By Decade
The Best Hindi
Films of the 1980s
22 films from this decade made the canon, 13 of them inside the ranked top 100.
Usually written off, wrongly. Video piracy gutted the mainstream, but the margins produced Ardh Satya, Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro, Masoom, Ijaazat and Mandi — arguably the strongest run of writing in the language.
22 films from the 1980s made the canon, 13 of them inside the ranked top 100, led by Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro at #16. The decade leans Drama (16), Comedy (5), Romance (4), and the directors carrying it here are Sai Paranjpye, Govind Nihalani, Shekhar Kapur, Gulzar.
Every title below has its own page with links to Wikipedia, IMDb, trailers and legal streaming. Compare against the 1950s, the 1960s, the 1970s, or read how the ranking was scored.
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1983Jaane Bhi Do Yaaroजाने भी दो यारो16
Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro
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1981Umrao Jaanउमराव जान18
Umrao Jaan
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1983Ardh Satyaअर्ध सत्य19
Ardh Satya
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1987Mr. Indiaमिस्टर इंडिया22
Mr. India
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1988Salaam Bombay!सलाम बॉम्बे!24
Salaam Bombay!
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1989Parindaपरिंदा30
Parinda
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1980Sparshस्पर्श34
Sparsh
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1982Arthअर्थ35
Arth
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1987Ijaazatइजाज़त36
Ijaazat
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1980Aakroshआक्रोश41
Aakrosh
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1983Masoomमासूम43
Masoom
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1981Silsilaसिलसिला95
Silsila
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1980Karzकर्ज़100
Karz
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1981Chashme Buddoorचश्मे बद्दूर
Chashme Buddoor
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1983Kathaकथा
Katha
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1983Mandiमंडी
Mandi
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1989Salim Langde Pe Mat Roसलीम लंगड़े पे मत रो
Salim Langde Pe Mat Ro
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1980Albert Pinto Ko Gussa Kyun Aata Haiअल्बर्ट पिंटो को गुस्सा क्यूँ आता है
Albert Pinto Ko Gussa Kyun Aata Hai
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1986Ek Ruka Hua Faislaएक रुका हुआ फैसला
Ek Ruka Hua Faisla
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1983Sadmaसदमा
Sadma
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1982Angoorअंगूर
Angoor
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1980Khubsooratखूबसूरत
Khubsoorat
| Rank | Film | Year | Director | Genre |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 | Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro जाने भी दो यारो | 1983 | Kundan Shah | Comedy, Satire |
| 18 | Umrao Jaan उमराव जान | 1981 | Muzaffar Ali | Drama, Musical |
| 19 | Ardh Satya अर्ध सत्य | 1983 | Govind Nihalani | Crime, Drama |
| 22 | Mr. India मिस्टर इंडिया | 1987 | Shekhar Kapur | Sci-Fi, Action |
| 24 | Salaam Bombay! सलाम बॉम्बे! | 1988 | Mira Nair | Drama |
| 30 | Parinda परिंदा | 1989 | Vidhu Vinod Chopra | Crime, Drama |
| 34 | Sparsh स्पर्श | 1980 | Sai Paranjpye | Drama, Romance |
| 35 | Arth अर्थ | 1982 | Mahesh Bhatt | Drama |
| 36 | Ijaazat इजाज़त | 1987 | Gulzar | Drama, Romance |
| 41 | Aakrosh आक्रोश | 1980 | Govind Nihalani | Drama |
| 43 | Masoom मासूम | 1983 | Shekhar Kapur | Drama |
| 95 | Silsila सिलसिला | 1981 | Yash Chopra | Romance, Drama |
| 100 | Karz कर्ज़ | 1980 | Subhash Ghai | Musical, Thriller |
| – | Chashme Buddoor चश्मे बद्दूर | 1981 | Sai Paranjpye | Comedy, Romance |
| – | Katha कथा | 1983 | Sai Paranjpye | Comedy, Drama |
| – | Mandi मंडी | 1983 | Shyam Benegal | Satire, Drama |
| – | Salim Langde Pe Mat Ro सलीम लंगड़े पे मत रो | 1989 | Saeed Akhtar Mirza | Drama, Crime |
| – | Albert Pinto Ko Gussa Kyun Aata Hai अल्बर्ट पिंटो को गुस्सा क्यूँ आता है | 1980 | Saeed Akhtar Mirza | Drama, Political |
| – | Ek Ruka Hua Faisla एक रुका हुआ फैसला | 1986 | Basu Chatterjee | Drama, Legal |
| – | Sadma सदमा | 1983 | Balu Mahendra | Drama |
| – | Angoor अंगूर | 1982 | Gulzar | Comedy |
| – | Khubsoorat खूबसूरत | 1980 | Hrishikesh Mukherjee | Comedy, Family |
Other decades