The first thing every Bollywood buff needs to understand is that the Indian Hindi language film industry is not a distant relative of Hollywood. The Bollywood industry sets its own standards and no western industry can influence it. The Bollywood industry has produced some of most spectacular and extravagant films, from its colorful, awe-inspiring musicals of the masala genre to the hyper-real films of parallel cinema. In this long journey of conquering every milestone, the Bollywood industry has successfully established itself as the complete pack of entertainment, filled with classics from each and every genre including action, romance, and comedy. Out of all these classic movies produced in the Bollywood industry, here we bring you the top 10 timeless classic movies of the industry that you need to watch before you die:
1. Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge: The major highlight of SRK and Kajol’s career, the beloved “DDLJ” follows one man’s quest to win over the hand of a woman he meets by chance on a trip to Europe.
2. Mughal-e-Azam: One of the most expensive films of the Bollywood industry, Mughal-e-Azam is a timeless classic in its own right. Helmed by K Asif, the film starring Dilip Kumar, Prithvi Raj Kapoor and gorgeous Madhubala in the lead roles portrayed an eternal love of Mughal prince Salim and courtesan Anarkali.
3. Queen: A classic perfectly displaying the true definition of women empowerment is one of the major achievements of the industry, The film tells the story of a young woman, who finds empowerment in building a new future for herself, After being left at the altar, starting with going on her planned honeymoon to Europe... solo.
4. Anand: Anand was the cult movie of Indian cinema that proved Rajesh Khanna’s acting god. The film shed light on the story of a lively person suffering from a fatal disease, who passes every single moment cheerfully and brings a smile to every face.
5. Sholay: Sholay belongs to the ultimate list of the iconic old Bollywood movies. Besides being one of the highest gross earning films of all time, Sholay ran in theatres for five years!
6. 3 idiots: A rib-tickling satire based on the life of 3 young college-going friends delivers some of the most life-changing lessons anyone needs in his adolescent age.
7. Mother India: The movie that starred Nargis, Sunil Dutt & Rajendra Kumar was nominated at the Academy Awards. You must know that to date only 3 Bollywood movies have been nominated for this category. The film known for its cultural &patriotic significance is one of the classic Bollywood movies ever made.
8. The Lunchbox: A classic of the late, great Irrfan Khan, The Lunchbox unfolds (literally) through a series of letters from a wife to her husband in his daily lunchbox, with hopes of reviving their marriage.
9. Lagaan: A classic period movie, Set in the early 1890s amidst India’s colonial British Raj, tells the tale of one village’s journey out of their overtaxed debt under their British rulers. The wager for overcoming their unjust circumstances? Beating their officers in a game of cricket.
10. Garam Hawa: The movie that focused on the post-partition period, brought to light many relatable events in Indian history, one of them being the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi.
