Check out these must watch Bollywood movies you must watch before you die. The list is not arranged in any particular order.
Bollywood films are a fantastic source of entertainment.
Hindi Movies provides a wide range of options for choosing movies based on your preferences, mood, and enjoyment! Bollywood has something for everyone: action, romance, and heartbreak.
Today, Bollywood has progressed far beyond masala films.
Today, there are so many movies in Bollywood that you can watch whenever you want and feel good. Today’s movies either teach a lesson or, more importantly, are realistic.
Recent films are based on true events or brilliant original scripts. They also emphasize heroine-centric roles, which will inspire you in various ways.
Don’t worry if you’re unsure about what to watch or where to begin—I’ve got you covered!
Here is a list of must watch Bollywood movies considered the best Bollywood films of all time. Enjoy!
Maachis
Gulzar’s critically acclaimed Bollywood film is one of the best Bollywood films of all time.
It astounds the audience with such dexterity as it presents the radicalization of youth and their conversion to extremism. This film is fantastic.
Newton
Rajkumar Rao plays a government employee assigned to a politically sensitive Naxalite area for election duty.
Despite numerous challenges, he works hard to ensure a fair voting process.
The film is both humorous and satirical, as well as extremely timely. The film received a nomination for an Academy Award at the 90th Academy Awards.
Satvan, Suraj Ghoda Manik, a storyteller, discusses three women he met at three different points in his life and how they helped him grow.
This 1992 Shyam Benegal film (based on Dharamvir Bharti’s novel of the same name) was too complex and nuanced for audiences to grasp when it was first released.
However, once one patiently works their way through the various beautiful layers of this film, one can see that it is a masterpiece.
Barfi
If you want to understand love in its purest, most innocent form, watch this film.
Anurag Basu’s masterful film stars Ranbir Kapoor, Priyanka Chopra, and Ileana D’Cruz in lead roles. Barfi! It tells the story of a deaf-mute boy and his relationship with two women.
It’s an entertaining, genuine, and one-of-a-kind love story that will make you cry and laugh while also teaching you to celebrate life no matter what.
Congratulations to Ranbir and Priyanka for their outstanding performance.
Barfi is a delicious sweet treat that should not be missed. If you haven’t seen it, add it to your Must Watch Bollywood Movies list now!
Taare Zameen Par
It’s a beautiful yet heartbreaking story about a teacher who recognizes his dyslexic student and offers assistance when everyone else refuses to understand him.
This moving film is one of the best made in India.
Salaam Bombay
This is a classic film. The film depicts the lives of children in Mumbai slums, and their trials and tribulations, in a heartfelt manner.
One of the most powerful films of the 1980s, it is also among the three Indian films that received an Oscar nomination.
Manthan
Thousands of dairy farmers collectively produced this wonderful film based on India’s White Revolution, marking the first instance of such collaboration for an Indian film.
Critics lauded the film for its themes of rural empowerment, alongside the exceptional performances it showcased.
Satya
Mumbai ka king Kaun? Bhiku Matre! On the surface, this film appears to be about a group of criminals and their reign of terror in Mumbai.
However, it also narrates the tale of those who suffer internal destruction due to the violence they impose on others.
Satya, Ram Gopal Varma’s best contribution to Indian cinema, is a seminal gangster film.
Black
A bond between a teacher and a student had never been so beautifully depicted!
In this film, Mr. Bachchan won the National Award for Best Actor for his performance as Debraj Sahani, the teacher of a girl with visual and hearing impairment.
It holds the distinction of being one of the most critically acclaimed Bollywood films.
Maqbool
Maqbool, one of the most popular Shakespeare adaptations in Indian cinema, retells Macbeth’s story through the ambitious rise to power and eventual downfall of a man named Maqbool.
In this case, Duncan is an underworld don, and Maqbool is his trusted (ahem) henchman.
Rudaali
Women are paid to publicly express their grief at funerals, and they are called Rudaalis.
The tradition originated in Rajasthan.
The film follows the life of Shanichari, a woman tormented by fate which, despite her tragic circumstances, is unable to cry. When she meets Bhikni, a Rudaali, her life is transformed.
1947: Earth
Based on Bapsi Sidhwa’s novel ‘Icecandy Man,’ this hauntingly brilliant film starred Aamir Khan in the titular role.
All the movie’s actors did an excellent job of bringing the novel’s characters to life.
No one had ever depicted characters from a partition novel with such skill.
Fire
Deepa Mehta directed this brilliant film about homosexual love in 1996, and it was released with little censorship.
In this film, after being overlooked by their husbands, sisters-in-law seek solace in each other’s company.
The film sparked outrage in India’s then-conservative (debatable) society, resulting in riots.
Dor
This 2006 film is a Must Watch Bollywood Movies for its stunning performances and unique perspective on the plight of widows in India.
The film celebrates the friendship of two women who are fated to meet.
It is heartfelt in its presentation and straightforward in its execution.
Pink
“No means No!” Following the release of this film, this clarion call spread like wildfire.
The film illuminates the significance of consent in a way that we have never seen before.
When the accused attempts to rig her case, a retired lawyer steps forward to assist a girl whom an influential man has molested.
Ek Doctor Ki Maut
This is one of the most underappreciated films (except in the critics’ circle).
The film has universal appeal. It discusses how the health ministry’s suppression overlooked the groundbreaking research of a doctor who discovered a vaccine for leprosy.
Aligarh
Aligarh University subjected Dr. Shrinivas Ramchandra Siras to the humiliation of a sting operation to determine his sexual orientation.
He later develops a friendship with the journalist who covers his story. This film is as moving as it is socially awakening.
Swades
Mohan, a NASA employee, returns to India searching for his former nanny, Kaveri Amma.
He finds himself in a remote village rich in culture but lacking modern conveniences.
Although he desires to return to America, he feels drawn back to his motherland to do something good for it.
This film has shed new light on topics such as brain drain, traditional versus modern life, customs, religion, and education.
Jaane Bhi Do Yaaron
This film, which is generally regarded as a comedy, is more relevant today than it was four decades ago.
In their mission to expose the corruption of the wealthy, two photographers inadvertently capture a murder in their lenses.
The excellently written plot and rollicking satire elevate this film above mere entertainment.
Mother India (1957)
Mother India was one of the most expensive Hindi films ever made at its release.
It is now regarded as one of the most revered films in Bollywood history.
This epic drama follows an impoverished woman who is forced to care for her two sons alone while also surviving threats from a shady moneylender after her husband abandons the family in disgrace.
Lunchbox (2013)
The Lunchbox is one of those beautifully touching films that tells a story you didn’t realize you needed until you saw it.
In the film, a woman named Ila attempts to rekindle her marriage by preparing a special lunch for her (not-so-great) husband.
However, the plan goes awry, and the lunch is served in front of an antisocial widower.
When her husband fails to mention his special meal, Ila includes a note in the next lunch she prepares (which also goes to said widower), and an unlikely friendship blossoms.
Lagaan (2001)
“Lagaan” translates to “Agricultural Tax,” but don’t be put off by that. It doesn’t hurt that the villagers end up playing cricket against British army officers to avoid paying it.
Only in Bollywood’s genius could a film about a town outraged by an unprecedented tax increase be this genuinely engrossing and earn an Oscar nomination.
‘Haider’ (2014)
There’s a lot to love and hate about this adaptation of Shakespeare’s Hamlet, which uses the tragedy of unanswered questions and suspicion left behind when family members mysteriously disappear in Kashmir as its canvas.
For years, mainstream films have attempted to document the decades-long Kashmir conflict. However, Haider provides the most honest portrayal of the people most affected to date.
Black Friday
The film Black Friday is based on Hussain Zaidi’s book Black Friday: The True Story of the Bombay Bomb Blasts.
It is a harrowing and realistic account of the investigation into India’s first recorded terrorist attack, the Bombay blasts, in 1993.
Around the time of its release, the film sparked a slew of controversies.
The film, directed by Anurag Kashyap, was initially banned and was only allowed to be released three years after its initial release date.
Matrubhoomi: A Nation Without Women
Matrubhoomi: A Nation Without Women is an example of an Indian film that did not receive the recognition it deserved.
The 2003 film, starring Tulip Joshi, Sushant Singh, Piyush Mishra, and Pankaj Jha, is based on the extreme aftermath of female foeticide and infanticide in India.
The film, set in a remote village in Haryana, documents the village’s atrocious state, in which the entire female population has died.
Rameshwaram (Sudhir Pandey), a wealthy villager, buys a ‘bride’ for his five sons to marry off his sons.
When she becomes a pawn of vengeance in a violent community conflict, it does not bode well for her.
Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara
The film, directed by Zoya Akhtar and starring Hrithik Roshan, Abhay Deol, and Farhan Akhtar in lead roles, takes you through life’s missed moments and the beauty of friendship.
The film has a lovely story that is both captivating and interesting. It also teaches you that life is unpredictable; go with the flow! Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara is unquestionably one of the best Must Watch Bollywood Movies ever made.
Dangal (2016)
Another work of art starring Aamir Khan! Dangal is based on the true story of Mahavir Singh Phogat, whose greatest ambition was to win a gold medal for India in wrestling.
But then, through his daughters, he realizes his dream.
The film is inspiring, and Aamir gives one of his best performances to date. Fathima Sana Shaikh and Sanya Malhotra also star. A fantastic Must Watch Bollywood Movies!
Bajirao Mastani
This film, directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali and starring Ranveer Singh, Deepika Padukone, and Priyanka Chopra, is unquestionably one of the best Bollywood has ever produced.
The film is a historical drama with fantastic music, cinematography, sets, and costumes. Bajirao Mastani is a stunning love story with a wartime backdrop that should not be missed. Take a chance!
Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge
This Bollywood blockbuster requires no introduction; it is undoubtedly one of the greatest love stories ever told. It makes you laugh, cry, and fall in love all at the same time.
Everything about this film stands out, beginning with the iconic pair of Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol.
DDLJ is the longest-running film in cinema history and will be remembered for a long time! If you’re looking for a classic Bollywood romance, this is the film for you!
English Vinglish
A lovely story about a middle-class Indian housewife! English Vinglish, directed by Gauri Shinde and marking Sridevi’s comeback, is a simple and priceless film.
It’s one of those lighthearted films that will leave you smiling by the end. Another Must Watch Bollywood Movies to watch with your family. It’s worth seeing!
Veer-Zaara
Possibly one of the best love stories ever produced by Bollywood. The love story of an Indian Air Force officer and the daughter of a Pakistani politician is told in Veer-Zaara.
The film stars Shah Rukh Khan, Preity Zinta, and Rani Mukerji in the lead roles.
A true classic of Indian cinema and a must-see! Amitabh Bachchan, Hema Malini, Manoj Bajpayee, and others play supporting roles in the film.
It’s exceptional quality, and you won’t find many movies like it.
Bollywood, an industry that produces over 1000 films per year, has evolved so much that no one can stop anyone from bringing such great movies.
All the films mentioned above are versatile, which is why they will be remembered as the best Bollywood films of all time.
It’s now up to you.
These movies can brighten your day and fill you with positive energy. Moreover, during this global pandemic, you can watch them keep your mind relaxed and, most importantly, pass the time.
Many thanks to the OTT platforms! Most of the films on this list are available on Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney Hotstar, and other services.
If you haven’t seen these films that will go down in history as the best Bollywood films ever, this list is for you.
Choose a movie from this list and enjoy it with your family.
Stay at home, be safe, and relax! Make sure to share this list with your friends, so they are aware of these fantastic films.
I am bollywood bunny, a digital marketing consultant with 5+ years of experience. Very passionate to write, reading and watch about bollywood movies. Fan of various Indian cinema celebrities. I would love to provide you latest bollywood updates and more.