8 must-watch Bollywood movies of all time: From Amitabh Bachchan’s ‘Shorai’ to Aamir Khan’s ‘Lagaan’

Since its inception, Bollywood has delivered some truly groundbreaking films over the years. These films vary in size, genre, and treatment, but are sure to captivate and entertain audiences. Here is a list of 8 must-see Bollywood movies of all time. The list includes Amitabh Bachchan’s Sholai and Aamir Khan’s Lagaan.

must-see bollywood movies

1. Sholai (1975)

• IMDb rating: 8.1/10
• Performer: Amitabh Bachchan, Dharmendra, Hema Malini, Amjad Khan, Sanjeev Kumar
• director: Ramesh Sippy
• Writer: Salim Javed
• Where to watch/OTT platforms: Amazon Prime Video

No conversation about Bollywood is complete without mentioning Sholay. This Amitabh Bachchan is the starter of Dharmendra and the grandfather of all masala films in the country. His success is also evident from the fact that this film is one of his most cited and discussed Hindi films of the past century. You don’t want to miss this classic.

2. Lagaan (2001)

• IMDb rating: 8.1/10
• Performer: Aamir Khan, Gracy Singh, Raghubir Yadav
• director: Ashutosh Gowariker
• Writer: Ashutosh Gowariker, Sanjay Dayma, Kumar Dave
• Where to watch/OTT platforms: Netflix

Lagaan is a modern classic in every sense of the word. Helmed by Aamir Khan, the film’s story beautifully combines cricket and the colonial era and is packed with heart-wrenching scenes. After its release, Lagaan was a huge critical and commercial success and was nominated for an Oscar in the Best Foreign Language category.

3. Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1995)

• IMDb rating: 8.0/10
• Performer: Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol, Amrish Puri
• director: Aditya Chopra
• Writer: Aditya Chopra
• Where to watch/OTT platforms: Amazon Prime Video

Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge has permeated our culture like no other film. Most of the dialogues, songs and train scenes featuring Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol have become iconic and a part of our daily lives. The film, also known as DDLJ, is the longest running Indian film since it is still shown at the Maratha Mandir in Mumbai.

4. Mughal Azam (1960)

• IMDb rating: 8.1/10
• Performer: Dilip Kumar, Madhubala
• director: K. Asif
• Writer: K. Asif
• Where to watch/OTT platforms: G5

“Mughal-e-Azam” is an epic film on a scale never before seen in Indian cinema. Directed by K. Asif, the film stars Prithviraj Kapoor, Dilip Kumar and Madhubala. This is the story of a prince who falls in love with a dancer. Although this film was years in the making, the final result still amazes us.

5. Dil Chahta Hai (2001)

• IMDb rating: 8.1/10
• Performer: Aamir Khan, Saif Ali Khan, Akshaye Khanna, Preity Zinta
• director: Farhan Akhtar
• Writer: Farhan Akhtar
• Where to watch/OTT platforms: Netflix

Interesting. This Farhan Akhtar directorial was released in the same year as Lagaan, but failed to do well at the box office. But its influence on us is on many levels. Packed with funny scenes, relatable characters and a heartwarming story, Dil Chahta Hai feels like a warm embrace. If you haven’t picked up your popcorn yet, enjoy this movie.

6. Parinda (1989)

• IMDb rating: 8.1/10
• Performer: Anil Kapoor, Madhuri Dixit, Jackie Shroff
• director: Vidhu Vinod Chopra
• Writer: Vidhu Vinod Chopra, Shiv Subramaniam
• Where to watch/OTT platforms: Amazon Prime Video

Parinda is said to have brought realism to Bollywood with her lighting, performances and overall atmosphere. Nana Patekar, who plays the villain Anna Seth, has to be the scariest villain on the big screen. It is no exaggeration to say that this film paved the way for directors like Ram Gopal Varma, who experimented with realism in this genre.

7. Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998)

• IMDb rating: 7.5/10
• Performer: Shah Rukh Khan, Rani Mukerji, Kajol
• director: karan johar
• Writer: karan johar
• Where to watch/OTT platforms: Netflix

After cutting his teeth with Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, Karan Johar directed his debut feature alongside Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol and Rani Mukerji. The film became one of the most iconic and successful films in Bollywood. From acting to music and everything else, KKHH has become a success story and a part of our popular culture.

8. 3 Idiot (2009)

• IMDb rating: 8.4/10
• Performer: Aamir Khan, Kareena Kapoor, R. Madhavan, Sharman Joshi
• director: Rajkumar Hirani
• Writer: Rajkumar Hirani, Abhijat Joshi
• Where to watch/OTT platforms: amazon prime

Rajkumar Hirani’s 3 Idiots is a loose adaptation of Chetan Bhagat’s 2004 novel Five Point Someone. Upon its release, the comedy-drama received critical acclaim from all over the world and remained the highest-grossing Indian film until 2013’s Chennai Express. This movie raises some serious issues in our society.