THE BOLLYWOOD 100

सर्वकालिक महानतम · A Critics' Canon

The Top 100
Bollywood Films
Of All Time

Ranked, annotated and argued for — from Mughal-e-Azam to All We Imagine as Light. Every film links out to Wikipedia, IMDb, trailers and where to legally watch it. Filter it, sort it, and tell us where we're wrong.

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100Ranked films
232In the full canon
138Directors
8Decades covered
11Long-form essays
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The Ranking, As a Table

All 100, top to bottom

For the people who want it plain. Every title links to a full page with external sources and streaming options.

RankFilmYearDirectorGenre
1 Sholay शोले 1975Ramesh SippyAction, Drama
2 Pyaasa प्यासा 1957Guru DuttDrama, Musical
3 Mughal-e-Azam मुग़ल-ए-आज़म 1960K. AsifHistorical, Romance
4 Mother India मदर इंडिया 1957Mehboob KhanDrama
5 Guide गाइड 1965Vijay AnandDrama, Romance
6 Deewaar दीवार 1975Yash ChopraCrime, Drama
7 Awaara आवारा 1951Raj KapoorDrama, Musical
8 Kaagaz Ke Phool कागज़ के फूल 1959Guru DuttDrama
9 Do Bigha Zamin दो बीघा ज़मीन 1953Bimal RoyDrama
10 Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge दिलवाले दुल्हनिया ले जायेंगे 1995Aditya ChopraRomance, Musical
11 Gangs of Wasseypur गैंग्स ऑफ़ वासेपुर 2012Anurag KashyapCrime, Drama
12 Satya सत्या 1998Ram Gopal VarmaCrime, Drama
13 Lagaan लगान 2001Ashutosh GowarikerDrama, Sports
14 Dil Chahta Hai दिल चाहता है 2001Farhan AkhtarDrama, Comedy
15 Masaan मसान 2015Neeraj GhaywanDrama
16 Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro जाने भी दो यारो 1983Kundan ShahComedy, Satire
17 Andaz Apna Apna अंदाज़ अपना अपना 1994Rajkumar SantoshiComedy
18 Umrao Jaan उमराव जान 1981Muzaffar AliDrama, Musical
19 Ardh Satya अर्ध सत्य 1983Govind NihalaniCrime, Drama
20 Anand आनंद 1971Hrishikesh MukherjeeDrama
21 Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam साहिब बीबी और ग़ुलाम 1962Abrar AlviDrama
22 Mr. India मिस्टर इंडिया 1987Shekhar KapurSci-Fi, Action
23 Black Friday ब्लैक फ्राइडे 2004Anurag KashyapCrime, Drama
24 Salaam Bombay! सलाम बॉम्बे! 1988Mira NairDrama
25 Garam Hava गरम हवा 1974M. S. SathyuDrama, Historical
26 Bandini बंदिनी 1963Bimal RoyDrama
27 Omkara ओंकारा 2006Vishal BhardwajCrime, Drama
28 Maqbool मक़बूल 2003Vishal BhardwajCrime, Drama
29 Haider हैदर 2014Vishal BhardwajDrama, Thriller
30 Parinda परिंदा 1989Vidhu Vinod ChopraCrime, Drama
31 Chupke Chupke चुपके चुपके 1975Hrishikesh MukherjeeComedy
32 Padosan पड़ोसन 1968Jyoti SwaroopComedy, Musical
33 Amar Akbar Anthony अमर अकबर एंथनी 1977Manmohan DesaiAction, Comedy
34 Sparsh स्पर्श 1980Sai ParanjpyeDrama, Romance
35 Arth अर्थ 1982Mahesh BhattDrama
36 Ijaazat इजाज़त 1987GulzarDrama, Romance
37 Manthan मंथन 1976Shyam BenegalDrama
38 Ankur अंकुर 1974Shyam BenegalDrama
39 Bhumika भूमिका 1977Shyam BenegalDrama
40 Nishant निशांत 1975Shyam BenegalDrama
41 Aakrosh आक्रोश 1980Govind NihalaniDrama
42 Aandhi आंधी 1975GulzarDrama, Political
43 Masoom मासूम 1983Shekhar KapurDrama
44 Khosla Ka Ghosla खोसला का घोसला 2006Dibakar BanerjeeComedy, Drama
45 Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye! ओए लकी! लकी ओए! 2008Dibakar BanerjeeComedy, Crime
46 Udaan उड़ान 2010Vikramaditya MotwaneDrama, Coming-of-age
47 Queen क्वीन 2013Vikas BahlComedy, Drama
48 Andhadhun अंधाधुन 2018Sriram RaghavanThriller, Comedy
49 Tumbbad तुंबाड़ 2018Rahi Anil BarveHorror, Fantasy
50 Kahaani कहानी 2012Sujoy GhoshThriller
51 3 Idiots थ्री इडियट्स 2009Rajkumar HiraniComedy, Drama
52 Munna Bhai M.B.B.S. मुन्ना भाई एम.बी.बी.एस. 2003Rajkumar HiraniComedy, Drama
53 Taare Zameen Par तारे ज़मीन पर 2007Aamir KhanDrama
54 Swades स्वदेस 2004Ashutosh GowarikerDrama
55 Rang De Basanti रंग दे बसंती 2006Rakeysh Omprakash MehraDrama, Political
56 Chak De! India चक दे! इंडिया 2007Shimit AminSports, Drama
57 Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara ज़िंदगी न मिलेगी दोबारा 2011Zoya AkhtarDrama, Comedy
58 Gully Boy गली बॉय 2019Zoya AkhtarDrama, Musical
59 Jab We Met जब वी मेट 2007Imtiaz AliRomance, Comedy
60 Barfi! बर्फी! 2012Anurag BasuRomance, Comedy
61 Rockstar रॉकस्टार 2011Imtiaz AliDrama, Musical
62 Dev.D देव डी 2009Anurag KashyapDrama, Musical
63 Dil Se.. दिल से.. 1998Mani RatnamRomance, Thriller
64 Company कंपनी 2002Ram Gopal VarmaCrime, Drama
65 Paan Singh Tomar पान सिंह तोमर 2012Tigmanshu DhuliaBiography, Drama
66 The Lunchbox द लंचबॉक्स 2013Ritesh BatraRomance, Drama
67 Ship of Theseus शिप ऑफ़ थीसियस 2012Anand GandhiDrama, Philosophy
68 Ankhon Dekhi आँखों देखी 2013Rajat KapoorDrama, Comedy
69 Newton न्यूटन 2017Amit V. MasurkarComedy, Political
70 Talvar तलवार 2015Meghna GulzarCrime, Drama
71 Drishyam दृश्यम 2015Nishikant KamatThriller, Drama
72 Special 26 स्पेशल 26 2013Neeraj PandeyHeist, Thriller
73 A Wednesday! अ वेडनसडे! 2008Neeraj PandeyThriller
74 Peepli Live पीपली लाइव 2010Anusha RizviSatire, Comedy
75 Vicky Donor विक्की डोनर 2012Shoojit SircarComedy, Romance
76 Piku पीकू 2015Shoojit SircarComedy, Drama
77 Badhaai Ho बधाई हो 2018Amit Ravindernath SharmaComedy, Drama
78 Stree स्त्री 2018Amar KaushikHorror, Comedy
79 Article 15 आर्टिकल 15 2019Anubhav SinhaCrime, Drama
80 Mukkabaaz मुक्केबाज़ 2017Anurag KashyapSports, Drama
81 Raazi राज़ी 2018Meghna GulzarThriller, Drama
82 Bhaag Milkha Bhaag भाग मिल्खा भाग 2013Rakeysh Omprakash MehraBiography, Sports
83 Sardar Udham सरदार उधम 2021Shoojit SircarBiography, Historical
84 12th Fail 12वीं फेल 2023Vidhu Vinod ChopraBiography, Drama
85 Laapataa Ladies लापता लेडीज़ 2023Kiran RaoComedy, Drama
86 Guru गुरु 2007Mani RatnamDrama, Biography
87 Black ब्लैक 2005Sanjay Leela BhansaliDrama
88 Devdas देवदास 2002Sanjay Leela BhansaliRomance, Drama
89 Hum Aapke Hain Koun..! हम आपके हैं कौन..! 1994Sooraj BarjatyaRomance, Family
90 Kuch Kuch Hota Hai कुछ कुछ होता है 1998Karan JoharRomance, Drama
91 Om Shanti Om ओम शांति ओम 2007Farah KhanDrama, Musical
92 Baazigar बाज़ीगर 1993Abbas–MustanThriller, Crime
93 Darr डर 1993Yash ChopraThriller, Romance
94 Kabhi Kabhie कभी कभी 1976Yash ChopraRomance, Drama
95 Silsila सिलसिला 1981Yash ChopraRomance, Drama
96 Zanjeer ज़ंजीर 1973Prakash MehraAction, Crime
97 Don डॉन 1978Chandra BarotAction, Thriller
98 Trishul त्रिशूल 1978Yash ChopraDrama, Action
99 Kaala Patthar काला पत्थर 1979Yash ChopraDrama, Action
100 Karz कर्ज़ 1980Subhash GhaiMusical, Thriller

The Other List

The 20 most underrated actors in Hindi cinema

Ten men, ten women, one strict definition of “underrated” — and an honest note about why Irrfan Khan isn't on it.

The Men · पुरुष

All ten men →

The Women · महिलाएँ

All ten women →

Long Reads

Essays from the projection room

Methodology, craft, history and one very practical guide to watching all of this legally.

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Reference