Best Hindi Movies by Genre

I started with 6 Bollywood movie genres – the usual dramas, romances etc. There is Drama and Crime-drama because the industry produces so many of those. I club Suspense, Action, Thriller in one Suspense-Thriller category because I’m unable to think of any really good Hindi “pure” action films; Bollywood tends to muddy the waters with emotional drama and song and dance. Murder Mysteries have their own genre.

You are already familiar with Romance, Comedy. Then there are the wonderful All-in-one Entertainers – a heady mix of great stories, acting, song and dance and nicely-done masala. The Experimental/Alternative genre lists off-beat movies – these are often low-budget movies, which are underrated or go unnoticed. These might not do well at the box-office, but do tell interesting stories well. I’ve also added separate genres for Family-friendly, Women-centric/Feminist, Sports and Historical/Period, Horror and Anthology films because amazingly we now have enough of these films to populate lists!

Comedy in most hindi films is of the slapstick variety, or the double entendre one, both which make me cringe. Movies in my comedy listings are neither of the above, rather they are actually funny and humorous  without being overtly sexist, rude or crude.

Below is a list of best films by genre. You can also see a list of the Best Hindi Films by Year, Browse reviews by Alphabetical Order or view Recommended Films.

So, here are the top 10 (or more) films in each genre. Note that these are in descending order (1st is best) :

ALL-IN-ONE ENTERTAINER :

1. Dil chahta hai (2001)
2. Swades (2004)
3. Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani (2013)
4. Zindagi na milegi dobara (2011)
5. Kapoor and Sons (2016)
6. Dil Dhadakne Do (2015)
7. Rang de basanti (2006)
8. Ludo (2020)
9. Delhi-6 (2009)
10. P.K. (2014)
11. Band Baaja Baarat (2010)

DRAMA :

1. Mukkabaaz (2018)
2. Shor in the City (2011)
3. D-Day (2013)
4. Gully Boy (2019)
5. Udta Punjab (2016)
6. Article 15 (2019)
7. Shanghai (2012)
8. 12th Fail (2023)
9. Yeh Saali Zindagi (2011)
10. Piku (2015)
11. Gehraiyaan (2022)
12. Rocket Singh : Salesman of the year (2009)
13. Welcome to Sajjanpur (2008)
14. Neerja (2016)

CRIME DRAMA :

1. Gangs of Wasseypur II (2012)
2. Gangs of Wasseypur I (2012)
3. Company (2002)
4. Shool
5. Maqbool (2004)
6. Omkaara (2006)
7. Johnny Gaddar (2007)
8. Once Upon a time in Mumbai (2010)
9. Kaminey (2009)
10. Sehar (2005)
11. Mithya (2008)
12. Kuttey (2023)
13. D (2005)

SUSPENSE / THRILLER :

1. Kaun (1999)
2. Kadakh (2020)
3.  NH10 (2015)
4. Special Chabbis (2013)
5. Ugly (2014)
6. Andhadhun (2018)
7. Khufiya (2023)
8. Badlapur (2015)
9. A Wednesday (2008)
10. Uri (2019)
11. Ek Chalis ki Last Local (2007)

MURDER MYSTERY :

1. Manorama Six Feet Under (2007)
2. Raat Akeli Hai (2020)
3. Talaash (2012)
4. Kahaani (2012)
5. Badla (2019)
6. Detective Byomkesh Bakshi (2015)
7. Khamoshi (1985)

COMEDY :

1. Jaane bhi do yaaron (1982)
2. Khosla ka ghosla (2006)
3. Sankat City (2009)
4. Lootcase (2020)
5. Vicky Donor (2012)
6. Badhaai Ho (2018)
7. Hera Pheri (2000)
8. Yeh tera ghar, yeh mera ghar (2001)
9. Chashm-e-buddoor (1981)
10. Maalamal Weekly (2006)
11. Lage raho Munna bhai (2006)

ROMANCE :

1. Saathiya (2002)
2. Rules (2003)
3. Manmarziyaan (2018)
4. Cheeni Kum (2007)
5. Jab we met (2007)
6. RockStar (2011)
7. Aisha (2010)
8. Socha na tha (2005)
9. Love Aaj Kal (2009)
10. Pyar ke side effects (2006)

FAMILY-FRIENDLY :

1. Dum Laga Ke Haisha (2015)
2. Nil Battey Sannata (2016)
3. Sui Dhaga (2018)
4. Do Dooni Char (2010)
5. Taare Zameen Par (2010)
6. 3 Idiots (2009)
7. Gunjan Saxena (2020)
8. Atithi tum kab jaoge ? (2010)
9. Dhanak (2016)
10. I am Kalam (2010)
11. The Blue Umbrella (2007)

EXPERIMENTAL / ALTERNATIVE / OFF-BEAT :

1. Barfi (2012)
2. The Lunchbox (2013)
3. Udaan (2010)
4. Aankhon Dekhi (2014)
5. Titli (2015)
6. Main meri patni aur woh (2005)
7. Masaan (2015)
8. Aligarh (2016)
9. Yeh Ballet (2020)
10. Shahid (2013)
11. Newton (2017)
12. Page Three (2005)
13. Dharm (2007)
14. Kathal (2023)

WOMEN-CENTRIC/FEMINIST :

1. Lipstick Under My Burkha (2017)
2. Queen (2014)
3. Pink (2016)
4. Thappad (2020)
5. Dolly Kitty Aur Woh Chamakte Sitare (2020)
6. Dor (2006)
7. Soni (2019)
8. Astitva (2000)
9. English Vinglish (2012)
10. Pagglait (2021)
11. Hari Bhari (2000)
12. Sherni (2021)
13. Panga (2020)
14. Saand ki Aankh (2019)
15. Khamosh Pani (2003)

SPORTS-CENTRIC :

1. Dangal (2016)
2. Lagaan (2001)
3. Iqbal (2006)
4. Chak de India (2007)
5. Bhaag Milkha Bhaag (2013)
6. Paan Singh Tomar (2012)
7. M.S.Dhoni – The Untold Story (2016)
8. Sultan (2016)
9. Shabash Mithu (2022)
10. Mary Kom (2014)

HISTORICAL/PERIOD DRAMA :

1. Jodhaa Akbar (2008)
2. Bajirao Mastani (2015)
3. 1947 Earth (1998)
4. Parineeta (2005)
5. Bombay Velvet (2015)
6. Padmaavat (2018)
7. Gangubai Kathiawadi (2022)

HORROR :

1. Tumbbad
2. Bulbbul
3. Pari
4. Bhool Bhulaiya
5. Stree

ANTHOLOGY :

1. Love Sex aur Dhokha (2011)
2. Unpaused (2021)
3. Ajeeb Daastaans (2021)
4. Lust Stories
5. Bombay Talkies (2013)