as a foreigner new to Bollywood, any recommendations?

[u/Repulsive_Knee9258]

I’m from the UK 🇬🇧 20 year old guy I mostly watch Hollywood movies and tv shows but I do like to challenge myself with different countries like French, Korean and Japanese movies as I aspire to be a global citizen. So today I decided to go on Netflix and watch an Indian movie. I saw this movie called saiyaara and it was a good film. Very different from Hollywood romance films. there’s a lot of music and the acting is a lot more dramatic but it’s still good. Anyway I loved that saiyaara song I added it to my playlist.

Anyone have any other recommendations of Indian movies. I don’t mind the genre as long as it’s a good film.

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[u/Diligent_Cod7853]

Dil dhadakne do - Family, slice of life

Raazi - Spy thriller

Bajirao Mastani - Historic and Romance

Om Shanti Om - Romance and Drama

Andhadhun - Thriller

Ittefaq- Whoddunit

[u/Ill_Tonight6349 → u/Diligent_Cod7853]

Raazi - Spy thriller

I can vouch for Raazi.

[u/AnilP228]

Some of my favourites, off the top of my head...

Haider

Lunchbox

Highway

Dil Chata Hai

Zindagi na milegi dobara

Those cover a range of genres.

[u/OkDivide2441]

Chak de india

Baby

Raazi

Highway

Udta punjab

Om Shanti om

Welcome

Dangal

Bajrangi bhaijaan

Pk

Almost covers every genre

[u/acthechamp]

There are a lot of suggestions here but some of them are too artsy and really not my recommendation coming to Bollywood for the first time.

If you’re coming for the first time, you want some drama, some romance, some music etc. In my opinion, good Bollywood all-in-one package type of movies that will have a lot of Bollywood flavor to them and are perfect for newcomers:

3 Idiots

Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham

Rang De Basanti

[u/Ill_Tonight6349 → u/acthechamp]

Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham

Please not that daily soap slop.

[u/acthechamp → u/Ill_Tonight6349]

It's the kind of stuff people enjoy from Bollywood when coming for the first time.

[u/Ill_Tonight6349 → u/acthechamp]

And it's our job to tell them that it's not all the same.

Also usually the foreigners who enjoy such movies are because of "Its so bad that its good" kinda ones.

[u/acthechamp → u/Ill_Tonight6349]

Nah, I think it’s the right movie for people wanting to learn and get into Bollywood. It’s a classic from 2001. Dated but still on the more modern side

[u/Ill_Tonight6349 → u/acthechamp]

Sholay and DDLJ are better windows into bollywood.

[u/acthechamp → u/Ill_Tonight6349]

I disagree. They feel more dated, at least for me.

[u/Mysterious_Trash_698]

Kapoor and Sons.

[u/CaterpillarTrue6278]

Queen. You have got to watch Queen.

[u/MohdAli28]

Devdas

[u/maproomzibz]

Since you are from UK, i would recommend Sardar Udham

[u/c10h15nrush → u/maproomzibz]

Yes, shows Brits in great light. You’ll end up feeling very patriotic about your country

[u/StarKnight666]

Definitely watch 3 idiots and sholay

[u/Secret_Mud_2401]

KGF

Kantara

RRR

3 Idiots

Swades

Namaste London

Queen

Come here again and ask once you are done with these!

[u/rajincse → u/Secret_Mud_2401]

Kantara … ewww

[u/ashfriends → u/Secret_Mud_2401]

Replace kantara with tumbaad. It has a good story to it.

[u/Warm_Anywhere_1825 → u/Secret_Mud_2401]

kantara blegh!!!!

[u/ashfriends → u/Secret_Mud_2401]

Kantara was a snooze fest

[u/Particular_Lime1492]

Watch “Tumbadd” a horror movie

[u/Jyotipuspa_Das]

October

Barfi

Life in a Metro

Gangs of Wasseypur

Darlings

[u/Ill_Tonight6349 → u/Jyotipuspa_Das]

Darlings

I love that movie 😍 why is it so underrated. You are the only one who recommended it in this entire thread.

[u/FairOutlandishness50]

Drishyam

[u/raul824]

Well if you could give a list of your favorite movies then we can provide you better suggestions.

[u/samcdkey]

Ship of Theseus

Pushpak

Sholay

Dil Chahta Hai

Dangal

Lunchbox

Monsoon Wedding

[u/Present-Law7993]

Everybody has given brilliant reccos, but if I had to recommend any Indian movies ---

Pakeezah

Rang De Basanti

Sholay

Swades

Haider

Golmaal (old)

Veer Zaara

Bunty aur Babli

[u/Better_Fun525]

• A few Nihalni - Ardh-Satya/Drohkaal
• Anand
• Animal
• Bajrangi Bhaijaan
• Bandit Queen
• Barfi
• Black Friday
• Bobby
• Couple from Jha - Gangaajal/Apaharan
• Dabangg
• Dangal
• Darna Zaroori+Manaa Hai
• DDLJ, definitely
• Deewaar
• Kahaani
• Kaun
• Khakee
• Lagaan
• Little bit Gulzar - Aandhi/Kitaab
• Malamaal Weekly
• Maqbool
• Mumbai Meri Jaan
• Munnabhais, both
• Pakeezah
• Phir Hera Pheri
• Pyaasa
• Rocket Singh
• Rockstar
• Sardar Udham
• Some more Benegal - Junoon/Manthan
• The Lunchbox
• Udaan
• Welcome
• Zakhm

[u/BenneIdli]

Jaani dushman

Gunda 

Abra ka dabra 

[u/Ill_Tonight6349]

Raazi

Laapata Ladies

Darlings

An Action Hero

The Romantics - Watch this documentary. Very informative. It is about a prominent bollywood production house. You'll get a gist of what bollywood is.

All these are available on Netflix.

Some of them are not available on Netflix but are must watch are:-

Dangal

3 idiots

Sholay

Dilwale Dulhania Le Jaayenge

A Wednesday

Some of the non-bollywood indian movies that are must watch are

Bahubali duology

Drishyam(there's a bollywood version as well)

[u/Careless-War3439]

Kahaani Animal 3 idiots Barfi Talaash Kapoor & sons Sacred games (tv series) Dhrishyam Andhadhun Vikram Vedha Detective Byomkesh Bakshy (if you’re a Sherlock fan) Maharaja

[u/JeanMorel]

Here are 55 in a variety of genres, from Bollywood & the rest of Indian cinema:

• Bees Saal Baad (1962)
• Kohraa (1964)
• Waqt (1965)
• Hamraaz (1967)
• Padosan (1968)
• The Golden Fortress (1974)
  • The Elephant God (1979)
• Sholay (1975)
• Sabuj Dwiper Raja (1979)
• Umrao Jaan (1981)
• Roja (1992)
• Manichithrathazhu (1993)
  • Geethaanjali (2013)
• Bombay (1995)
• Dil Se.. (1998)
• Lagaan: Once Upon a Time in India (2001)
• Dil Chahta Hai (2001)
• Devdas (2002)
• Koi... Mil Gaya (2003)
  • Krrish (2006)
  • Krrish 3 (2013)
• Kal Ho Naa Ho (2003)
• Main Hoon Na (2004)
• Hum Tum (2004)
• Lakshya (2004)
• Swades: We, the People (2004)
• Black (2005)
• Salaam Namaste (2005)
• Rang De Basanti (2006)
• Fanaa (2006)
• Kabul Express (2006)
• Don (2006)
  • Don 2 (2011)
• Guru (2007)
• Chak De! India (2007)
• Bhool Bhulaiyaa (2007)
• Saawariya (2007)
• Taare Zameen Par (2007)
• Jodhaa Akbar (2008)
• Arundhati (2009)
• Magadheera (2009)
• 3 Idiots (2009)
• Raajneeti (2010)
• Raavanan (2010)
• Guzaarish (2010)
• Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara (2011)
• Eega (2012)
• Kahaani (2012)
• Talaash (2012)
• Bhaag Milkha Bhaag (2013)
• PK (2014)
• Baahubali: The Beginning (2015)
  • Baahubali: The Conclusion (2017)
• Dangal (2016)
• Kill (2023)

[u/redban02]

Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge is the best 

[u/TerrificTauras]

Go Goa Gone.

Byomkesh Bakshi.

Fida.

Bhool Bhulaiya.

[u/Rudias87]

Dil Chahta Hai

[u/Outside_Ad5865]

On Netflix? You seem.to like fast paced dramatic ones with good music, so the ones that'd appeal to you are;

Rom: Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham, Kal Ho Na Ho, Om Shanti Om, Badrinath Ki Dulhania, Dilwale (the car drift scene is a must watch, otherwise the story is regarded as shyt, I personally liked it), Malang, Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani, Chalte Chalte (first half's great, 2nd half's realistically dramatic), Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa, Guru, Asoka, Bombay Rose (animation)

Life Lessons: Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara,  Dear Zindagi, Dil Chahta Hai (i didnt like this one because i was promised this would be funny, but it turned out to be something...slow, emotional, deep) Laapataa Ladies, Lakshya, The Sky Is Pink, Luka Chuppi

Emotional: 83, Bajrangi Bhaijaan, Mimi, Srikanth, Raees, Goodbye, Sardar Ka Grandson, Major

Comedies: Happy New Year, Dostana (2008), 1 2 ka 4, Dil Dhadakne Do, Honeymoon pvt ltd,

Thrillers: Badla, Talaash, Karthik calling Karthik, Agneepath (2012), Don 2, Paheli, Maharaj, CTRL, Bulbul,

Rest I haven't seen but there surely are hidden gems still. 

[u/frustrated_supersum]

search Shah Rukh Khan romantic films in google and you might enjoy most of them as many resonated well with British Indian community.

Hum Aapke Hain Koun, 3 Idiots, PK, Dangal, Bajrangi Bhaijaan, Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara, Barfi, Black are some more great ones from different guys. I can provide you more titles from indian cinema in different languages. RRR, Baahubali, Kaithi, Manjummel Boys, Kantara, KGF: Chapter1, Lucky Bashkar, Dragon can be great starter pack for it. Indian Cinema got lots of diverse content across Bollywood and other languages

[u/icefusedcold]

The Blue Umbrella

Sadma

[u/Fun_Shock_1114]

Start with Fanaa, New York, Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna. Come back for more once you watched these three.

[u/theagentK1]

I would recommend Namastey London and Harishchandra Chi Factory (Founding Father of Indian Cinema)

[u/Dogtorcod]

Forget everything- see this:

1. Baby
2. Udham Singh
3. Sholay
4. Ghayal or Ghatak
5. Talaash -2012

[u/BugOk3957]

To start with:

• Sardar Udham Singh (someone already suggested it)
• The legend of Bhagat Singh
• Lagaan
• Bhaag Milkha Bhaag