If you were to look up on what defines Bollywood, you’ll know that it is the world’s largest film industry and is situated in Mumbai. An industry that produces over 1000 movies a year, it is one of the most revered film industries in the world. But Bollywood Cinema is nothing short of an emotion. Versatility being one of its strongest suits, Bollywood cinema in more than one way, stands tall amongst its contemporaries. With endless libraries on OTT platforms, watching the best in Bollywood is a near-impossible task. And while everyone’s taste is different, a lot of these movies listed below can be found in every list of Best Bollywood movies. Once again, this is purely personal and are the 25 best Bollywood movies on Amazon Prime Video that I have purely enjoyed watching. Here’s the list:
Top 25 Bollywood movies on Amazon Prime Video
1. 3 Idiots
One of the most popular Bollywood movies of all-time, 3 Idiots is the epitome of hitting the sweet spot between commercial and critical success. Directed by Rajkumar Hirani, 3 Idiots is about nostalgia and self-discovery stitched in the most heartwarming way. Two men travel to Ladakh to find their friend who played a huge role in their lives in college but has since lost touch. On the way, they reminisce of all the crazy times they’ve had making it a really well-woven tale about friendships. 3 Idiots stars Aamir Khan, R Madhavan, Sharman Joshi and Kareena Kapoor.
2. Dil Chahta Hai
Another Aamir Khan entry, this time we travel almost two decades to the start of the century. Dil Chahta Hai was a pioneer in Bollywood road movies. Long lost friends on a trip to Goa, to rediscover their approach on life, Dil Chahta Hai is a breezy watch you can enjoy at all times.
3. Section 375
A pulsating courtroom drama that stars Akshaye Khanna and Richa Chada going head to head, Section 375 is about a rape case that keeps the viewers on the edge for the most part of the movie. With powerful sequences and dialogue deliveries, Section 375 was one of the most underrated movies of 2019 and you must watch it if you haven’t already.
4. Munnabhai M.B.B.S
While there was a compelling case for me to add the sequel Lage Raho Munnabhai instead of this, I decided to stick with this mainly because of the story around the film. This was Sanjay Dutt’s second life in Bollywood after being convicted in a case related to the 1993 Mumbai Bomb Blasts, this was Dutt’s revival story and boy did it hit the mark. Strong performances from Arshad Warsi and Boman Irani makes this a really good watch you can enjoy with the whole family.
5. Lipstick Under My Burkha
Parallel stories of four women fighting patriarchy in their own little way, Lipstick under my Burkha has the ability to show you what women go through in the purest form and aided with strong performances by Ratna Pathak Shah, Ahana Kumra, Konkana Sen Sharma and Plabitha Borthakur, this movie is definitely an important watch. The issues that the women face in the movie are very common even now and that’s why Lipstick under my Burkha is important, simply because it normalises these stigmas. Plus it’s also very entertaining.
6. Luck by Chance
A truly underrated gem in Bollywood, Luck by Chance directed by Zoya Akthar is about a struggling actor who wants to make it big in the industry. He crawls his way up the ladder and lands himself a big role in a movie which ultimately starts to affect his personal relationships. This movie doesn’t add to any glitter and shows everything as close to reality as possible and sometimes such films make for great viewing. Luck by Chance stars Farhan Akhtar and Konkana Sen Sharma.
7. Sholay
A quintessential Bollywood mainstay, you will find Sholay on almost every listicle just because of the legendary status it has achieved in India. Sholay, starring Amitabh Bachchan, Dharmendra, Amjad Khan, Hema Malini and Sanjeev Kapoor will always be India’s best answer to The Good, the Bad and the Ugly. A western classic that deals with a dacoit who torments a nearby village only for two men to stand up and take the fight to him. Sholay is filled with iconic dialogues and scenes that our parents will always love and it does hold a special place in Bollywood history.
8. Dum Laga ke Haisha
A movie that takes a huge step forward in quashing preconceived notions of beauty and basically tells the audience that beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder. Dum Laga Ke Haisha is a sweet love story between Prem, a school dropout who marries Sandhya, an overweight but educated woman and it is they who deal with the daily struggles of life and finds love that forms the crux of the story. It’s not preachy in any way but simply a love story that will warm your heart and make for a really entertaining watch. It stars Ayushmann Khurana and Bhumi Pednekar in lead roles.
9. Gully Boy
This is Zoya Akthar’s second movie I’m including in the list and it is definitely not going to be the last. Starring Ranveer Singh and Alia Bhatt in lead roles, Gully Boy tells us the story of Murad, a boy from Dharavi who aspires to be a rapper. His tough journey and how he channels it through his songs make Gully Boy a really fun watch. While Ranveer and Alia deliver, it is the supporting cast of Siddhant Chaturvedi, Vijay Verma and Amrutha Subash who steals the show.
10. Trapped
Rajkummar Rao stars in this extremely claustrophobic journey of Trapped where director Vikramaditya Motwane captures the feeling perfectly. Story of Shaurya who accidentally traps himself in his new apartment which has no water, food or any neighbours must find ways to survive. Rao gives one of the best performances of his life and makes this movie an exhilarating sometimes uneasy watch.
11. Maqbool
While Irrfan Khan showcased his range in many roles throughout his life, Maqbool stood tall where he played the titular character in this Vishal Bharadwaj classic. A story of a small-time henchman of an underworld don, who vows to climb up the ranks at the behest of his boss’ mistress who instigates him to kill the don and become the next leader. Maqbool is a powerful storytelling with some strong sequences thanks to its lead characters.
12. Raazi
Alia Bhatt stars in one of her best performances to date, as Sehmat, an undercover Indian spy who got married to a Pakistani family. While she is focused on her job, it gets more and more difficult as doubts start to arise and her cover is under threat. Raazi is directed beautifully by Meghana Gulzar which keeps the audience at the edge throughout the film.
13. Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara
Zoya Akhthar once again features in the list, this time for Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara. As the name suggests, this multi-starrer is all about living life to its fullest and to have no regrets as three friends discover this on their trip across Spain. Hrithik Roshan, Farhan Akhtar and Abhay Deol play their roles to their best while Katrina Kaif and Kalki Koechlin support the lead cast really well. It’s a breezy watch that will make you smile from time to time and is definitely a perfect movie to see on a lazy Sunday afternoon.
14. Thappad
Thappad is undoubtedly the best Hindi movie of 2020 so far. Starring Tapsee Pannu in the lead, Thappad is like a mirror to the society and its patriarchal routines that cut across class. Some are clear as daylight while some are subtle, but each one is equally bad in its own right and Director Anubhav Sinha has struck a fine balance in realistic storytelling instead of divulging into preach territory. Tapsee Pannu’s performance is noteworthy as are Ratna Pathak Shah and Kumud Mishra as Tapsee’s parents.
15. Detective Byomkesh Bakshi
Byomkesh Bakshi has just graduated from college and he already has a case on his hands. He agrees to investigate the disappearance of Bhuvan, a chemist in Calcutta. Assisted by Bhuvan’s son Ajit, Bakshi ties up the case as it builds into a much larger conspiracy. The movie is a classic whodunnit noir, with strong performances by Sushant Singh Rajput and Anand Tiwari. The movie has a really explosive climax and the build up to it is just as good which is going to keep you hooked to your screens.
16. Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge
As far as iconic Bollywood films go, it doesn’t get bigger than Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge or DDLJ. Starring Shahrukh Khan and Kajol in this romantic story of Raj and Simran who meet on a Euro trip and fall madly in love only for the girl’s family to oppose while the boy tries his best to convince them. DDLJ isn’t a cinematic masterclass of any sorts, but it has definitely struck a chord with the Indian audience, so much that the movie — almost 26 years after its release — is still running in a theatre in Mumbai.
17. Newton
An extremely poignant film about a government servant who is sent to a politically volatile area in Central India to conduct elections. His journey there where he discovers both sides of the coin and tries to conduct free and fair elections despite many obstacles makes for a great viewing. Newton is shot brilliantly with impressive performances from Rajkummar Rao, Pankaj Tripathi and others as we are completely immersed in that land and definitely feel the tension.
18. Yeh Jawani hai Deewani
Starring Ranbir Kapoor and Deepika Padukone in lead roles, Yeh Jawani hai Deewani is as Bollywood as you can get. With a light first half filled with songs and jokes that slowly builds into an emotional second half with songs, YJHD is the perfect package that has great rewatchability factor. A movie that will definitely not feature in every best movie list, it is a movie I thoroughly enjoyed the first, second and the many times I’ve seen it since.
19. Kal Ho Na Ho
Shahrukh Khan in the 2000s was a force to reckon with. With blockbusters after blockbusters, it was as if Khan had the pulse of the nation in his hands. But out of all the classics, Kal Ho Na Ho definitely is my favourite where he plays a terminally ill patient who loves to live life to its fullest. His impact on the lives of people around him is what makes Kal Ho Na Ho a really heartwarming watch. Shahrukh Khan is at his charming best and with good music, Kal Ho Na Ho is your complete Bollywood starter kit.
20. Rock On
One of my favourite Bollywood films, Rock on was a revelation when it first came out. A movie that explored new territory, Rock on was Bollywood’s first rock movie. Farhan Akhtar, Arjun Rampal and Prachi Desai star in this beautiful movie about Magik, a rock band that broke up due to creative differences only for the members to reunite one last time years later. With great music and some powerful sequences, Rock on makes for a really good viewing on Amazon Prime Video.
21. Gangs of Wasseypur
A movie that has defined Hindi pop culture since its release, Gangs of Wasseypur is a two-part classic directed by Anurag Kashyap released eight years ago. Starring some of the most talented names from Bollywood, Gangs of Wasseypur has Manoj Bajpayee, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Richa Chadda, Tigmanshu Dhulia, Piyush Mishra and Jaideep Ahlawat in meaty roles. Set in rural North India, Gangs of Wasseypur is a heavy dose of raw drama and the desperate situation that these characters find themselves in is often comical and sometimes heartbreaking.
22. A Death in the Gunj
Directed by Konkona Sen Sharma, A Death in the Gunj is a coming of age story that centres around Shutu and his conflicted ideas of masculinity. He finds himself stuck in between the blurred lines of what is accepted in society and continues to navigate his way through his own space within the world. With an ensemble cast of Vikrant Massey, Kalki Koechiln, Om Puri, Gulshan Devaiah, Ranvir Shorey and Jim Sarbh, A Death in the Gunj is a great watch and is the definition of an indie Bollywood movie.
23. Lakshya
One of Hrithik Roshan’s best performances was way back in 2004 as Karan Shergill, a spoilt kid with no aim in life who decides to one day join the Armed Forces to prove a point. How the Army and the training shapes his life to a point where years later he is fighting for the country at the frontlines is what makes Lakshya a really inspiring watch. All the actors in the movie — Preity Zinta, Boman Irani and Ranvir Shorey — are all brilliant within their roles and director Farhan Akhtar does a great job with the story.
24. Chak De India
Chak De India is a 2007 Bollywood film that epitomises redemption and takes us on Kabir Khan’s brilliant journey from being a national villain to a hero. As far as sports movies go, Chak De India is up there with the best and has the right amount of emotion and rationale to make it a thoroughly enjoyable watch. The final few sequences where Kabir Khan stares at the tricolour is enough to ignite every patriotic vein in your body.
25. Kapoor and Sons
On the face of it, Kapoor and Sons is a sweet story of a family where two brothers come back home to be with their ailing grandfather. But this Shakun Batra movie is so much more than that. The movie deals with really sensitive issues almost effortlessly and it makes the list because of how it normalises it in Bollywood. There is no caricaturish portrayal of any stereotype and at the heart of it, is just a story about a family and how certain events bind them closer than ever.
Watch these 25 best Bollywood movies on Amazon Prime Video
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