non-cliched films from the motherland
by basedindian | created - 02 Aug 2013 | updated - 19 Aug 2015 | PublicBecause, you know, there's more to Indian cinema than breaking out in song and dance every ten minutes.
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1. The Terrorist (1998)
Unrated | 95 min | Drama
A young female terrorist goes on a suicide assassination mission, but her resolve to complete it is put to the test.
Director: Santosh Sivan | Stars: Ayesha Dharker, K. Krishna, Sonu Sisupal, Vishwas
Votes: 2,035 | Gross: $0.14M
2. Mr. and Mrs. Iyer (2002)
120 min | Drama
During a bus journey, a devout Hindu Brahmin woman protects a Muslim man when communal rioting breaks out.
Director: Aparna Sen | Stars: Rahul Bose, Konkona Sen Sharma, Bhisham Sahni, Surekha Sikri
Votes: 4,933
3. Maryan (2013)
Not Rated | 150 min | Action, Drama, Romance
A contract worker in Sudan is abducted by mercenaries and his lover in India awaits his return.
Director: Bharat Bala | Stars: Dhanush, Parvathy Thiruvothu, Salim Kumar, Appukutty
Votes: 3,670
4. Kannathil Muthamittal (2002)
Not Rated | 136 min | Action, Drama, War
A little girl is told by her parents that she is adopted. Determined to find her real mother, she begs to be taken to Sri Lanka, where her mother works with a militant group of activists.
Director: Mani Ratnam | Stars: Keerthana Parthiepan, Simran, Madhavan, Nandita Das
Votes: 9,196
5. Earth (1998)
Not Rated | 110 min | Drama, Romance, War
It's 1947 and the borderlines between India and Pakistan are being drawn. A young girl witnesses tragedy as her ayah (nanny) is caught between the love of two men and the rising tide of political and religious violence.
Director: Deepa Mehta | Stars: Aamir Khan, Nandita Das, Rahul Khanna, Maia Sethna
Votes: 8,103 | Gross: $0.53M
6. Water (I) (2005)
PG-13 | 117 min | Drama
Set in colonial India against Gandhi's rise to power, it's the story of 8-year-old Chuyia, who is widowed and sent to a home to live in penitence; once there, Chuyia's feisty presence deeply affects the lives of the other residents.
Director: Deepa Mehta | Stars: Lisa Ray, John Abraham, Seema Biswas, Sarala Kariyawasam
Votes: 15,339 | Gross: $3.22M
7. Fire (1996)
Unrated | 104 min | Crime, Drama, Romance
Two mentally unstable women who are abandoned by their husbands find love and solace in each other.
Director: Deepa Mehta | Stars: Shabana Azmi, Nandita Das, Karishma Jhalani, Ramanjeet Kaur
Votes: 6,353 | Gross: $0.40M
8. Midnight's Children (2012)
Not Rated | 146 min | Drama
A pair of children born within moments of India gaining independence from Britain grow up in the country that is nothing like their parents' generation.
Director: Deepa Mehta | Stars: Rajat Kapoor, Vansh Bhardwaj, Anupam Kher, Neha Mahajan
Votes: 3,389 | Gross: $0.14M
9. Udaan (2010)
Not Rated | 134 min | Drama
Expelled from his school, a 16-year old boy returns home to his abusive and oppressive father.
Director: Vikramaditya Motwane | Stars: Rajat Barmecha, Ronit Roy, Manjot Singh, Ram Kapoor
Votes: 47,305 | Gross: $0.01M
10. My Brother... Nikhil (2005)
120 min | Drama, Sport
Famous swimmer Nikhil Kapoor (Suri) deals with the repercussions of announcing the fact that he has HIV/AIDS.
Director: Onir | Stars: Sanjay Suri, Juhi Chawla, Purab Kohli, Victor Banerjee
Votes: 1,327
11. I Am (II) (2010)
95 min | Drama
Four traumatic and life-changing stories in various parts of modern secular India.
Director: Onir | Stars: Juhi Chawla, Rahul Bose, Radhika Apte, Nandita Das
Votes: 1,052
12. Like Stars on Earth (2007)
PG | 162 min | Drama, Family
An eight-year-old boy is thought to be a lazy trouble-maker, until the new art teacher has the patience and compassion to discover the real problem behind his struggles in school.
Directors: Aamir Khan, Amole Gupte | Stars: Darsheel Safary, Aamir Khan, Tisca Chopra, Vipin Sharma
Votes: 205,997 | Gross: $1.22M
13. Guzaarish (2010)
126 min | Drama, Romance
Ethan, a magician rendered paralyzed in an accident, sets off a furor when he makes a petition to the court to end his own life.
Director: Sanjay Leela Bhansali | Stars: Hrithik Roshan, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Shernaz Patel, Aditya Roy Kapoor
Votes: 19,688 | Gross: $1.02M
14. Anbe Sivam (2003)
Not Rated | 160 min | Adventure, Comedy, Drama
Two men, one young and arrogant, the other damaged - physically but not spiritually - by life, are thrown together by circumstances, and find that they are in some ways bound together by fate.
Director: Sundar C. | Stars: Kamal Haasan, Madhavan, Kiran Rathod, Nassar
Votes: 25,198
15. Unnaipol Oruvan (2009)
Not Rated | 102 min | Action, Crime, Drama
A retiring police officer remembers a thrilling case of his life which is not recorded in any case files.
Director: Chakri Toleti | Stars: Kamal Haasan, Venkatesh Daggubati, Mohanlal, Lakshmi
Votes: 6,133
16. Raam (2005)
Not Rated | 154 min | Action, Crime, Drama
Raam is falsely charged for killing his mother, and his neighbors are also called for interrogation. The combined efforts of Raam, his friends and the police lead to tracking down the real killer.
Director: Ameer Sultan | Stars: Jiiva, Saranya Ponvannan, Gajala, Rahman
Votes: 1,434
17. Anjali (1990)
Not Rated | 150 min | Drama
After a few years, Chitra learns that her child, who was believed to be dead, is alive but is suffering from a mental illness. However, her family faces many challenges while looking after her child.
Director: Mani Ratnam | Stars: Shamili, Revathi, Raghuvaran, Tarun
Votes: 3,172
18. Kabul Express (2006)
Not Rated | 105 min | Adventure, Comedy, Drama
A thrilling story spanning 48 hours of five individuals linked by hate and fear but brought together by fate to finally recognize each other.
Director: Kabir Khan | Stars: John Abraham, Arshad Warsi, Salman Shahid, Hanif Hum Ghum
Votes: 3,690 | Gross: $0.30M
19. No One Killed Jessica (2011)
136 min | Biography, Crime, Drama
A journalist, who is more of an activist teams up with the sister of a murdered model, as she gets interested in the case and wants to bring justice to her case.
Director: Raj Kumar Gupta | Stars: Rani Mukerji, Vidya Balan, Myra Karn, Neil Bhoopalam
Votes: 12,312 | Gross: $0.44M
20. Aayitha Ezhuthu (2004)
Not Rated | 160 min | Action, Drama, Thriller
Three men and their accidental meeting on Napier Bridge will change their lives forever.
Director: Mani Ratnam | Stars: Suriya, Madhavan, Siddharth, Meera Jasmine
Votes: 4,971
21. Nayakan (1987)
Not Rated | 145 min | Crime, Drama
A common man's struggles against a corrupt police force put him on the wrong side of the law. He becomes a don, who is loved and respected by many, but his growing power and influence exact a heavy toll.
Director: Mani Ratnam | Stars: Kamal Haasan, Saranya Ponvannan, Delhi Ganesh, Janakaraj
Votes: 22,915
22. Being Cyrus (2005)
90 min | Drama, Thriller
"Being Cyrus" is a dark, comedic venture by the debutante director Homi Adajania that spins around the Sethnas - a Parsi family.
Director: Homi Adajania | Stars: Naseeruddin Shah, Dimple Kapadia, Saif Ali Khan, Boman Irani
Votes: 2,996
23. Kahaani (2012)
Not Rated | 122 min | Mystery, Thriller
A pregnant woman's search for her missing husband takes her from London to Kolkata, but everyone she questions denies having ever met him.
Director: Sujoy Ghosh | Stars: Vidya Balan, Parambrata Chattopadhyay, Indraneil Sengupta, Nawazuddin Siddiqui
Votes: 65,774 | Gross: $1.04M
24. 3 Idiots (2009)
PG-13 | 170 min | Comedy, Drama
Two friends are searching for their long lost companion. They revisit their college days and recall the memories of their friend who inspired them to think differently, even as the rest of the world called them "idiots".
Director: Rajkumar Hirani | Stars: Aamir Khan, Madhavan, Mona Singh, Sharman Joshi
Votes: 432,458 | Gross: $6.53M
25. Gangs of Wasseypur (2012)
Not Rated | 321 min | Action, Comedy, Crime
A clash between Sultan and Shahid Khan leads to the expulsion of Khan from Wasseypur, and ignites a deadly blood feud spanning three generations.
Director: Anurag Kashyap | Stars: Manoj Bajpayee, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Tigmanshu Dhulia, Richa Chadha
Votes: 103,424
26. Barfi! (2012)
Not Rated | 151 min | Comedy, Drama, Romance
Three young people learn that love can neither be defined nor contained by society's definition of normal and abnormal.
Director: Anurag Basu | Stars: Ranbir Kapoor, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Ileana D'Cruz, Saurabh Shukla
Votes: 86,581 | Gross: $2.80M
27. English Vinglish (2012)
Not Rated | 134 min | Comedy, Drama, Family
A quiet, sweet tempered housewife endures small slights from her well-educated husband and daughter every day because of her inability to speak and understand English.
Director: Gauri Shinde | Stars: Sridevi, Adil Hussain, Mehdi Nebbou, Priya Anand
Votes: 39,486 | Gross: $1.67M
28. Mumbai Meri Jaan (2008)
Not Rated | 134 min | Drama
A moving portrayal of the 2006 train bombings in Mumbai, this Indian drama follows the interconnected stories of several strangers.
Director: Nishikant Kamat | Stars: Paresh Rawal, Kay Kay Menon, Irrfan Khan, Madhavan
Votes: 6,590 | Gross: $0.01M
29. Black (2005)
Not Rated | 122 min | Drama
The cathartic tale of a young woman who can't see, hear, or speak, and the teacher who brings a ray of light into her dark world.
Director: Sanjay Leela Bhansali | Stars: Amitabh Bachchan, Rani Mukerji, Shernaz Patel, Ayesha Kapur
Votes: 36,119 | Gross: $0.73M
30. Bhaag Milkha Bhaag (2013)
Not Rated | 186 min | Biography, Drama, Sport
The truth behind the ascension of Milkha Singh, who was scarred by of the India-Pakistan partition.
Director: Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra | Stars: Farhan Akhtar, Kousi Orfahli, Deepak Singh Rawat, Japtej Singh
Votes: 72,178 | Gross: $1.63M
31. Vicky Donor (2012)
Not Rated | 126 min | Comedy, Romance
A man is brought in by an infertility doctor to supply him with his sperm, where he becomes the biggest sperm donor for his clinic.
Director: Shoojit Sircar | Stars: Ayushmann Khurrana, Yami Gautam, Annu Kapoor, Dolly Ahluwalia
Votes: 45,254 | Gross: $0.17M
32. Swades (2004)
Not Rated | 189 min | Drama, Musical
A successful Indian scientist returns to an Indian village to take his nanny to America with him and in the process rediscovers his roots.
Director: Ashutosh Gowariker | Stars: Shah Rukh Khan, Gayatri Joshi, Kishori Ballal, Smith Seth
Votes: 98,297 | Gross: $1.22M
33. Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara (2011)
Not Rated | 155 min | Comedy, Drama, Musical
Three friends decide to turn their fantasy vacation into reality after one of their friends gets engaged.
Director: Zoya Akhtar | Stars: Hrithik Roshan, Farhan Akhtar, Abhay Deol, Katrina Kaif
Votes: 85,546 | Gross: $3.11M
34. A Wednesday (2008)
Not Rated | 104 min | Action, Crime, Drama
A retiring police officer reminisces about the most astounding day of his career. About a case that was never filed but continues to haunt him in his memories - the case of a man and a Wednesday.
Director: Neeraj Pandey | Stars: Anupam Kher, Naseeruddin Shah, Veerendra Saxena, Mahesh Kanual
Votes: 82,161
35. Lagaan: Once Upon a Time in India (2001)
PG | 224 min | Drama, Musical, Sport
The people of a small village in Victorian India stake their future on a game of cricket against their ruthless British rulers.
Director: Ashutosh Gowariker | Stars: Aamir Khan, Raghubir Yadav, Gracy Singh, Rachel Shelley
Votes: 120,414 | Gross: $0.91M
36. Rang De Basanti (2006)
Not Rated | 167 min | Comedy, Crime, Drama
The story of six young Indians who assist an English woman to film a documentary on the freedom fighters from their past, and the events that lead them to relive the long-forgotten saga of freedom.
Director: Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra | Stars: Aamir Khan, Soha Ali Khan, Siddharth, Sharman Joshi
Votes: 122,199 | Gross: $2.20M
37. Munna Bhai M.B.B.S. (2003)
Not Rated | 156 min | Comedy, Drama
A gangster sets out to fulfill his father's dream of becoming a doctor.
Director: Rajkumar Hirani | Stars: Sanjay Dutt, Arshad Warsi, Gracy Singh, Boman Irani
Votes: 88,102
38. Paan Singh Tomar (2012)
Not Rated | 135 min | Action, Biography, Crime
The story of Paan Singh Tomar, an Indian athlete and seven-time national steeplechase champion who becomes one of the most feared dacoits in Chambal Valley after his retirement.
Director: Tigmanshu Dhulia | Stars: Irrfan Khan, Mahie Gill, Rajesh Abhay, Hemendra Dandotiya
Votes: 37,809 | Gross: $0.04M
39. Rockstar (2011)
Not Rated | 159 min | Drama, Music, Romance
Janardhan Jakhar chases his dreams of becoming a big Rock star, during which he falls in love with Heer.
Director: Imtiaz Ali | Stars: Ranbir Kapoor, Nargis Fakhri, Shammi Kapoor, Kumud Mishra
Votes: 48,606 | Gross: $0.99M
40. Wake Up Sid (2009)
Not Rated | 138 min | Comedy, Drama, Romance
The story of a lazy Mumbai college student who does absolutely nothing, with a turn of events will Sid realize his potential in this world and become a success in the fast-paced life of Mumbai.
Director: Ayan Mukerji | Stars: Ranbir Kapoor, Konkona Sen Sharma, Supriya Pathak, Anupam Kher
Votes: 33,814 | Gross: $0.72M
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