Top 35 Indian Movies From the Last 35 Years

by Dibyayan_Chakravorty | created - 14 Aug 2018 | updated - 14 Aug 2018 | Public

<This poll is in celebration of the 72nd Independence Day of India on August 15, 2018>

These are the top 35 Indian movies by year from 1983 to 2017 according to all-time user ratings averages. Which one is the best? If you haven't seen any then which one would you like to discover first?

After voting, you may discuss the poll here.

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1. Vikram Vedha (2017)

Not Rated | 147 min | Action, Crime, Drama

Vikram, a no-nonsense police officer, accompanied by Simon, his partner, is on the hunt to capture Vedha, a smuggler and a murderer. Vedha tries to change Vikram's life, which leads to a conflict.

Directors: Gayatri, Pushkar, Gowtham Selvaraj | Stars: Madhavan, Vijay Sethupathi, Shraddha Srinath, Kathir

Votes: 50,479

2. Dangal (2016)

Not Rated | 161 min | Action, Biography, Drama

Former wrestler Mahavir Singh Phogat and his two wrestler daughters struggle towards glory at the Commonwealth Games in the face of societal oppression.

Director: Nitesh Tiwari | Stars: Aamir Khan, Sakshi Tanwar, Fatima Sana Shaikh, Sanya Malhotra

Votes: 210,523 | Gross: $12.39M

3. Thani Oruvan (2015)

Not Rated | 160 min | Action, Crime, Thriller

Siddharth Abimanyu, an influential scientist, is involved in various illegal medical practices. Mithran, an efficient IPS officer, decides to expose him.

Director: Mohan Raja | Stars: Jayam Ravi, Arvind Swamy, Nayanthara, Nassar

Votes: 21,598

4. Jigarthanda (2014)

Not Rated | 171 min | Action, Comedy, Crime

An aspiring director targets a ruthless gangster because he wants to make a violent gangster film. His discreet attempts to research the gangster fail miserably. Finally when he gets caught snooping, things hit the fan.

Director: Karthik Subbaraj | Stars: Siddharth, Bobby Simha, Lakshmi Menon, Nassar

Votes: 13,526

5. Drishyam (2013)

Not Rated | 160 min | Crime, Drama, Thriller

A man goes to extreme lengths to save his family from punishment after the family commits an accidental crime.

Director: Jeethu Joseph | Stars: Mohanlal, Meena, Asha Sharath, Ansiba

Votes: 44,035

6. Shahid (2012)

Not Rated | 129 min | Biography, Drama

The account of Human Rights lawyer Shahid Azmi, an ordinary citizen with an extraordinary commitment to justice.

Director: Hansal Mehta | Stars: Rajkummar Rao, Prabhleen Sandhu, Mohd. Zeeshan Ayyub, Baljinder Kaur

Votes: 17,741

7. 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: 85,803 | Gross: $3.11M

8. 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: 47,394 | Gross: $0.01M

9. 3 Idiots (2009)

PG-13 | 170 min | Comedy, Drama

67 Metascore

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: 434,141 | Gross: $6.53M

10. 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: 82,272

11. 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: 206,578 | Gross: $1.22M

12. Khosla Ka Ghosla! (2006)

Not Rated | 135 min | Comedy, Crime, Drama

A Delhi-based retired middle-class man tries half-heartedly to get his land back from a swindling property dealer with the help of his sons and their friends.

Directors: Dibakar Banerjee, Pravin E. Birje | Stars: Anupam Kher, Boman Irani, Parvin Dabas, Tara Sharma

Votes: 25,004 | Gross: $0.03M

13. 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: 36,177 | Gross: $0.73M

14. Black Friday (2004)

Not Rated | 143 min | Action, Crime, Drama

76 Metascore

A film about the investigations following the 1993 serial Bombay bomb blasts, told through the different stories of the people involved --police, conspirators, victims, middlemen.

Director: Anurag Kashyap | Stars: Kay Kay Menon, Pawan Malhotra, Aditya Srivastav, Dibyendu Bhattacharya

Votes: 21,988 | Gross: $0.03M

15. 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: 25,285

16. 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: 9,220

17. Lagaan: Once Upon a Time in India (2001)

PG | 224 min | Drama, Musical, Sport

84 Metascore

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: 120,650 | Gross: $0.91M

18. Hera Pheri (2000)

Not Rated | 156 min | Action, Comedy, Crime

Three unemployed men look for answers to all their money problems - but when their opportunity arrives, will they know what to do with it?

Director: Priyadarshan | Stars: Akshay Kumar, Suniel Shetty, Paresh Rawal, Tabu

Votes: 72,432

19. Sarfarosh (1999)

Not Rated | 174 min | Action, Crime, Drama

After his brother is killed and father severely injured by terrorists, a young med student quits his studies to join the Indian Police Service to wipe out the terrorists.

Director: John Mathew Matthan | Stars: Aamir Khan, Naseeruddin Shah, Sonali Bendre, Mukesh Rishi

Votes: 26,889

20. Satya (1998)

Not Rated | 170 min | Action, Crime, Drama

An innocent man is embroiled in underworld after being falsely charged and sets out to punish the perpetrators who subjected his life to misery.

Director: Ram Gopal Varma | Stars: J.D. Chakravarthi, Manoj Bajpayee, Urmila Matondkar, Paresh Rawal

Votes: 16,694

21. Border (I) (1997)

Not Rated | 176 min | Action, Drama, History

In 1971, along the border region of Longewala, a small battalion of Indian soldiers goes up against a large Pakistani strike force.

Director: J.P. Dutta | Stars: Sunny Deol, Suniel Shetty, Akshaye Khanna, Jackie Shroff

Votes: 17,667

22. Indian (1996)

Not Rated | 185 min | Action, Drama, Thriller

A veteran freedom fighter enraged with the rising crime and corruption in the society murders all the wrong doers one by one using an ancient martial arts technique.

Director: S. Shankar | Stars: Kamal Haasan, Sukanya, Manisha Koirala, Urmila Matondkar

Votes: 13,844

23. Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1995)

Not Rated | 181 min | Drama, Romance

When Raj meets Simran in Europe, it isn't love at first sight but when Simran moves to India for an arranged marriage, love makes its presence felt.

Director: Aditya Chopra | Stars: Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol, Amrish Puri, Farida Jalal

Votes: 77,170

24. Andaz Apna Apna (1994)

Not Rated | 160 min | Action, Comedy, Romance

Two slackers competing for the affections of an heiress inadvertently become her protectors from an evil criminal.

Director: Rajkumar Santoshi | Stars: Aamir Khan, Salman Khan, Raveena Tandon, Karisma Kapoor

Votes: 55,258

25. Manichithrathazhu (1993)

Not Rated | 169 min | Comedy, Horror, Mystery

When a forbidden room in an old bungalow is unbolted, the spirit of a vengeful dancer is unleashed.

Director: Fazil | Stars: Shobana, Mohanlal, Suresh Gopi, Vinaya Prasad

Votes: 12,287

26. Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar (1992)

Not Rated | 174 min | Comedy, Drama, Romance

A rich brat and a poor chap try to woo a girl, with their rivalry culminating in the most prestigious college event - the marathon cycle race.

Director: Mansoor Khan | Stars: Aamir Khan, Ayesha Jhulka, Deepak Tijori, Pooja Bedi

Votes: 24,266

27. Thalapathi (1991)

Not Rated | 157 min | Action, Crime, Drama

An orphan named Surya raised in a slum befriends a good crime boss named Devaraj and works for him. Their existence is threatened when a new honest district collector arrives.

Director: Mani Ratnam | Stars: Rajinikanth, Mammootty, Shobana, Arvind Swamy

Votes: 13,232

28. Agneepath (1990)

Not Rated | 174 min | Action, Crime, Drama

A young boy's quest for revenge leads him to become a gangster as an adult, and with each day he becomes more and more like his enemies. Can he find vengeance and redemption?

Director: Mukul Anand | Stars: Amitabh Bachchan, Mithun Chakraborty, Madhavi, Neelam Kothari

Votes: 9,455

29. Maine Pyar Kiya (1989)

Not Rated | 192 min | Drama, Musical, Romance

After Suman's father leaves her in the care of another family while he travels abroad, she falls in love with Prem. However, in order to for them to marry, Prem has to prove to Suman's father that he is not the same as his own dad.

Director: Sooraj R. Barjatya | Stars: Salman Khan, Bhagyashree Patwardhan, Alok Nath, Rajeev Verma

Votes: 13,080

30. Salaam Bombay! (1988)

Not Rated | 113 min | Crime, Drama

78 Metascore

Young Krishna struggles to survive among the drug dealers, pimps, and prostitutes in the back alleys and gutters of India.

Director: Mira Nair | Stars: Shafiq Syed, Anjaan, Amrit Patel, Murari Sharma

Votes: 10,087 | Gross: $2.08M

31. 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: 22,978

32. Mouna Ragam (1986)

146 min | Drama, Romance

Divya, a woman grieving over the death of her lover, is convinced into an arranged marriage with Chandra Kumar. Over a year the couple attempt to adjust to each other's presence and live with each other.

Directors: Ambili, Mani Ratnam | Stars: Revathi, Mohan, Karthik, V.K. Ramasamy

Votes: 4,271

33. Ragile Gundelu (1985)

Not Rated | 127 min | Drama

After her boyfriend jilts her, a vengeful woman returns to wreak havoc in his married life.

Director: P. Chandrasekhara Reddy | Stars: Mohan Babu, Pandari Bai, Vishnu Manchu, Radhika Sarathkumar

Votes: 918

34. Saaransh (1984)

Not Rated | 137 min | Drama

An old couple lend a room on rent after recent death of the bread earner of the family, their only son. A budding actress starts living with them, who is in love with a local politician's only son. The movie shows what later ensues.

Director: Mahesh Bhatt | Stars: Anupam Kher, Rohini Hattangadi, Soni Razdan, Madan Jain

Votes: 2,033

35. Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro (1983)

Not Rated | 132 min | Comedy, Crime, Drama

Two photographers, who are employed by a magazine editor to expose the scandalous activities of the rich, come across corruption by a builder and accidentally photograph a murder.

Director: Kundan Shah | Stars: Naseeruddin Shah, Ravi Baswani, Bhakti Barve, Satish Shah

Votes: 14,721



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