends. Impeccable acting and direction with a strong script. A movie with the heart in right place. Aamir Khan, Boman Irani, Madhavan shine in the Rajkumar Hirani adaptation of Chetan Bhagat’s best-selling novel. Comedy / Drama - Anand
Classic! Inspirational masterpiece. A dying cancer patient spreads happiness. Art of living! Stalwarts of Indian cinema – Hrishikesh Mukherjee, Gulzar, Amitabh Bachchan and Rajesh Khanna. Beautiful music and memorable moments including: “Babumoshai, Zindagi badi honi chahiye – lambi nahi”. Drama. - Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jaayenge
DDLJ. Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol in the mustard fields is one of the most iconic image of Indian movies. Love is supreme but parental approval is must – the perfect Indian recipe that touched billion NRI and domestic hearts. Romance / Musical. - Dor
A gem of a movie. A moving story of forgiveness and friendship between two women in beautiful Rajasthan. One lady’s husband accidentally kills another woman’s husband and she is seeking forgiveness. Gul Panag and Ayesha Takia’s towering performances take Nagesh Kukonoor poetry to next level. ‘Yeh Hosla Kaise’ is a song for all times. Drama. - Guide
The masterpiece of Indian cinema. A path breaking movie that challenged societal norms and showcased the interesting journey of its lead characters – fallible humans can transform. Excellent music, most memorable songs and amazing moments showcased magically – Genius at work! Dev Anand’s home production was based on R K Narayan’s acclaimed novel of same name – though the author hated the movie. Drama / Romance. - Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi
One of the finest political films. Only Sudhir Mishra can mix poetry and politics – Marx and Ghalib. A beautifully crafted movie of the pre and post emergency area. The meticulously defined characters speak about ideals, inequality, socialism, capitalism, oppression with passion. Drama / Politics. - Jaane Bhi Do Yaaron
Kundan Shah’s Jaane Bhi Do Yaaron is landmark movie. A dark comedy about corruption and conspiracy connects universally. Politics, mafia, builders, bureaucracy, murder, the grand finale of Mahabharata – the movie is an example of perfect screenplay, mind-blowing acting and genius direction. Drama / Comedy. - Jab We Met
One of the most popular romantic movies of the new millennium. A wholesome entertainer with impeccable timing and energy of live-wire Kareena – free spirited vivacious Geet inspires the heart-broken business tycoon Aditya (Shahid) and changes his perspective of life. The perfect chemistry of the lead pair, comic timing, amazing music and beautiful direction – Imtiaz Ali is the guru of modern day romance. Romance / Comedy. - Kabhi Haa Kabhi Naa
Nice guys finish last. Shahrukh Khan is a loser in the coming of age cult romcom. SRK’s emotions are expressed through his eyes throughout the movie – no physical attachment to the women he loves. Unrequited love at its best – ahead of Saagar and Raanjhana. And simplicity of Anna (Suchitra), raw songs of Jatin-Lalit and the overall natural charm of Goa. Romance / Comedy. - Koshish
Gulzar’s masterpiece. Extraordinary tale of different abled. The journey of a couple with speech and hearing impairment. The simplicity of the movie is its biggest victory – even this married couple fight in unique way – proving that disability is just another aspect of life. Sanjeev Kumar and Jaya Bahaduri’s heart-touching performances. Drama. - Manorama Six Feet Under
A hidden gem. An under-rated movie. A thriller with layered story, powerful performances and brilliant climax. Abhay Deol impresses. Thriller / Drama. - Masaan
Poetry, pain and beauty against the multicoloured Varanasi. Neeraj brings heart and art into cinema and showcase four lives struck in Varanasi. Tu Kisi Rail Si Guzaarti Hai – Just Wow ! Masterpiece. Romance / Drama. - Masoom
A canvas with all the colors of human emotions at play – Love, hate, attraction, jealousy, repentance, self-realisation, forgiveness. The music and its lyrics are a high point of the movie. Trust Gulzar to give his special tough to script, lyrics and dialogues. Drama. - Mughal E Azam
K Asif’s Mughal-E-Azam is a landmark classic of Indian cinema. The epic timeless saga of romance broke all box office records. The music, dialogues and amazing cast of Madhubala, Prtihviraj and Dilip Kumar. Music / Drama / Historical. - Munnabhai MBBS
Rajkumar Hirani’s perfect entertainer of a good-hearted goon who enrols in a medical college to fulfil his father’s dream. An absolutely amazing movie with superb comedy and incredible timing. A simple and beautiful message of life. Sanjay Dutt shines in his comeback. Arshad Warsi and Boman Irani’s rocking performance. Jaadu K Jhappi. Comedy / Drama. - Pyaasa
The towering landmark of Indian cinema. Guru Dutt’s Pyaasa is the best advertisement for great filmmaking. A struggling poet meets a prostitute who falls in love with him. And his life changes. Guru Dutt bares his sensitive soul and highlights the eternal struggle between materialistic and spiritual aspirations. ‘Yeh Duniya Agar Mil Bhi Jaaye To Kyaa Hai?’ Drama. - Swades
A heart-warming movie with right dose of idealism and patriotism. Be the change. An NRI employed with NASA returns to his village. One of Shah Rukh’s best performance. Excellent script and amazing direction by Ashutosh Gowarikar. Drama. - The LunchBox
LunchBox is a ‘Food For Thought’ movie that will make you hungry after the movie! The Lunchbox is a moving story of two lonely individuals in a big metropolis, who accidentally get connected and developed a liking for each other. It is a simple love story made with lot of care and attention to detail. Very layered and textured. The outstanding performances of Irrfan, Nimrat and Nawazuddin light up the movie. Romance. - The Ship Of Theseus
A thought provoking and soul-stirring movie based on Theseus Paradox. Three stories of a photographer, an ailing monk and a young stockbroker with a common theme. A visual treat with great direction and awesome screenplay. Cinema par excellence. - Zakhm
Mahesh Bhatt’s own story. An emotional roller coaster set in the backdrop of communal tensions. A unique love story that challenges as well as touches you. One of the finest acting performances of both Ajay Devgan and Kunal Khemu – who are the soul of the movie. Pooja Bhatt’s splendid acts as well. ‘Maa aur Mulk badle nahin jaate’. Drama.
Lot of movies from Vishwal Bharadwaj, Anurag Kashyap, Hrishikesh Mukherjee, Rajkumar Hirani will also feature in personal favourites. And many many more gems….
Part 4: The Long List
Indian Cinema releases more than 1000 movies a year. In more than 100 years, tens of thousands of movies have been produced and presented – telling the story of the times. Here is a long list of some movies I liked and recommend. Hope this helps all my friends who have been asking for recommendations for surviving Covid lockdown. More focus on recent movies.
Bollywood lives in the heart of Indians and they own it. So everyone has their own list – let us exchange notes and celebrate the magic of movies!
Ash Long List
A Death In A Goonj
Aandhi
Ab Tak Chappan
Abhimaan
Aligarh
Amar Prem
Andaz Apna Apna
Andhadhun
Article 15
Badhaai Ho
Bajranji Bhaijaan
Band Baaja Baarat
Barreily Ki Barfi
Bheja Fry
Bhoomika
Black Friday
Bobby
Chak De India
Chandni Bar
Chennai Express
CityLights
Company
Dabanng
Dangal
Dil Chahta Hai
Deewar
Dev D
Devdas
Do Aankhen Barah Haath
Do Bigha Zameen
Dum Laga Ke Haisha
Ek Doctor Ki Maut
Ek Duje Ke Liye
Ek Haseena Thi
Ek Ruka Hua Faisla
English Vinglish
Firaaq
Gangs of Wasseypur
Golmaal
Gulaal
Gully Boy
Haider
Highway
Hindi Medium
Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam
Hum Tum
Ishq Vishq
Ishqiya
Jaane Bhi Do Yaaron
Jagga Jasoos
Jodhaa Akbar
Kachche Dhaage
Kahaani
Khamoshi
Kuch Kuch Hota Hai
Lagaan
Lootera
Maachis
Manmarziyaan
Manto
Maqbool
Mother India
Mukti Bhawan
Mulk
Munnabhai MBBS
Newton
No One Killed Jessica
No Smoking
October
Omkaara
Paan Singh Tomar
Page 3
Pakeezah
Piku
PK
Premrog
Pyaar Ka Punchnaama
Queen
Raanjhaana
Raazi
Rang De Basanti
Rockstar
Saaheb Bibi Aur Ghulam
Saaransh
Saathiya
Satya
Shahid
Shubh Mangal Savdhaan
Silsila
Singham
Taare Zameen par
Tamasha
Tanu Weds Manu
The LunchBox
Trapped
Tumbadd
Udaan
Udta Punjab
Uski Roti
Vicky Donor
Viraasat
Wake Up Sid
Waqt
Wednesday
Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani
Zindagi Milegi Na Dobaraa