The unexpected global success of RRR opened up a whole new world of cinema to western film audiences. The larger-than-life characters, the outlandish action, and the hot mix of melodrama was an exciting combination never seen before. Of course, the success of this movie showcased but one aspect of the Indian cinema aesthetic. Indian cinema has a long history that goes back all the way to the silent film era. Its foremost pioneers drew inspiration from their own rich culture of classical Indian theater.
These earliest steps set in motion the development of regional film industries that were fully grounded in both regional norms and authentic storytelling conventions. Indian cinema has developed its own versions of the major film genres, with fully coherent narrative elements that connect with any audience. Making your way through the different localized dimensions of Indian cinema is a wonderful treat that will open your eyes to a whole new world of cinema that you never knew existed. So, here are 10 movies to get you started on Indian cinema.
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10 The Apu Trilogy
Epic Films
The Apu Trilogy is considered among the best films ever made. It was directed by Satyajit Ray, one of the most influential filmmakers of all time, and was a landmark moment in the history of Indian cinema. The Apu Trilogy tells the story of one boy’s life, with the first film, Pather Panchali, exploring the boy’s childhood. The remaining two films, Aparajito and Apur Sansar, follow the boy’s life after the death of his parents, his life at college, and his discovery of love. Ray was known for his unparalleled mastery over the cinematic art form, with which he was able to capture the very essence of everyday life. Nowhere else is this more apparent than in The Apu Trilogy.
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
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9 Lagaan
Aamir Khan Productions
The 2001 film Lagaan was a monumental achievement in Indian cinema, a three-hour film that explored British colonial rule of India through a period sports drama. Despite its narrow focus, it’s crafted on an epic scale, building highly intricate characterizations of every single village character and a soundtrack by the legendary A.R. Rehman that brings the setting to life. Led by Amir Khan as the protagonist, Lagaan features the best take on the signature Bollywood melodrama — one that successfully brings the grand spectacle of a staged musical to the stage, as well as the authentic Indian setting to boot.
8 Hera Pheri
A. G. Films
Although it was a remake of a 1989 Malayalam film, Hera Pheri started a whole new genre of comedy after it introduced the brilliant story to Hindi-speaking audiences. Hera Pheri is a quintessential heist comedy film, where a good-for-nothing trio stumbles upon an opportunity to steal a lot of money by intruding upon the business dealings of a dangerous group. The end-result, however, is a lot of confusing buffoonery that entertains with its brilliant chaos. The movie stars Akshay Kumar, Suniel Shetty, and Paresh Rawal as the leading trio, and it is the inimitable character dynamics between these three actors that make this movie so memorable.
7 Devdas
Mega Bollywood
Devdas marks the absolute peak of the unique Bollywood aesthetic of the early-2000s. Bollywood films in that era preferred grand, beautiful settings, and Devdas is simply the best of these sensibilities. It is based on an eponymous novel from 1917 by Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay, sharing a tragic love story in Indian aristocratic society. With a stalwart cast composed of Shah Rukh Khan, Aishwarya Rai, and Madhuri Dixit in the leading roles, Devdas is like poetry in motion. Every single line of dialogue in the movie has a theatrical tinge, and every scene is designed to create a striking visual impression.
6 Brindavanam
Sri Venkateswara Creations
The regional South Indian film industries are known to be highly prolific, with countless films following similar plot patterns that are enjoyed equally year in and year out. But the adherence to the fundamentals of storytelling conventions, borne out of a cultural reverence to all art forms, allows these movies to hit the mark more often than not. And one film genre that is never to be missed in South Indian cinema is the plethora of action comedies.
The 2010 film Brindavanam, led by NTR Jr. of RRR fame, follows in a typically South Indian story trope — a mysterious young man drops into an obscure village. The village is marked by generational enmity between two rural aristocratic families, and this young man has a secret intention of bringing peace to the village. This is typically achieved through a lot of double-dealing and faked identities played out for comedic effect and a great deal of gratuitous action sequences. Brindavanam executes this trope better than most, and it’s a fully entertaining watch that will keep you hooked throughout.
5 Gangs of Wasseypur
Anurag Kashyap Films
Action films are the bread and butter of commercial Bollywood productions. Along the way, Bollywood filmmakers such as Anurag Kashyap mastered a gritty, grounded take on the action genre that is uniquely suited to reflect the Indian cultural climate. In a manner of speaking, one can consider Gangs of Wasseypur to be the equivalent of Reservoir Dogs. You get the same everyday settings, earful of banter spewed in the colloquial tongue, and a cast of actors who are best known for playing life-like characters. Gangs of Wasseypur is a single movie split in two halves, and tells a tale of revenge over three different generations.
4 Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara
Excel Entertainment
Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara is a Bollywood take on the Eat Pray Love formula, where the protagonist is a trio of bachelors, each with their own issues. It takes place over the course of a two-week road trip to Spain, where each of the three childhood friends come face to face with their deepest fears and experience a personal transformation. This is an amazingly feel-good movie, set against magnificent landscapes and held up by the best soundtracks. A number of poetic sequences at key points in the film add a measure of artistry that is generally missing in Hollywood.
3 Bajirao Mastani
Bhansali Productions
The Devdas era of extravagant aesthetics has morphed into a completely different form in present-day Indian cinema, in the hands of some of the same filmmakers. Bajirao Mastani is a great example of an ongoing trend of historical epics that has swept up Indian cinema. It is directed by renowned filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali, the same filmmaker behind Devdas. The movie features the most sought-after talents of the day like Ranveer Singh, Deepika Padukone, and Priyanka Chopra, and narrates a riveting tale of romance from the life of Bajira I, a Marathi minister from the 18th Century.
2 Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham
Yash Raj Films
Karan Johar is another influential filmmaker in the modern Indian cinemascape. While he’s mostly known as a producer today, he started out as a surprisingly gifted screenwriter and director. His early films were defined by their family themes, a sense of wholesomeness, and a mass appeal that holds up to viewings to this day. Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham is considered a modern classic, a highly dramatic telling of a years-long conflict between father and son in a previously ideal family. The performances of Bollywood icons such as Amitabh Bachchan and Shah Rukh Khan is a memorable part of the movie, and the opening monologue is one for the times.
1 Baahubali
Arka Media Works
While RRR was the one to make it as a global phenomenon, it is worth recognizing the steps that led to the movie’s success. Created by the same mind behind RRR, S.S. Rajamouli, Baahubali is a two-part epic set in an alternate past, where two idealistic princes of a fictional kingdom contest for the throne in a righteous series of tests until one is betrayed by the other. The Baahubali movies single-handedly started the Pan-India wave, broke multiple box office records in India, and paved the way for RRR’s global recognition. So, if you loved RRR, you must watch Baahubali at all costs.
