Bollywood is an unstoppable mill that produces movies after movies every year. The industry is up and running for more than a century now.
There are thousands of films produced and released each year since its inception. While some of them gained accolades and applause from all the corners of the world, some just bombed at the box office.
Throughout this long journey, Bollywood also produced some marvels which were good movies getting critically acclaimed all over the world but failed to perform at the Box Office. Many superstars, we see today, are at the peak of their career because of the movies that were exceptionally brilliant.
While some producers and directors release movies hoping to get a blockbuster out of them, few make films that leave an impact. Most of the times, these films don’t break records at the box office, but eventually, they become cult favorites and the fans watch it over and over again without fail.
Best Bollywood Movies to Watch Over and Over Again
Most filmmakers don’t realize the potential of a film while filming. It is after the release, and in most cases after the Television premiere, most films gain popularity across all generations. These films fall into the category of evergreen Bollywood films, and you can enjoy them anywhere and anytime, irrespective of what age you belong.
Here are some of the evergreen Bollywood movies that you can watch multiple times but not get bored:
Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge (1995)
When talking about evergreen Bollywood films, we can’t ignore the one movie that’s running even today at Mumbai’s Maratha Mandir theatre. Yes, I am talking about Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge. Under the debut direction of Aditya Chopra, this romantic saga hit the screens in 1995. The film became a cornerstone in Shah Rukh Khan’s career and set his wheels in motion to become the next superstar of the millennium. You can watch the epic love story of Raj and Simran without getting bored ever.
Hum Aapke Hai Koun! (1994)
Hum Aapke Hain Koun is the epitome of Bollywood film industry when it comes to popularizing Indian wedding traditions in the films. The film is highest grosser of all times in Bollywood after adjusting inflation. Directed by Sooraj Barjatya and produced under the Rajshri banner, the film is still a favorite among all generations for its non-violent family drama full of emotions. Salman Khan and Madhuri Dixit play the lead in the movie.
Sooryavansham (1999)
If there’s one film that stands out on this list, then it is Sooryavansham. The film is unofficially slated as the favorite film of Set Max, the Indian movie channel. Set Max wouldn’t re-run the movie over and over again if there’s no viewership. The film is often seen on Set Max now and then at odd times, if not during primetime. Directed by E.V.V. Satyanarayana, the film features Amitabh Bachchan in a dual role. Despite flopping at the Box Office, the movie is still watched by many when it’s aired on Set Max.
Sholay (1975)
In a way, Sholay defined Bollywood cinema and marked its presence globally. The film resembled Hollywood’s Western genre flicks, and Ramesh Sippy tried to replicate a similar genre for the Indian audience. The film received negative reviews at the time of its release and didn’t pick up at the Box Office. However, as the days went by, the film became a blockbuster. The epic dialogues, the Homosocial bonding of Jai-Veeru, the setup, and most importantly Gabbar Singh are still fresh among the audience. With an ensemble cast of Dharmendra, Amitabh Bachchan, Hema Malini, Jaya Bachchan, Sanjeev Kumar, and Amjad Khan; the film is a treat to watch.
Andaz Apna Apna gained cult status after it premiered on satellite channels. Despite being one of the best comedy films of all time, the film didn’t perform well at the Box Office at the time of its release. Directed by Rajkumar Santoshi, Andaz Apna Apna is a full-on laughter ride where you don’t get any breaks from laughing. Featuring Salman Khan and Aamir Khan together for the first and last time, the film is a must watch for all generations.
Adapted from Chetan Bhagat’s novel Five Point Someone, 3 Idiots is a coming of age comedy-drama film directed and written by Rajkumar Hirani. The film narrates a story focused on the education system of the country and expectations of the parents. 3 Idiots also feature an exciting cast of Aamir Khan, R. Madhavan, and Sharman Joshi as the three idiots in the film. Kareena Kapoor plays the female lead, whereas Boman Irani and Omi Vaidya play supporting characters.
Jab We Met (2007)
Jab We Met is a Hindi romantic comedy featuring Shahid Kapoor and Kareena Kapoor in the lead roles. Directed by Imtiaz Ali, the film narrates a love story between a lively Punjabi girl and a depressed young businessman from Mumbai, who meet each other on a train. The rest of the film covers their journey together followed by a series of twists and comical events.
Rehna Hai Tere Dil Mein (2001)
Rehna Hai Tere Dil Mein is a romantic film directed by Gautham Menon. The film is a Hindi remake of the Tamil film Minnale directed by Menon, which was a huge hit. Unlike the Tamil version, Rehna Hai Tere Dil Mein failed to shine at the Box Office. However, the film gained a cult following throughout India among youngsters, all thanks to the blissful soundtrack composed by Harris Jayraj.
Gangs of Wasseypur (2012)
Gangs of Wasseypur is a two-part film series directed by Anurag Kashyap. The film is inspired by the coal mafia on Dhanbad and covers the power struggles, rivalry, politics, and retaliation. The films feature an ensemble cast of Manoj Bajpai, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Huma Qureshi, Tigmanshu Dhulia, and Richa Chadda in pivotal roles. Shot as a single film, Gangs of Wasseypur follows the events from the 1940s to 2000s. However, the five-hour long film seemed a bit too much in Indian theaters. Hence, the two parts of the film were released simultaneously.
Deewar (1975)
Deewar is a 1975 crime drama film portraying the rivalry between two brothers. Directed by Yash Chopra, the film features Amitabh Bachchan and Shashi Kapoor as the two brothers. Parveen Babi and Neetu Singh play the female lead, whereas Nirupa Roy plays the mother.
The film tells the story of two brothers, who grew up together but set off to different paths. They are pitted against each other when one of them becomes a Police Office while the other turns into a smuggler. The major highlight of the film is the phenomenal dialogues in Deewar delivered by Bachchan’s character throughout the movie.
Mr. India (1987)
Touted as the first pure Sci-Fi film in India, Mr. India is a superhero film featuring Anil Kapoor in the titular role. Directed by Shekhar Kapoor, Mr. India tells the story of Arun and a bunch of orphan kids whom he has adopted. Amidst all the struggles he faces daily, he comes across a gadget that can make a man invisible. Using this newly found power, Arun helps the poor and needy as a superhero figure called Mr. India. However, he isn’t aware of the fact that an insane General named Mogambo is also after the gadget. Whether Mogambo gets the device from Arun and uses it to conquer India or Arun manages to outwit the supervillain forms the rest of the story.
Mughal-e-Azam is an epic historical drama set at the backdrop of the Mughal Era. Directed by K. Asif, the film features a rivalry between Mughal Emperor Akbar and his son Salim after the Prince fall in love with a courtesan named Anarkali. The film stars Prithviraj Kapoor as Emperor Akbar, Dilip Kumar as Prince Salim, and Madhubala as Anarkali.
Dil Chahta Hai (2001)
Dil Chahta Hai is a comedy-drama film following the lives of three friends played by Aamir Khan, Saif Ali Khan, and Akshaye Khanna. Directed by Farhan Akhtar, the film tells the story of friendship, love, and heart desires. It depicts a story that makes us realize that love has no boundaries or restrictions. It’s an emotion and pure feeling that can’t be faked or subdued.
Directed by J.P. Dutta, Border is an Indian war drama based on the Battle of Longewala during the 1971 Indo-Pakistan war. The film features an ensemble cast of Sunny Deol, Sunil Shetty, Jackie Shroff, Akshaye Khanna, Tabu, and Pooja Bhatt in pivotal roles. The film tries to draw our attention to the sacrifices our soldiers make for our safety.
Munna Bhai M.B.B.S.
Munna Bhai M.B.B.S. is a comedy-drama film directed by debutant Rajkumar Hirani. The film tells the story of a gangster, who attends a medical school to become a doctor. Sanjay Dutt plays the titular character Munna Bhai, whereas Arshad Warsi plays his sidekick Circuit. The film tries to draw our attention towards the insincerity and insensitivity at the hospitals. Besides the incredible chemistry between Munna Bhai and Circuit, the film is also famous for beginning the trend of Jadoo Ki Jhappi (magical hug).
Hera Pheri is a Hindi comedy thriller film featuring Akshay Kumar, Sunil Shetty, and Paresh Rawal in the lead roles. Directed by Priyadarshan, the film is a Hindi remake of Malayalam super hit comedy Ramji Rao Speaking. The film tells the story of three people, who try to change their fortune after they receive a call from Kabeera with a ransom demand. The film revived the career of Akshay Kumar and established Paresh Rawal as a more prominent star in Bollywood.
Nayak (2001)
Directed by Shankar, Nayak is a political thriller film featuring Anil Kapoor in the lead role. The film is the Hindi remake of 1999 Tamil film Mudhalvan also directed by Shankar. The film tells the story of a young reporter, who is challenged to become Maharashtra CM for one day during a live interview with the CM himself. The reporter accepts the challenge and does exceptionally well during his tenure as the CM for a day and wins the hearts of the people. Rest of the film shows how he becomes a full-time CM and changes the face of Maharashtra state.
Gol Maal (1979)
Directed by Hrishikesh Mukherjee, Gol Maal is a Hindi comedy film released in 1979. The film tells the story of a young man, who gets caught in his lie and now, must act as himself as well as his non-existent twin brother. In the midst of covering up for this lie, he adds up more lies which turn into an immense chaos (Gol Maal) at the end. The film features Amol Palekar, Utpal Dutt, Bindiya Goswami, Dina Pathak, and Om Prakash in pivotal roles.
Over to you!
Well, here’s the list of most watched Bollywood movies that I can watch over and over again. Over the years, these films became cult favorites developing a cult following of its own. If you think, I missed adding your favorite movie in the list, then let us know in the comments below.
Rajeesh Nair is a true Gizmofreak and an addictive movie buff. He blogs at LifeBlender.com – a lifestyle Blogzine which focuses on general life related topics of the 21st Century.
