All films
Twenty-two films that most Indians have seen, or have been told they must see.
Modern favourites (2009 onwards)
3 Idiots (2009)3 Idiots (2009): Rajkumar Hirani's comedy about three engineering students and the pressure of India's education system.
Dangal (2016)Dangal (2016): the true story of Mahavir Singh Phogat training his daughters Geeta and Babita to become champion wrestlers.
Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara (2011)Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara (2011): three friends, a road trip across Spain, and Zoya Akhtar's film about facing your fears.
Gangs of Wasseypur (2012)Gangs of Wasseypur (2012): Anurag Kashyap's two-part crime saga of a family feud in the coal belt of Dhanbad.
Drishyam (2013)Drishyam (2013): Jeethu Joseph's Malayalam thriller about a cable-TV operator protecting his family, and its many remakes.
Baahubali 2: The Conclusion (2017)Baahubali 2: The Conclusion (2017): S. S. Rajamouli's epic of the kingdom of Mahishmati, and the answer to 'Why did Kattappa kill Baahubali?'
K.G.F: Chapter 2 (2022)K.G.F: Chapter 2 (2022): Yash as Rocky in Prashanth Neel's Kannada gangster epic set in the Kolar Gold Fields.
RRR (2022)RRR (2022): S. S. Rajamouli's action epic about two revolutionaries in the 1920s, and the Oscar-winning song Naatu Naatu.
Kantara (2022)Kantara (2022): Rishab Shetty's Kannada film about land, forest and folk ritual in coastal Karnataka, and its explosive final act.
Vikram (2022)Vikram (2022): Lokesh Kanagaraj's Tamil action thriller with Kamal Haasan, Vijay Sethupathi and Fahadh Faasil, and the start of the 'Lokesh Cinematic Universe'.
Jawan (2023)Jawan (2023): Atlee's action thriller with Shah Rukh Khan in a double role, Nayanthara and Vijay Sethupathi. Story and cast.
Pushpa 2: The Rule (2024)Pushpa 2: The Rule (2024): Allu Arjun returns as red-sandalwood smuggler Pushpa Raj in Sukumar's Telugu blockbuster.
12th Fail (2023)12th Fail (2023): the true story of Manoj Kumar Sharma, from failing school in Chambal to the civil services. Vidhu Vinod Chopra's surprise hit.
Laapataa Ladies (2024)Laapataa Ladies (2024): Kiran Rao's comedy about two brides swapped on a train, and India's entry for the Oscars.
Manjummel Boys (2024)Manjummel Boys (2024): a group of friends from Kochi, a trip to Kodaikanal, and a rescue from the Guna Caves. Based on a true story.
Stree 2 (2024)Stree 2 (2024): the horror-comedy sequel set in Chanderi, with Rajkummar Rao and Shraddha Kapoor facing the headless Sarkata.Classics
Sholay (1975)Sholay (1975): the story, the cast, and why Ramesh Sippy's 'curry western' about Jai, Veeru and Gabbar Singh is still the most quoted Hindi film.
Mother India (1957)Mother India (1957): Mehboob Khan's epic of a village woman's struggle, Nargis's landmark performance, and the film's Oscar nomination.
Mughal-e-Azam (1960)Mughal-e-Azam (1960): K. Asif's lavish Mughal romance of Prince Salim and Anarkali, its famous colour song, and the 2004 colourised release.
Pather Panchali (1955)Pather Panchali (1955): Satyajit Ray's first film, the opening of the Apu Trilogy, and why it changed how the world saw Indian cinema.
Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1995)Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (DDLJ, 1995): the romance of Raj and Simran, and the film that has played at Mumbai's Maratha Mandir for decades.
Lagaan (2001)Lagaan (2001): villagers take on British officers in a cricket match to escape a crushing tax. Story, cast and its Oscar nomination.