Top 10 Bollywood movies with social issues: From Darling to Thappad

December 10, 2023 Bollywood

The influence of movies is undeniable. Movies have a huge impact on how society is viewed and, when used judiciously, can act as a powerful catalyst for positive change. Many filmmakers and actors actively accept the responsibility of not only captivating audiences with their work, but also conveying important messages and raising awareness about pressing issues both nationally and globally. Masu.

In the following compilations, you’ll find films based on social issues, encouraging positive change and highlighting specific social challenges.

10 Bollywood movies about social issues you should watch to inspire positive change:

1. Darlings (2022)

Execution time: 2 hours 14 minutes
IMDb rating: 6.6/10
Movie genre: Comedy/Drama/Thriller
Movie star cast: Alia Bhatt, Vijay Varma, Shefali Shah, Roshan Mathew
director: Jasmeet K. Lean
Writer: Jasmeet K Leen, Parveez Sheikh, Vijay Maurya
Release year: 2022
Where to watch / OTT platforms: Netflix

Darlings tells the story of Badr, whose marriage takes an ugly turn when her husband becomes an alcoholic and becomes an abusive spouse, leading Badr and her mother to hatch a plan for revenge. The film examines the devastating issue of domestic violence through a darkly comedic lens, cleverly highlighting the importance of women being empowered to face such adversity.

2. Badhaai Do (2022)

Execution time: 2 hours 27 minutes
IMDb rating: 7/10
Movie genre: comedy/drama
Movie star cast: Rajkummar Rao, Bhumi Pednekar, Sheeba Chaddha, Chum Daran, Gulshan Devaiya
director: Harshavardhan Kulkarni
Writer: Harshavardhan Kulkarni, Suman Adhikari, Akshat Girdial
Release year: 2022
Where to watch / OTT platforms: Netflix

Badhaai Do explores the unconventional story of a gay man and a lesbian woman who enter into a marriage of convenience to appease their respective families. The film boldly breaks stereotypes around the theme of homosexuality and serves as a means to raise awareness about the LGBTQ+ community.

3. Chandigarh Kale Ashiqui (2021)

Execution time: 1 hour 56 minutes
IMDb rating: 6.8/10
Movie genre: Romance/Comedy/Drama
Movie star cast: Ayushmann Khurrana, Vaani Kapoor
director: abhishek kapoor
Writer: Abhishek Kapoor, Supratik Sen, Tushar Paranjpe
Release year: 2021
Where to watch / OTT platforms: Netflix

In Chandigarh Kare Aashiqui, the vibrant romance between bodybuilder Manu and Zumba instructor Maanvi takes Manu to discover Maanvi’s deep personal journey and confront his own ingrained prejudices. When prompted, it goes in an unexpected direction. This light-hearted film about social issues focuses on transgender representation, exploring their struggles and highlighting the transformative power of changing the way you think.

4. Sappad (2020)

Execution time: 2 hours 22 minutes
IMDb rating: 7/10
Movie genre: Drama
Movie star cast: Taapsee Pannu, Pavail Gulati, Dia Mirza
director: Anubhav Sinha
Writer: Anubhav Sinha, Muranmayi Raghu Waikul
Release year: 2020
Where to watch / OTT platforms: Amazon Prime Video

Thappad tells the story of a young woman who was happily married until her husband’s slap in the face at a critical moment at an office party changes her life forever and she decides to divorce. Regarded as one of the best social-issue films, it offers powerful lessons about the importance of female self-worth and agency.

5. Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan (2020)

Execution time: 2 hours
IMDb rating: 5.8/10
Movie genre: comedy/romance
Movie star cast: Ayushmann Khurrana, Jitendra Kumar, Neena Gupta, Gajraj Rao
director: Hitesh Kewaliya
Writer: Hitesh Kewaliya
Release year: 2020
Where to watch / OTT platforms: Amazon Prime Video

Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan tackles the issue of homophobia prevalent in the country in a funny yet sensitive way. The story is about the harrowing journey of two gay protagonists, Kartik and Aman, who struggle with family rejection and ridicule.

6. Article 15 (2019)

Execution time: 2 hours 10 minutes
IMDb rating: 8.1/10
Movie genre: crime drama
Movie star cast: Ayushmann Khurrana, Nassar, Manoj Pafa, Kumud Mishra, Isha Talwar, Sayani Gupta
director: Anubhav Sinha
Writer: Anubhav Sinha, Gaurav Solanki
Release year: 2019
Where to watch / OTT platforms: Netflix

Article 15 stars Ayushmann Khurrana as a detective and makes it to the list of powerful films that deal with social issues. He investigates the disturbing disappearance of three girls in a small village and gradually discovers a dark history of caste-based discrimination, which underlines the film’s powerful and thought-provoking story.

7. Padman (2018)

Screening time: 2 hours 20 minutes
IMDb rating: 7.9/10
Movie genre: Comedy/Drama
Movie star cast: Akshay Kumar, Radhika Apte, Sonam Kapoor
Director: R. Balki
Screenplay: R. Balki, Swanand Kirkire
Release year: 2018
Where to watch / OTT platform: Netflix

Acclaimed as a social film, Padman tells the compelling story of a man who is disappointed when he discovers that his wife uses unhygienic materials during her menstrual cycle. Driven to make a difference, he invented a machine that could produce sanitary napkins at low cost and used that innovation to raise his awareness about menstrual hygiene.

8. Toilet: Ek Prem Katha (2017)

Screening time: 2 hours 35 minutes
IMDb rating: 7.2/10
Movie genre: Comedy/Drama
Movie star cast: Akshay Kumar, Bhumi Pednekar, Anupam Kher.
Director: Shree Narayan Singh
Author: Siddharth Singh
Release year: 2017
Where to watch / OTT platform: Netflix

‘Toilet: Ek Prem Katha’ is another social film from Bollywood, which tells the story of a woman who decides to leave her newlywed husband because there is no toilet in the house. This film powerfully spreads awareness about the critical need for proper sanitation, especially in rural areas.

9. Pink (2016)

Running time: 2 hours 16 minutes
IMDb rating: 8.1/10
Movie genre: Crime/Drama/Thriller
Movie star cast: Amitabh Bachchan, Taapsee Pannu, Kirti Kulhari, Andrea Talyan, Vijay Varma, Angad Bedi
Director: Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury
Screenplay: Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury, Shoojit Sircar, Ritesh Shah
Release year: 2016
Where to watch / OTT platform: Amazon Prime Video

In the movie Pink, Minal and her friends bravely stand up against harassment by a politician’s nephew. The film conveys a powerful social message, challenging patriarchal thinking and emphasizing the unequivocal importance of consent with the resounding mantra, “No means no.”

10. Oh my god! (2012)

Screening time: 2 hours 5 minutes
IMDb rating: 8.1/10
Movie genre: Comedy/Drama/Fantasy
Movie star cast: Akshay Kumar, Paresh Rawal, Mithun Chakraborty
Director: Umesh Shukla
Screenplay: Umesh Shukla, Saumya Joshi, Bhavesh Mandaria
Release year: 2012
Where to watch / OTT platform: YouTube

In “OMG – Oh My God”, an atheist decides to sue God after his antique store is destroyed in an earthquake. He takes Lord Krishna’s aid in his legal battle against fraud and restores his faith. The film conveys a powerful social message by questioning blind faith and the exploitation of religion for personal gain.

Also read: 7 famous actresses of Bollywood: Alia Bhatt, Katrina Kaif, Priyanka Chopra

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