Best Bollywood movies of the 20th century
Chosen from a variety of genres.
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23 titles
- DirectorGuru DuttStarsGuru DuttWaheeda RehmanMala SinhaVijay, a talented but indigent poet, struggles for love and recognition in this selfish world.Great direction, great performances, great story from the time Indian cinema was expounding on realism.
- DirectorK. AsifStarsPrithviraj KapoorMadhubalaDilip KumarA 16th century prince falls in love with a court dancer and battles with his emperor father.A legend. Romanticism at its best.
- DirectorVijay AnandStarsDev AnandWaheeda RehmanLeela ChitnisWhen mistaken to be a sage by some villagers, an ex-tour guide reflects on his past and lost love to search for spiritual wisdom to guide the villagers.Great performances from the lead actors, lovely music, a truly Indian story in spirit.
- DirectorHrishikesh MukherjeeStarsAmol PalekarBindiya GoswamiDeven VermaA man's simple lie to secure his job escalates into more complex lies when his orthodox boss gets suspicious.Hilarious! Indian comedy at its best.
- DirectorHrishikesh MukherjeeStarsRajesh KhannaAmitabh BachchanSumita SanyalThe story of a terminally ill man who wishes to live life to the fullest before the inevitable occurs, as told by his best friend.New concept, great performances, great direction, moving drama.
- DirectorAmiya ChakrabartyStarsNutanBalraj SahniSunderAn orphan gets in trouble with the law and is sent to a home for young women. There, for the first time, she finds friendship, compassion, and possibly love.
- DirectorShekhar KapurStarsNaseeruddin ShahShabana AzmiJugal HansrajA happy family goes through turbulent times because of a big mistake by one of the family members.
- DirectorMahesh BhattStarsShabana AzmiKulbhushan KharbandaSmita PatilA film-maker who is having an extra-marital affair with an actress decides to leave his wife. Arth is the story of this women's search for her identity.Groundbreaking concept - ahead of its time, great performances, talented direction, wonderful music.
- DirectorRajkumar SantoshiStarsMeenakshi SheshadriRishi KapoorSunny DeolAfter witnessing a rape in her own household, Damini fights for justice for the deceased victim. However, she faces a bunch of challenges until she meets a disgraced lawyer who decides to fight the case and bring the culprits to justice.
- DirectorAsit SenStarsRajesh KhannaWaheeda RehmanNasir HussainTale of a female nurse trying to maintain a balance between her professional life and her emotions who falls victim to the natural feeling of love and compassion when a person takes care of another person.Great performances, great music, good direction, great story - food for thought.
- DirectorSooraj R. BarjatyaStarsMadhuri DixitSalman KhanMohnish BehlPrem and Nisha meet and fall in love at the wedding of their elder siblings, but their plans to be together are put in jeopardy when Nisha's sister dies, leaving behind a baby.A modern legend. Romance and family drama.
- DirectorShakti SamantaStarsRajesh KhannaSharmila TagoreSujit KumarA village woman abandoned by her husband is forced into prostitution in Kolkata and forms nameless yet strong relations with a wealthy patron as well as an abused boy in the neighbourhood.Great performances, great music, sweet Indian-spirited story.
- DirectorHrishikesh MukherjeeStarsAmitabh BachchanJaya BachchanGovardhan AsraniA popular singer convinces his new wife to enter show-business, but his pride is wounded when she outshines him.Novel concept, great performances, great direction.
- DirectorMehboob KhanStarsNargisSunil DuttRajendra Kumar TuliIn this melodrama, a poverty-stricken woman raises her sons through many trials and tribulations. But no matter the struggles, she always sticks to her own moral code.A touching chronicle of new India after the Raj. Pays homage to feminine strength and those traditional Indian values.
- DirectorYash ChopraStarsSunil DuttSadhana ShivdasaniRaaj KumarMembers of a family are separated in a natural disaster. Several years down the line, they aren't united but their lives are strangely interconnected.A performance powerhouse with the wildly popular actors of the time. Brothers lost and found drama that became a trendy formula for Indian cinema for some time.
- DirectorHrishikesh MukherjeeStarsRajesh KhannaJaya BachchanUsha KiranA dysfunctional middle-class family is transformed due to the influence of their new multi-talented household servant - but he might be too good to be true.Another gem from Hrishikesh Mukherji. Simple, powerful story.
- DirectorRaj KhoslaStarsSadhana ShivdasaniManoj KumarParveen ChoudharyOne stormy night, a doctor offers a ride to a ghostly woman he meets on the side of the road. Later, he discovers his intended bride is identical in appearance to the ghost. Who was she and why does she haunt him?Sadhana's launch as mystery woman in Indian cinema. Beautiful music.
- DirectorRamesh SippyStarsSanjeev KumarDharmendraAmitabh BachchanAfter his family is murdered by a notorious and ruthless bandit, a former police officer enlists the services of two outlaws to capture the bandit.Indian western. Powerhouse of talented actors.
- DirectorKaran JoharStarsShah Rukh KhanKajolRani MukerjiDuring their college years, Anjali was in love with her best-friend Rahul, but he had eyes only for Tina. Years later, Rahul and the now-deceased Tina's eight-year-old daughter attempts to reunite her father and Anjali.1990s is synonymous with college drama in Indian cinema. This was one the best.
- DirectorVidhu Vinod ChopraStarsShabana AzmiAmol PalekarNaseeruddin ShahWhen a starlet is murdered on a film location, a detective arrives to investigate the cast and crew.One of the best suspense movies ever made. The actors carry their real names in the movie.
- DirectorHrishikesh MukherjeeStarsFarooq ShaikhDeepti NavalUtpal DuttKailashnath is a widower, and father of an only son, Ramesh. He feels that his son has come of age, and must get married. He goes to see a number of young ladies for him, but is disappointed with them, as he feels they are too modern, speak English, and listen to foreign music. He feels that Ramesh will be better off marrying a non-English speaking lady, preferably from a small village. But the predicament of Ramesh is that he is already in love with Ramola, a very well qualified, English speaking Doctor, and he knows fully well that she will not be approved by his dad. So Ramesh, Ramola and Lalaji concoct a plot, making Ramola masquerade as a naive, non-English speaking village belle, with hilarious and unpredictable results.One of those better comedy movies from the 70s and 80s. Utpal Dutt charms.
- DirectorYash ChopraStarsRajesh KhannaNanda KarnatakiSujit KumarTaking place almost entirely over the course of one stormy night, a woman is terrified when an accused murderer escapes from a mental hospital and seeks refuge in her home.What in the world is going on? I could not tell. Can you?
- DirectorJ. Om PrakashStarsRajesh KhannaMumtaz AskariSanjeev KumarRajesh Khanna plays Mumtaz's jealous husband who begins to doubt her fidelity when his best friend Sanjeev Kumar enters their lives. She is unable to convince Rajesh Khanna that she loves only him. He leaves her, not knowing that she is pregnant with his child. Depressed and confused, Rajesh Khanna becomes a homeless wanderer, while Mumtaz remarries to provide a secure home for her child. Many years later, the truth dawns on him as he turns up, a broken man, at his own daughter's wedding.