CINETURY - 100 Films for 100 Years of Indian Cinema

#1 Raja Harishchandra (1913)

This is where it all started for Indian cinema. After the Lumiere brothers made the first film ever in 1895, it was only a matter of time before the miracle of the moving image made its way to India. Dadasahev Phalke, the father of Indian Cinema as he is most rightly known, made this film after being inspired by a film strip on Christ which he saw at a theatre in Mumbai. Based on the legend of the righteous King Harishchandra, the 40-minute silent film marked the birth of cinema in India. The film was first screened for the public at Mumbai's Coronation Cinema in Girgaon. Initially frowned upon as ungodly and black magic, this film began a process that has led our country to become one of the largest producers of films in the world today.

Director: Dadasaheb Phalke

Cinematographer: Trymbak B. Telang

Cast: Dattatraya Damodar Dabke, Salunke Bhalachandra D. Phalke, G.V. Sane

#2 Keechaka Vadham (1918)

Continuing the trend of re-telling mythological tales in celluloid form, R Nataraja Mudaliar made Keechaka Vadham, based on a short story from the Mahabharata. The story set during the Pandavas' exile, depicts the killing of Keechaka at the hands of Bheem. Shot in less than five weeks, the film was released the following year and was well appreciated. What makes this now non-existent film special is that it was the first film made in southern India. Because Mudaliar was not himself a writer, he delegated the responsibility to close friend C Rangavadivelu. Although a silent film, the cast included all the local Tamilians, which is why the film is also considered one of the first Tamil films. The success it received upon release was tremendous, and it made way for what is now one of the largest regional film industry.

Director: R Nataraja Mudaliar

Writer: C Rangavadivelu

Cast: Jeevarathnam, R Nataraja Mudaliar, Raja Mudaliar

#3 Bilat Ferat (1921)

Our film industry is known to churn out romantic films by the dozen. And this 1921 NC Lahiri film is where it all began. The silent film produced by Dhirendranath Ganguly, who also starred in it, was the first known romantic film made in India. With kissing and other intimate scenes, the film was a sensation during its time. And while the audience enjoyed such scenes in foreign films, the fact that a local film had such "objectionable content" created a rave. Bilat Ferat, which stands for foreign returned in Bengali, was the story of a young man who returns from England and startles his family with his newly acquired notions on marriage and love.

Director: NC Lahiri

Producer: Dhirendranath Ganguly

Cast: Dhirendranath Ganguly, Manmatha Pal, Kunjalal Chakraborty, Sushilabala, Nripen Bose, Nitish Lahiri, Shishubala

#4 Prem Sanyas (1925)

Alternatively known as Light of Asia, this film based on Edwin Arnold's namesake book, was the first Indo-European co-production (India-Weimar Republic). Co-directed by Himanshu Rai, one of the bigger names in filmmaking of the era, along with German director Franz Austen, the film was a genuine co-production which saw a confluence of German technique and Indian artistes. The film, which stars Seeta Devi as Gopa and Himanshu himself as Gautama, tells the story of Prince Siddhartha, who sets out on a journey and gets enlightened to become Gautam Buddha. Dismantling the stereotypical portrayal of mythical India, which was a common custom in European films, Prem Sanyas tried to show the true India. With set designs being handled by Himanshu's wife and Indian cinema's first big heroine, Devika Rani, the film was well-received across the world. A restored print of the film was re-released in 2001.

Director: Himanshu Rai and Franz Austen

Producer: Great Eastern Film Corporation and Mchner Lichtspielkunst AG

Cast: Seeta Devi, Himansu Rai, Sarada Ukil

#5 Alam Ara (1931)

The enigma of cinema had grown old. From visual awe of a train running right at you and trickery of magician-filmmaker Georges Melies, cinema had moved on to telling stories through moving images. But, in 1929, when film Jazz Singer brought sound into films, it changed the industry forever. Within two years, the technology was in India as Ardeshir Irani released his film, which was India's first talkie. One of the biggest landmarks in Indian cinema, this was the first film that had songs. When the film opened at Majestic Cinema in Mumbai on March 14, 1931, the turnout was overwhelming. With a cast that included the great Prithviraj Kapoor and with music which became household tunes, Alam Ara was a milestone after which Indian cinema never looked back. A fire destroyed the last prints of this film.

Directors: Ardeshir Irani

Producers: Imperial Movietone

Music: Ferozshah M. Mistri

Cast: Master Vithal, Zubeida, Jilloo, Sushila, Prithviraj Kapoor

#6 Sairandhri (1933)

In the 1930s, the film industry became an industry in its truest sense. With big studios emerging in major cities, the process of making a film became more and more streamlined. At the same time, technical innovations brought something new to this nascent medium and filmmakers strove to incorporate the new techniques into their films. The Prabhat Film Company, led by Vishnupant Damle and V Shantaram, had something similar in mind when they made Sairandhri. The film, yet again with roots in Indian mythology, was India's first colour film. The film was processed and mixed in a lab Germany, however, due to some error in processing the negatives, the colours appeared too gaudy. The film did miserably at the box office for the same reason, but like all failures, it was a stepping stone to future achievements.

Director: V. Shantaram

Producer: Prabhat Film Company

Cast: Leela, Shakuntala Paranjpye and Master Vinayak

#7 Acchut Kanya (1936)

A wave of social consciousness hit the Indian film industry in the thirties with all big studios delving into topics of social relevance. From marriage reforms to social inequality, films became a metaphorical mirror of the society. Add to that some entertainment value and great music, and the audience accepted the lessons doled out to them in attractive packages. Franz Osten's Acchut Kanya was one such Hindi film which dealt with the sensitive issue of inter-caste marriages, which was then considered a taboo. Starring Devika Rani as an untouchable girl and Ashok Kumar as a Brahmin boy, the film, through its circular narrative, told a tragic story of two individuals whose love faces opposition from social norms.

Director: Franz Osten

Producer: Himanshu Rai

Writer: Niranjan Pal

Cast: Ashok Kumar, Devika Rani and others

#8 Sant Tukaram (1936)

Celebrating the legend of the great poet-saint from Maharashtra, the Prabhat Film Company made Sant Tukaram. Vishnupant Pagnis portrayed the role of Tukaram convincingly in the film, which was a big success. It chronicled the life of this sant set in the 15th century Bhakti movement wave in India. Tukaram's devotion is prominently visible in every frame of this landmark film. The scene where the saint takes off in a pushpak vimana was a production challenge and was executed with such perfection that overwhelmed everybody. Apart from the tremendous response it received in India, the film also holds the distinction of being the first Indian film to be screened internationally at the Venice International Film Festival in 1937. It was declared to be one of the three best films of that year.

Director: Vishnupant Govind Damle

Producer: Prabhat Film Company

Writer: Shivram Vashikar

Cast: Vishnupant Pagnis, Gauri, B. Nandrekar, Shankar Kulkarni, Shanta Majumdar

#9 Devdas (1936) 

The story of India's most celebrated tragedy and, by extension, most celebrated tragic hero, Devdas, based on Saratchandra Chattopadhyay's novel has been the muse of filmmakers for nearly a century now. It all started with a silent film in 1928, and went on to become a giant tidal wave with at least one film made in every language. Among Hindi films, the trend continued until Anurag Kashyap's modern day re-telling of the same in Dev D. That apart, the more talked about interpretations include the ones starring Dilip Kumar and Shah Rukh Khan. However, KL Saigal's version will always be remembered as the first and original Devdas. The singer-actor, with his peculiar nasal tone became an archetype based on which the entire period is measured.

Director: Prathamesh Chandra Barua

Writer: Sharat Chandra Chattopadhyay

Cast: Kundan Lal Saigal, Jamuna Barua, TR Rajkumari

#10 Duniya Na Mane (1937)

Adhering to its formula of success, the Prabhat Film Company made yet another film that made a comment on a critical social issue. The film, which had a Marathi double called Kunku, quite melodramatically explores the concepts of patriarchy, marriage and women's position. It is also one of the earliest attempts that covered the sensitive issue of widow remarriage. Criticised for its skewed vantage point where the woman is shown to possess all the good qualities while the man being unwaveringly rigid. For its time, the film was laced with some brilliant cinematic moments, visual as well as audio, such as the scene where a disgruntled Kakasaheb finds his reflection laughing at him through a broken mirror and the sequence where Shanta Apte breaks into song to tend her anguish and sings and English song A Psalm of Life by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.

Director: V Shantaram

Producer: Prabhat Film Company

Cinematographer: V Avadhoot

Writer: Narayan Hari Apte (novel and screenplay), Munshi Aziz (dialogue)

Cast: Shanta Apte, Keshavrao Date, Raja Nene, Vimala Vasistha, Shakuntala Paranjpye

#11 Mahal (1949)

One of the first and biggest blockbusters post-independence, Mahal, was Kamal Amrohi's debut film. The film provided Indian cinema with three important entities -- it was one of the earliest films to incorporate the concept of reincarnation, it had a great role in bringing Lata Mangeshkar to the centre stage and it brought on to the silverscreen a 16-year-old girl who, even today, is arguably the prettiest face we have seen on screen - Madhubala. A fresh supernatural suspense drama, the film became popular for its intriguing story and hauntingly beautiful songs, a few of which are evergreen classics.

Director and writer: Kamal Amrohi

Producer: Bombay Talkies, Ashok Kumar

Music: Khemchand Prakash

Cast: Ashok Kumar, Madhubala

#12 Shree 420 (1955)

A new force emerged from within the industry as news across the world stated that Charlie Chaplin had an Indian twin. After his success through Awaara, Raj Kapoor hit the screens yet again with his Chaplinesque innocence in Shree 420, where he plays an educated orphan who is poor and comes to Mumbai to chase his dreams. A plotline that was relevant to an aspiring India, Shree 420 is a tale of how an honest man freefalls into becoming a trickster when subjected to a dishonest environment. Shankar-Jaikishen's music was a big hit with several timeless classics in its soundtrack. Mera Joota Hai Japani, written by Shailendra, even today, is one of the best cultural criticisms of the period. The song Pyar Hua Ikraar Hua, which still features on the playlists of hopeless romantics, is also from this film, which had the celebrated star couple of Raj Kapoor and Nargis.

Director: Raj Kapoor

Producer: RK studios

Music: Shankar-Jaikishan

Cast: Raj Kapoor, Nargis, Nadira

#13 Do Bigha Zamin (1953)

With a great influence of Italian Neo-realism from films like Di Sica's Bicycle Thieves and Shoe Shine, and building on the socialist wave in the country at that time, Bimal Roy's Do Bigha Zamin took Indian cinema onto a never-before-travelled path. Starring the great Balraj Sahni and the official face of Hindi cinema's mother, Nirupa Roy; the film narrated the anguish of a farmer who loses his land and migrates to the city, only to face more hardships to make ends meet. Salil Choudhury's soulful compositions voiced by Manna De, Mohammed Rafi and Lata Mangeshkar; the film paints a harsh picture of the reality. Winner of the first-ever Filmfare award, Do Bigha Zamin is a landmark film which can be argued to be the spark that created the fire of Indian Parallel Cinema. A rarity in its decade, this piece of work inspired the filmmakers of the next generation when the New-wave in Indian cinema really took off.

Director: Bimal Roy

Writers: Salil Choudhury (Story), Hrishikesh Mukherjee (Screenplay)

Music: Salil Choudhury

Cast: Balraj Sahni, Nirupa Roy, Ratan Kumar, Jagdeep, Murad, Nana Palsikar and Meena Kumari

#14 CID (1956)

A film made to keep one half of a promise between friends trying to break into the industry, Raj Khosla's CID will always be known as a bookmark of the illustrious friendship between Dev Anand and Guru Dutt. Having fulfilled his promise by letting Guru Dutt direct Baazi, CID was Dutt's payback to Dev Anand. However, Dutt only produced this suspense thriller. Some of the major highlights were Mumbai's anthem Ae Dil Hai Mushkil Jeena Yahan from the melodious composer OP Nayyar and one of Guru Dutt's finest finds, Waheeda Rehman, who played a crucial supporting role as a preparation for her big role in Pyaasa. The film was also the debut of Bhanu Athaiya, the costume designer, who went on to become the first Indian to win an Academy Award for Gandhi.

Director: Raj Khosla

Producer: Guru Dutt

Music: OP Nayyar

Cast: Dev Anand, Shakila, Waheeda Rehman, Johnny Walker

#15 Meghe Dhaka Tara (1960)

One of India's most critically acclaimed directors, Ritwik Ghatak is seen as one of the strong pillars of alternative Indian cinema, as his films stood a clear shade apart from the mainstream films that were being produced in Mumbai then. A part of the trilogy, Meghe Dhaka Tara was the first of the three films (followed by Komal Gandhar and Subarnarekha); all of which dealt with life after India's partition. The down right realism with which the script was written and performed by the likes of Supriya Choudhury, overwhelmed the audience that had never seen this side of cinema. In the 60s, the film was seen as a pessimistic view of the country, harping on poverty and the plight of the downtrodden. However, one of Ghatak's most viewed film Meghe Dhaka Tara was released theatrically in France (as Cloud Capped Star) in 1990 and his craftsmanship and timeless storytelling was appreciated all across the world.

Director: Ritwik Ghatak

Producer: Chitrakalpa

Cinematographer:?Dinen Gupta

Cast: Supriya Choudhury, Anil Chatterjee, Niranjan Ray, Gita Ghatak, Bijon Bhattacharya, Gita Dey, Dwiju Bhawal, Gyanesh Mukherjee and Ranen Ray Choudhury

#16 Pather Panchali (1955)

With a great influence of Rabindranath Tagore on his work, Satyajit Ray was, and still remains one of the few masters in film making. His debut film, Pather Panchali, was based on the book by Bibhutibhushan Bandopadhyay and was the first among the Apu trilogy. The poetic film, laced with impeccable visuals, told the story of a little boy coming of age and conveyed all its dark emotions in an audio-visual language that the entire world could understand. Inspiring the generations to follow, Pather Panchali is one of the finest films in the world today and is not only appreciated by critics and film enthusiasts, but makes an integral study material for all students of the visual media. Due to its legendary success, Subir Banerjee, who played Apu, became one of world cinema's most loved children. Celebrating the art of visual storytelling, the film combines the crisp visuals with the inseparable music, composed by Sitar legend Pt Ravi Shankar. With reams and reams written about every single frame in the film, it remains the most celebrated Indian film in the world.

Director: Satyajit Ray

Producer: Satyajit Ray

Cinematographer: Subrata Mitra

Music: Pt Ravi Shankar

Cast: Subir Banerjee, Kanu Banerjee, Karuna Banerjee, Uma Dasgupta, Chunibala Devi and Tulsi Chakrabarti

 

#17 Mr & Mrs 55 (1955)

One of the earliest occurrences of two lovers confessing their feelings for one another at the airport, this was one of the rare romantic comedies from the man known for his tragedies like Kaagaz Ke Phool and Pyaasa. The film stars Guru Dutt himself, as a cartoon artist, and Madhubala, as a haughty rich girl. OP Nayyar's compositions for this film, bound by the carefree lyrics of Majruh Sultanpuri, sets a great mood for the romance. The cartoons used in the film by Dutt's character, which were drawn by the legendary artist RK Laxman, helped Dutt to express some social criticism in an unassuming manner. Madhubala and Dutt, both died early deaths and hence Mr & Mrs 55 remains with us like a thin strand of legacy that is worth holding onto. A man for whom his art was a part of living and not merely an interest, it is satisfying to see that some of his films have a happy ending.

Director: Guru Dutt

Producer: Guru Dutt

Cinematographer: VK Murthy

Music: OP Nayyar

Lyrics: Majruh Sultanpuri

Cast: Guru Dutt, Madhubala, Lalita Pawar, Johnny Walker

#18 Mother India (1957)

A remake of Mehboob Khan's pre-independence film Aurat, Mother India was an improvement both in terms of technique and metaphor. Nargis, playing the lead role of Radha, was a direct metaphor for the country after independence. A tragic tale of a mother who pulls through the toughest of times, Mother India is a film of epic proportions. Naushad's compositions of songs like 'Duniya Me Hum Aye Hain Toh' left millions weeping inside the cinema halls and the depth of the tragedy can raise goosebumps even today. One of the greatest films of its times and ours, Mother India took Hindi cinema to the world becoming India's first entry into the foreign films category at the Academy Awards. Not only did it set the trend for Hindi cinema to follow in the decades to come, the film also earned itself a place in an Indian viewer's hall of fame of the few films (you know the names), which we can watch innumerable times.

Director: Mehboob Khan

Producer: Mehboob Productions

Music: Naushad

Cast: Nargis, Sunil Dutt, Rajendra Kumar, Raaj Kumar

#19 Kismet (1943)

Perhaps the greatest pre-independence hit, Gyan Mukherjee's Kismet is just another feather in the caps of the big players of the Indian film industry, the Bombay Talkies. One of the first major studios of India, Bombay Talkies had produced several remarkable films in the 1930s. However, this film was made after the death of Himanshu Rai, who was the man behind Bombay Talkies. Made in the 40s, the film is attributed to be India's first double-role character movie and had a couple of themes that raised a few eyebrows during the time. The fact that the protagonist was an anti-hero was an industry first, and with themes like pre-marital pregnancy, the film is a roller-coaster ride about fate and love. Another memorable product of this film was the patriotic song, 'Duur hato o duniyawaalo, Hindustan hamara hai', which was quite a statement in the colonial era.

Director: Gyan Mukherjee

Producer: Bombay Talkies

Writer: Gyan Mukherjee

Music: Anil Biswas

Lyrics: Kavi Pradeep

Cast: Ashok Kumar, Mumtaz Shanti, Shah Nawaz

#20 Nagrik (1952)

Marking his arrival into cinema, Nagrik was the first of many legendary films written and directed by Ritwik Ghatak. Applauded for his command over the medium, the visual story-teller began his journey with Nagrik, a melodramatic tale of an identity crisis faced by the refugees from East Bengal. However, as Ghatak never really believed melodrama to be mutually exclusive from realism, most of his works do show a certain adherence to it as a treatment. Cinematographically noir, the theme of the film has no noirism and has stylistic portrayals of hopelessness, defeat, humiliations, endurance among others. Preceding Pather Panchali, it is perhaps India's advent into looking at cinema as an art. The film also predates many path-breaking European films like L'Etranger, Look Back in Anger; but because it was not widely watched, these films have been credited with many innovations that Nagrik brought to films.

Director: Ritwik Ghatak

Producer: Film Guild

Cinematographer: Ramananda Sengupta

Cast: Satindra Bhattacharya, Prova Debi, Kali Banerjee, Sova Sen, Ketaki Dutta, Geeta Shome, Ajit Banerjee, Keshto Mukherjee

#21 The Postmaster (1961)

The Postmaster is one of Satyajit Ray's most influential works. Based on Rabindranath Tagore's short story, the film tells the story of a postmaster Nandalal, who has been placed in the village for a brief time dreams of returning to Calcutta, but while he is here, he decides to teach his caretaker, Ratan, how to read and write. Ratan, on the other hand, tends to him when he falls sick and serves him well. However, when Nandalal leaves, he leaves Ratan heartbroken and doesn't realise how attached she had gotten to him. He offers her money for her service but she feels offended. The Postmaster, is a simple story of a complex relation between Nandalal (Anil Chatterjee) and Ratan (Chandana Banerjee), who is his mother, sister, friend and sole companion. A part of the Teen Kanya trilogy; along with Monihara, a haunting tale about a lost jewelry box; and Samapti, a beautiful coming-of-age story; this 60 minute film is an iconic piece of art. The Postmaster is a film that best represents the trilogy, as well as Ray's ability to take local and make it palatable globally.

Director: Satyajit Ray

Writer: Rabindranath Tagore (original story)

Cast:Chandana Banerjee, Anil Chatterjee

#22 Pyaasa (1957)

Originally titled Kashmakash, Pyaasa is the story of a cynical poet and his existential struggles with the society which he is a part of. Sahir Ludhianvi's moving lyrics about the despair, anguish and plight of a social pariah; from the nationalist, socialist Jinhe Naaz Hai HindPar Woh Kahaan Hain to the downright cynical Jalaa Do Yeh Duniya and Jaane Woh Kaise Log The; coupled with SD Burman's soulful compositions in Mohammed Rafi's voice; make this Guru Dutt film look like poetry on screen. The film was Waheeda Rehman's big break in the film industry and her fascinating character of Gulabo, who "shauk ke liye pyaar karti hai aur aaram ke liye pyar bechti hai" was beautifully portrayed. Perhaps his best film, Guru Dutt's imagery of portraying himself as Christ and the deep metaphors for crucifixion take the film to a different level altogether. In more ways than one,Guru Dutt, with all his unresolved anger in Pyaasa, is the real Angry Young Man of Hindi cinema ?a concept that would be born more than a decade later.

Director: Guru Dutt

Producer: Guru Dutt Films

Writer: Abrar Alvi

Music: SD Burman

Lyrics: Sahir Ludhianvi

Cast: Guru Dutt, Waheeda Rehman, Mala Sinha, Johnny Walker

#23 Madhumati (1958)

With a soundtrack that could independently be an evergreen playlist on its own; and the likes of Lata Mangeshkar, Mohammed Rafi, Manna De and Mukesh lending their voice to classics such as Aaja Re Pardesi, Dil Tadap Tadap Ke, Suhana Safar Aur Yeh Mausam Haseen and Tute Huye Khwaabon Ne; Bimal Roy's Madhumati is a landmark in Indian cinema. Known for its peculiar plot about reincarnation, this venture, which was the sole collaboration between Roy and RitwikGhatak, starred superstar of the 50s, Dilip Kumar oppositeVaijayanthimala and Pran played the iconic role of Ugranarayan, thebad guy. A plot so fascinating that it was revised and reused manytimes in the future, in films like Om Shanti Om and Rishi Kapoorstarrer Janam Janam. Ghatak's story with dark overtones, handledvery responsibly by Bimal Roy, renders it a gothic-noir touch whichleaves the audience with goosebumps at crucial points in thenarrative. A huge success at the box office, Madhumati was, is andalways will be a film which you watch once and remember even in yournext life.

Director: Bimal Roy

Writer: Abrar Alvi

Music: SalilChoudhury

Lyrics: Shailendra

Cast: DilipKumar, Vaijayanthimala, Johnny Walker, Pran

#24 Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi (1958)

Kishore Kumar is perhaps one of the greatest figures in Indian cinema in terms of versatility and Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi is the best representative of all that he could do on screen and off it. The film sees Kishore Kumar alongside his brothers Anoop and Ashok Kumar and opposite Madhubala. The film is loved for its simplistic comedy and the incredible songs, most of which were sung by the duo of Kishore Kumar and Asha Bhosale. Ek Ladki Bheegi Bhaagi Si, Paanch Rupaiyya Barah Aana, Babu Samjho Ishaare, Hum The Woh Thi, Main Sitaron Ka Tarana and some other songs which were composed by SD Burman at his peak and written by Majrooh Sultanpuri. Kishore Kumar's on screen chemistry with future wife Madhubala was absolutely charming and his ability to entertain, one way or another, made him extremely popular and delightful. The success of this film germinated an idea for yet another film for the three brothers, with a title that rhymed ?Badhti Ka Naam Daadhi.

Director: Satyen Bose

Producer: Anoop Sharma

Music: SD Burman

Lyrics: Majrooh Sultanpuri

Cast: Kishore Kumar, Madhubala, Ashok Kumar, Anoop Kumar

#25 Mughal-e-Azam (1960)

Starring Dilip Kumar, Madhubala and Prithviraj Kapoor; requiring over a decade to complete itself; laden with war sequences that have elephants andhorses, dance numbers, memorable dialogues and fancy costumes; K Asif's Mughal-e-Azam was well and truly the epitome of the lavishness of an Indian epic. At one point, this film looked like it would never be made due to the socio-political situation in the country. Even after the production began, there were several hurdles that the film overcame to finally become the outstanding legend that it is. With one of the best and evergreen soundtracks in the Hindi film industry, the music and lyrics of songs like Pyaar Kiya Toh Darna Kya and others have inspired and influenced a lot of works in the future. Based on fictional history, the film is an account of a father-son conflict over love. A great success at the box office, Mughal-e-Azam is considered one of the classic Hindi films to be ever made and is one of the front running representatives of Indian cinema in the West.

Director: K Asif

Producer: Shapoorji Pallonji

Music: Naushad

Cast: Prithviraj Kapoor, Dilip Kumar, Madhubala, Durga Khote

#26 Charulata (1964)

Yet another masterstroke from Satyajit Ray, Charulata is a re-telling of a novella titled Nastanirh (The Broken Nest) by Rabindranath Tagore, whose stories were Ray's biggest muse. The film, set in 1870s Calcutta, tells the story of a lonely housewife, Charu, played by Madhabi Mukherjee; whose husband runs a newspaper and is always engulfed in his work. The redundant, sheltered and wealthy life, gets too boring for Charu and requests her husband's cousin, Amal to keep her company. She soon develops sexual feelings for him, which results in a lot of complications and eventual humiliation. The story is said to be loosely based on Tagore's life. Ray's command over the audio-visual medium gives the film a global quality. Expressing a lot through camera movements, motifs and symbols, Ray designs the story as a whole, rather than the characters merely acting out the plot.

Director: Satyajit Ray

Producer: RDB Productions

Writer: Rabindranath Tagore (original novella)

Cast: Soumitra Chatterjee, Madhabi Mukherjee, Sailen Mukherjee, Syamal Goshal

#27 Hum Dono (1961)

Dev Anand, with a cigarette in his hand sang in the voice of Mohammed Rafi, "Main Zindagi Ka Saath Nibhata Chala Gaya" and propagated the philosophy of a carefree lifestyle that every Indian longed for. This Amarjeet film was about a case of mistaken identity. Dev Anand plays the double role as Mahesh Anand and Major Varma, both of whom are in the Indian Army. During a mission in the World War II, Major Varma goes missing, and coincidentally, the responsibility to break the news to Varma's family falls upon Mahesh, leading to unavoidable complications in his life. The film, which was a big hit, was primarily known for its soundtrack, composed by Jaidev. It consisted of songs like Abhi Na Jao Chhod Kar and Kabhi Khud Par Kabhi Haalat Par, all of which had a signature tune that was blended into every song in the film. On the occasion of its 50th anniversary, the film was colorized and re-released in 2011 and received an equally overwhelming response.

Director: Amarjeet

Producer: Navketan Films

Music: Jaidev

Cast: Dev Anand, Nanda, Sadhana, Leela Chitnis

#28 Mujhe Jeene Do (1963) 

After Indian filmmakers had found a link between the superhit Hollywood westerns, like Good Bad Ugly and Once Upon a Time In The West, and the ongoing dacoity menace in India; a new genre was born. After the success of Ganga Jamuna and Jis Desh Mein Ganga Behti Hai, Moni Bhattacharjee's Mujhe Jeene Do brought a fresh humanist perspective to the genre that portrayed dacoits as a menace. Sunil Dutt and Waheeda Rehman showcasing their acting prowess, make this film memorable. Shot on location in Chamba under police protection, Mujhe Jeene Do is a classic narrative about how love can bring positive change in the hardest of men.

Director: Moni Bhattacharjee

Producer: Ajanta Arts

Writer: Aghajani Kashmiri

Music: Jaidev

Lyrics: Sahir Ludhianvi

Cast: Sunil Dutt, Waheeda Rehman, Nirupa Roy, Mumtaz, Rajendranath

#29 Waqt (1965)

This trendsetter of a film gave Indian cinema a lot of firsts. However, its most important contribution to the fraternity was that it announced the arrival of one of India's biggest filmmakers, Yash Chopra. He had made his debut with Dhool Ka Phool; but with Waqt he got a boost and never looked back. Setting a benchmark with all his films, Chopra brought the concept of multi-starrers and the khoya-paaya formula in Waqt, both of which became a secret to box office success. Besides that, the music by Ravi, gave some memorable hits in the voice of Manna Dey (Ae Meri Zohra Jabeen), Asha Bhosale (Aage Bhi Jaane Na Tu) and a few duets featuring Asha and Mahendra Kapoor (Hum Jab Simat Ke Aapki). Sahir Ludhianvi's prowess over Urdu on exhibition yet again.

Director: Yash Chopra

Producer: BR Chopra

Music: Ravi

Lyrics: Sahir Ludhianvi

Cast: Balraj Sahni, Achala Sachdev, Sunil Dutt, Sadhana, Raj Kumar, Shashi Kapoor, Sharmila Tagore

#30 Teesri Manzil (1966)

After delivering his peculiar performances in previous Nasir Hussain films like Tumsa Nahi Dekha and Dil Deke Dekho; the fact that Shammi Kapoor starred once again in Hussain's Teesri Manzil was happy accident. Nasir had approached the Anand duo (Vijay and Dev Anand) to direct and act respectively. However, Dev Anand was not available at the time which meant superstar Shammi Kapoor paired once again with Asha Parekh in one of Hindi cinema's biggest thrillers. The film perhaps had the best soundtrack of the decade, with Mohd Rafi pairing up with Asha Bhosle to sing the songs written by Majrooh Sultanpuri and composed by, what came to be a revolution in Hindi film music, RD Burman. All the six songs in the soundtrack, which included O Haseena Zulfon Wali, Aaja Aaja Mai Hoon Pyar Tera, O Mere Sona Re and Deewana Mujhsa Nahi are superhits and are a part of many an antakshari games played in every home in the country, even today. The film also brought Helen in the limelight as the perpetual cabaret dancer, a plot element that has never left Hindi films since.

Director: Vijay Anand

Producer: Nasir Hussain

Music: RD Burman Lyrics: Majrooh Sultanpuri

Cast: Shammi Kapoor, Asha Parekh, Premnath, Prem Chopra, Iftekaar, Helen

#31 Bandini (1963)

After Devdas and Do Bigha Zamin, Bimal Roy gave yet another film for all cinema lovers to cherish with Bandini. Starring Nutan in the role of an archetypal Indian woman who is both strong and weak at the same time, the film saw her deliver one of her finest performances. Opposite her, were Ashok Kumar and a very promising Dharmendra (before he became the proverbial 'He Man'). The film narrated the story of a woman's predicament and dealt with the issues related to the interpersonal conflicts of love and hate. SD Burman's music brings alive the characters as well as the narrative, and although most of the film's songs were written by Shailendra, Bandini will always be remembered for giving us the magical poet, Gulzar. However reluctant he may have been in turning to writing lyrics for films, Sachin Da convinced him to write Mora Gora Ang Lai Le, which he did in less than five days and the rest, as they say, is history.

Director: Bimal Roy

Music: SD Burman

Lyrics: Shailendra, Gulzar

Cast: Nutan, Dharmendra, Ashok Kumar

#32 Guide (1965)

Based on a book by RK Narayan, this is one of Indian cinema's most celebrated masterpieces. Directed by Vijay Anand, the film stars his brother Dev Anand in the lead yet again opposite Waheeda Rehman. A complex journey of a character, from being a petty thief, to a guide, to a gambler, and finally a sage, Guide is a film of epic proportions. Fairly inconsistent in terms of production, the film is magnificent in certain parts. The highlight of the film was yet another chartbuster soundtrack composed by SD Burman, who arguably is one of the finest composer in Indian film history. The 10 song collective was made up of evergreen hits like Aaj Phir Jeene Ki Tamanna, Tere Mere Sapne, Gaata Rahe Mera Dil and more, in the voices of Rafi, Lata Mangeshkar, Kishore Da and Manna De; and the film also featured Wahan Kaun Hai Tera a rare song sung by Sachin Da himself. Guide was also India's official entry to the 38th Academy Awards, and since it provided an ending that is different than the one in the original story, the film received a mixed response to some extent.

Director: Vijay Anand

Producer: Dev Anand

Music: SD Burman

Lyrics: Shailendra

Cast: Dev Anand, Waheeda Rehman, Leela Chitnis

#33 Mahanagar (1964)

Set in 1950s Calcutta, Mahanagar showed India in a rather urban setting (vis-a-vis other Satyajit Ray films). It also addressed a new set of issues that the conservative Indian family faced with post- independence urbanisation. Madhabi Mukherjee plays the lead as a housewife who defies tradition and gets a job as a salesperson. The film, in Ray's trademark realist style, explores the difficulty she faces from her family; how she has an uphill task against the society and succeeds with a little support from her husband who later grows insecure. The film was made in the initial days of a growing debate when India had no clue of what lay ahead in terms of the societal structure and the necessary adaptations that the shift would bring. Highlighted by a strong performance by Madhabi, the film also saw the first screen appearance of Jaya Bhaduri as Bani, who would later become a big name in Hindi cinema.

Director: Satyajit Ray

Writer: (Original Short Story) Narendranath Mitra

Cast:Anil Chatterjee, Madhabi Mukherjee, Jaya Bhaduri, Vicky Redwood, Sefalika Devi, Haren Chatterjee

#34 Padosan (1968)

Probably the most hilarious comedy film in the history of Hindi films, this Jyoti Swaroop film based on a Bengali story, went all out in trying totickle the audience's funny bone. Starring Sunil Dutt as Bhola and Saira Banu as Bindu, the film had a cast ensemble that was made up of every known comedian in the industry at that time. Mehmood and Kishore Kumar leading the charge, the film also had Mukri, Raj Kishore and Keshto Mukherjee in supporting roles. During its making, the word around was that NC Sippy and Mehmood were playing a hugegamble by investing in this venture. But the gamble paid off and how. The film is a series of hilarious sequences one after the other which never really grow old. These sequences were made further amusing by RD Burman's memorable compositions ranging from the romantic Kehna Hai to the epic vocal duel between Manna Dey and Kishore Da in Ek Chatur Naar.

Director: Jyoti Swaroop

Producer: Mehmood, NC Sippy

Writer: Rajendra Krishan (screenplay, dialogues, lyrics)

Music: RD Burman

Cast: Sunil Dutt, Saira Banu, Mehmood, Kishore Kumar

#35 Bhuvan Shome (1969)

Before Indian cinema divided itself into two water-tight compartments in the 70s, Mrinal Sen produced a film that was experimental in terms of its content and artistic in terms of its presentation; but nonetheless, it was entertaining like any other mainstream film of that time. The film is about a lonely widower Bhuvan Shome, a shrewd bureaucrat who lives for his work in an attempt to shun all human contact. While on a duck hunt, he comes across a peasant woman (played by Suhasini Mulay) who helps him when he is treed by a buffalo, in one of the most memorable scenes from the film. Shome, played marvelously by Utpal Dutt, then learns that people are more than just numbers and have feelings. Mrinal Sen, through this simple film has managed not only to entertain us, but also give a handy lesson in the importanceof extending empathy towards others. The film also has Amitabh Bachchan in one of his earliest roles as the narrator, a role which many might agree, is tailor made for him.

Director: Mrinal Sen

Producer: Mrinal Sen

Writer: Balai Chand Mukhopadhyay

Music: Vijay Raghav Rao

Cast: Utpal Dutt, Suhasini Mulay

#36 Bobby (1973)

This Raj Kapoor film was a trendsetter in more ways than one. Before this, Indian film heroes were always played by actors in their 30s or late 20s. But Bobby changed the notion about the romantic genre by bringing to the audience a never-before-seen teenage romance. The film starred a young pair of Rishi Kapoor and Dimple Kapadia, both making their debuts; however, Rishi Kapoor had played a cameo in Mera Naam Joker before this film. Battling a class divide, it captured the naivete of an innocent love affair with tremendous grace. The chocolate boy and the bold girl, flirting to Laxmikant Pyarelal's youthful melodies worded by Anand Bakshi, highlighted the freshness of the story. Songs like Hum Tum Ek Kamre Me Band Ho and Main Shayar Toh Nahin have not only survived the test of time, but have also managed to remain young through the decades. The film was a huge hit and was one of the highest grossing films in Hindi cinema's most happening decade ?the 1970s.

Director: Raj Kapoor

Producer: RK Films

Lyrics: Anand Bakshi

Music: Laxmikant-Pyarelal

Cast: Rishi Kapoor, Dimple Kapadia, Prem Nath, Durga Khote, Pran

#37 Pinjra (1972)

In a career that spanned over six decades, V Shantaram, who began as an actor in 1923, went onto become one of the most pioneering filmmakers in Indian cinema. He made his directorial debut in 1927 with Netaji Palekar and the last film he made was Jhanjhar, in 1987. However, considering the graph of his illustrious?career, it is fair to categorise Pinjra as his swansong. The film, which stars Dr Shreeram Lagoo as the Master, Sandhya as a tamasha dancer in a troupe governed by a leader (Nilu Phule), explores the themes of love, relationships and morality. Through its setting, the film paints a great picture of a tamasha; with the help of a well-orchestrated soundtrack by Ram Kadam, and uses the folk form as a deep metaphor for the lives of these characters. The film focuses on Lagoo's characters' predicament of being torn between his innate urges and his public image; and shows how he has to make the difficult decision of either dying an ideal man or continuing to live, by becoming a slave to his desires.

Director: V Shantaram

Writer: Shankar Babaji Patil

Music: Ram Kadam

Cast: Shreeram Lagoo, Sandhya, Nilu Phule

#38 Swayamvaram (1972)

A new wave emerged in the film industry after the establishment of film schools; and one of the products of this new culture, was a writer-director from Kerala, Adoor Gopalakrishnan. Swayamvaram, his debut feature film is labelled by many as the Pather Panchali of its time. And they are not completely out of line in saying so, as the writer places his interests in clear view and at the same time, narrates that story in a peculiar manner, which was neglected by the predominant mainstream. Surpassing the trending melodrama, the film explores the themes of choice and narrates a tale of a couple married against their parents' will. Said to have pioneered the New Wave movement in Malayalam cinema, Swayamvaram, which won four National Awards, and received a mixed response from the audience, which, even today, likes a certain kind of cinema more than the other.

Director: Adoor Gopalakrishnan

Producer: Chitralekha Film Co-operative

Music: MB Sreenivasan

Cinematographer: Mankada Ravi Varma

Cast: Madhu, Sharada, Adoor Bhavani, KPAC Lalitha, Thikkurisi Sukumaran Nair, Bharath Gopi

#39 Garm Hawa (1973)

The film ends with a Kaifi Azmi shayari, that reads, “Jo duur se toofan ka karte hai nazara, unke liye toofan vahan bhi hai yahan bhi...Daare me jo mil jaoge ban jaoge daara, yeh waqt ka ailaan vahan bhi hai yahan bhi.” Co-written by Azmi and Shama Zaidi, Garm Hawa was an intense story of a Muslim family in post-partition India, fighting to earn their rights in a country which was once their own. Showcasing moving performances by Balraj Sahni, Shaukat Azmi, Geeta Siddharth and the rest; the film was a poetic comment on the tough socio-political changes of the time. The film not only re-creates the era, but transports you to it and you get acquainted to the characters, and as you grow fond of them, you are given a strong insight into their lives.

Director: MS Sathyu

Producer: Indikino

Writer: Kaifi Azmi, Shama Zaidi

Music: Aziz Ahmed, Bahadur Khan, Khan Warsi

Cinematographer: Ishan Arya

Cast: Balraj Sahni, Farooq Shaikh, Dinanath Zutshi, Badar Begum, Geeta Siddharth, Shaukat Azmi, A. K. Hangal

#40 Saamna (1974)

Following the trend that let new-age filmmakers to detach themselves from the rut of mainstream cinema; a new group of makers had emerged in almost all regions of India. Jabbar Patel's Saamna is one of the films that broke the monotony that had the industry had gotten used to. Saamna is a story of facing demons; not only the ones in society but those within. With powerful performances by Shriram Lagoo and Nilu Phule as Master and Hindurao Dhonde Patil respectively, along with great supporting roles by Mohan Agashe and Smita Patil; the film is a dark comment on the dilemmas faced by every individual, and questions the standards on which our morality is based. One of the most important films in Marathi cinema, it was one of the initial experiments which later became a part of the larger, nationwide parallel cinema movement.

Director: Jabbar Patel

Producer: Ramdas Phutane, Madhav Shinde

Writers: Jabbar Patel, Vijay Tendulkar

Music: Bhaskar Chandavarkar

Cast: Mohan Agashe, Nilu Phule, Shriram Lagoo, Smita Patil

#41 Sholay (1975)

Made in Indian cinema's blockbuster year, Sholay has now transcended the limits of being a film. It has become an element that flows in the blood of every Indian. Written by the hit duo of Salim Khan and Javed Akhtar, this Ramesh Sippy film was the beginning of the Western genre in India. The landmark film was also the first instance of an Indian movie adapting Kurosawa's plot structure of hiring men for a task. Sholay gave India its first supervillain in Gabbar Singh, played by debutante Amjad Khan; and Jai and Viru, played by Amitabh and Dharmendra, are the 'go to' example of a strong friendship. Also, after Al Pacino in The Godfather, it is only Thakur's revenge that anybody in India took seriously. This record-breaking film, in all its glory, is the simplest way to show the world how seriously we take our cinema. So much so, that even today, a ten-year-old will be able to cite examples, and quote dialogues from this film; which was made when his father was 10 years old.

Director: Ramesh Sippy

Producer: GP Sippy

Writers: Salim-Javed

Music: RD Burman

Cast: Amitabh Bachchan, Dharmendra, Amjad Khan, Sanjeev Kumar, Hema Malini, Jaya Bhaduri, Mac Mohan, Viju Khote, AK Hangal, Helen, Sachin Pilgaokar, Jagdeep, Asrani

#42 Deewaar (1975)

Made in the same year as Sholay, this film, which won 7 Filmfare awards, is testimony to Yash Chopra's showmanship. Written by the incredible duo of Salim-Javed, Deewaar was another proof that they had successfully figured out the recipe for a blockbuster. An emotional action-drama with just the right amount of romance; Deewaar has the perfect mix for being a complete entertainer. A plot that focuses on the moral conflict between two brothers also dwells on the characters' internal conflicts and predicaments. The film crowned Amitabh as the angry-young-man who not only waited for a bunch of goons in their own lair, but doesn't even think twice before confronting god. With dialogues and scenes that have stood the test of time; Deewaar is an apple of the Indian cinephiles' eye ?from the 'billa no. 786' to the 'mere paas maa hai' scene; and from Vijay's 'mera baap chor hai' tattoo to his anguish in 'jao pehle uss aadmi ka sign le ke aao', Deewaar is an immortal part of Indian cinema.

Director: Yash Chopra

Producer: Gulshan Rai

Writers: Salim Javed

Music: RD Burman

Cast: Amitabh Bachchan, Shashi Kapoor, Parveen Babi, Neetu Singh, Nirupa Roy and others

#43 Amar Akbar Anthony (1977)

Based on Hindi cinema's pet formula of lost-and-found, this Manmohan Desai film is a bookmark in the chapter of Indian cinema that proves how the melodrama, emotions and magic in the narrative causes a willing suspension of disbelief in the minds of the audience. In a period where movie-going was not a regular passtime but an event in itself, it was expected that films provide a larger-than-life experience that would overwhelm the audience; and Amar Akbar Anthony is perhaps one of the most successful films on that count. The story of three separated blood brothers (played by Amitabh Bachchan, Rishi Kapoor and Vinod Khanna), who are raised in different faiths, grow up as three completely different people, but are bound by fate to cross each others' paths and later reunite with their long-lost mother (played by the perennial maternal figure of Nirupa Roy). From the lively Kishore Kumar number My Name Is Anthony Gonsalves to Rafi's qawwali Parda Hai Parda and a Sai Baba bhajan; Laxmikant-Pyarelal composed a soundtrack that perfectly represented the vastness of the film.

Director: Manmohan Desai

Writer: Prayag Raj, Kader Khan

Music: Laxmikant-Pyarelal

Cast: Amitabh Bachchan, Vinod Khanna, Rishi Kapoor, Parveen Babi, Neetu Singh, Shabana Azmi, Nirupa Roy, Pran, Jeevan, Ranjeet

#44 Bhumika (1977)

One of the major flag-bearers of the alternative cinema movement in the 70s,Shyam Benegal made films that he believed in and told his stories without adhering to the standards that were prevalent in the industry at the time. Starting off with Ankur in 1973, he carved a niche for himself with his own brand of realism and a peculiar manner of underlining emotions. Working with a set of actors that have now become the faces of Indian parallel cinema, Benegal's cinema can be considered a genre on its own. Bhumika, which was loosely based onthe life of Hansa Wadkar, a flambuoyant actress from the 40s, was written by Benegal along with playwright Satyadev Dubey. The journey of a woman from being a vivacious teenager to being a wise yet scarred middle-aged woman portrayed with immense integrity by Smita Patil is the highlight of this film.

Director: Shyam Benegal

Writer: Satyadev Dubey, Shyam Benegal

Cinematographer: Govind Nihalani

Cast: Smita Patil, Anant Nag, Amol Palekar

#45 Shatranj Ke Khiladi (1977)

By the time Ray made Shatranj Ke Khiladi, it was evident that his films were an acquired taste and only a few faithful audiences really went ahead to acquire that taste. One of the rare films by the master, that has its dialogues in Hindi and Urdu instead of his native language; Shatranj Ke Khiladi was just another example of how he skillfully dissects culture and human behaviour to paint a stylistic montage which makes distinct philosophical comments. Inspired from a 1925 satirical film titled Chess Fever by Vsevolod Pudovkin, Shatranj Ke Khiladi is based on a story by Premchand and is set in the early days of British colonialism in India. This is the story of two noblemen (Saeed Jaffery and Sanjeev Kumar) embroiled in a long-running chess duel, who are untethered by social, political or familial changes that are taking place around them. Lined with excellent performances from the ensemble cast, this film has the narrative fluidity that regulates its slow pace, is a dark comedy and makes a deep comment on a chapter in history.

Director: Satyajit Ray

Writer: Munshi Premchand (story)

Cinematographer: Soumendu Roy

Cast: Saeed Jaffrey, Sanjeev Kapoor, Farida Jalal, Shabana Azmi, Amjad Khan, Richard Attenborough and others

#46 Chupke Chupke (1975)

An institution in himself, Hrishikesh Mukherjee stands for a brand of cinema that is unique, simple and inimitable. Chupke Chupke is just an example of the simplicity with which he saw the humour in the daily life scenarios that none of us are strangers to. This film is about a newly-wed couple that tries to pull a practical joke on the bride's shrewd brother-in-law. Over the years, the film has turned into a classic like many other slice-of-life films by Hrishi da. Some of the sequences in the film, like the one where Parimal posed as Pyare Mohan is pulling Jijaji's leg over the complexity of English language; or the hilarious song routine performed by Parimal and close friend Sukumar have since gained a cult status. Hrishikesh Mukherjee, who began as a lab assistant and then turned editor, made films that had a clean soul and always brought a smile across your face.

Director: Hrishikesh Mukherjee

Music: SD Burman

Lyrics: Anand Bakshi

Cast: Dharmendra, Sharmila Tagore, Amitabh Bachchan, Jaya Bhaduri, Om Prakash, Asrani

#47 Golmaal (1979)

One of Indian cinema's most loved comedies, Golmaal has Hrishi da's trademark all over it. A simple comedy of errors, the film revolves around two principle characters, Ramprasad (Amol Palekar) and his disciplinarian boss Bhawani Shankar (Utpal Dutt). Ramprasad has to create an alter -ego of a twin brother in order to keep his job while enjoying life his way. And soon, a series of lies with the help of a fake mustache leads to chaos that is utterly hilarious. With RD Burman's music providing a mischievous character to the narrative, the film is yet another marvel from Hrishikesh Mukherjee - Indian cinema's God of simple things. Initially, Rekha was looked at to play Urmila's role however, things didn't work out. Hrishi da made Khoobsurat the very next year with Rekha, which is also a beautiful example of his craftsmanship. Amol Palekar, on the other hand, worked once again with Hrishi da in Chhoti Si Baat, yet another slice-of-life romantic-comedy which is admired by the audience even today.

Director: Hrishikesh Mukherjee

Producer: NC Sippy

Writer: Shailesh Dey, Sachin Bhowmick (screenplay)

Music: RD Burman

Cast: Amol Palekar, Utpal Dutt, Bindiya Goswami, Shobha Khote

#48 36 Chowringhee Lane (1981)

Aparna Sen was a familiar face, having acted in a few Bengali films before making her directorial debut with this film in 1981. She achieved quite a feat with her maiden venture, which was not only well-received critically, but also won her a National Award for best direction. Through the story of an old Anglo-Indian school teacher in post-independence India, the film explores the universal theme of solitude and love. Jennifer Kendal, who plays the role of Violet Stoneham, brings to life a lonely, brittle and defeated person longing for some companionship, which eludes her. Dubbed as one of Indian cinema's most sensitive and touching films, Sen has brought a new perspective to the making of films and being a woman. Her storytelling shows a side of life that is seldom witnessed through this medium.

Director: Aparna Sen

Producer: Shashi Kapoor

Writer: Aparna Sen

Music: Vanraj Bhatia

Cast: Jennifer Kendal, Debashree Roy, Dhritiman Chatterjee, Geoffrey Kendal

#49 Disco Dancer (1982)

The mental image of the 80s in the mind of every Indian sprouts from this film. Standing above Boney M or The Buggles, the music of this film, composed by Bappi Lahiri, defined the entire decade. The film was Mithun Chakraborty's shot to fame and it made him a household name as Disco Dancer. In a career that spans over 300 films, Mithun could never shrug off the image that was built by this film. Amidst all its narrative flaws and implausibilities, like the 'Guitar Phobia' that Mithun gets because a guitar killed his mother, the film's music has made it a cult among many viewers. It had a fanbase that reached the South East Asian shores apart from Europe. In the wake of the recent bring-back-the-80s syndrome, the film was revisited by many young film buffs and gathered a new set of fan following. Years will pass, many films will come and go; but Disco Dancer has become a legend that will remain immortal with Bappi da's signature Yaad Aa Raha Hai..Tera Pyar, and I Am A Disco Dancer echoing through time.

Director: B Subhash

Producer: Shashi Kapoor

Writer: Rahi Masoom Reza

Music: Bappi Lahiri

Cast: Mithun Chakraborty, Rajesh Khanna, Kim Yashpal, Om Puri, Gita Siddharth, Om Shivpuri

#50 Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro (1983)

On its face, Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro is a comedy. From beginning to end, the events and scenarios showcase the journey of Sudhir and Vinod (Ravi Vaswani and Naseeruddin Shah), who are trapped deeper and deeper into the abyss of corruption, with an insane humour element. Certain scenes that have become legendary over time are the finale on the stage where all the characters act out a scene from the Mahabharat and also the sequence where Commissioner D'Mello's dead body is set rolling on the streets of the city in his coffin. What makes us see the film as satire is the last scene. Where, failing to convince the police of their findings, the protagonists are put behind bars with Hum Honge Kamyaab playing in the background. It suddenly renders a perspective through which one begins to look at the film differently in retrospective. Another major element which makes the film different is that it was funded by the National Film Development Corporation of India. A government body funding a film on political satire is quite noteworthy. Working with a talented cast ensemble, this was Kundan Shah's maiden project and it remains as his best body of work.

Director: Kundan Shah

Producer: NFDC

Writer: Sudhir Mishra and Kundan Shah

Music: Vanraj Bhatia

Cinematographer: Binod Pradhan

Cast: Naseeruddin Shah, Ravi Baswani, Om Puri, Pankaj Kapur, Satish Shah, Bhakti Barve, Satish Kaushik, Ashok Banthia, Neena Gupta

#51 Mandi (1983)

One of Shyam Benegal's finest works, Mandi deals with the story of a brothel situated in the heart of a city, which has to be relocated due to political and social pressures. The unevenly structured narrative, woven with musical numbers that amplify the setting and power-packed performances from the killer combo of Shabana Azmi and Smita Patil, add up to an intense experience. Songs with original lyrics by Mir Taqi Mir, Bahadur Shah Zafar, Insha, Makhdoom Mohiuddin and Sarwar Danda; composed by Vanraj Bhatia in the voice of Asha Bhosale and Preeti Sagar, lend the film an eerie character. Based on an Urdu short story titled Aanandi, by Ghulam Abbas, Benegal translates the written word onto screen with inimitable craftsmanship. The story sees the brothel being shifted outside the city next to a shrine, and Benegal expertly portrays the irony of how the patronage to the brothel increases after the shift.

Director: Shyam Benegal

Writers: Ghulam Abbas (short story) Shyam Benegal (screenplay)

Music: Vanraj Bhatia

Cinematographer: Ashok Mehta

Cast: Shabana Azmi, Smita Patil, Neena Gupta, Kulbhushan Kharbanda, Naseeruddin Shah, Soni Razdan, Om Puri, Saeed Jaffery, Anu Kapoor, Satish Kaushik, Pankaj Kapoor

#52 Chashme Buddoor (1981)

Written by Sai Paranjpye, Chashme Buddoor is a fine example of what is termed as 'middle cinema'. It refers to the films that were not in-your-face like the mainstream melodramas and neither were they intense and incomprehensible like some of the parallel films. It is a story of three friends Siddharth, Omi and Jai; played by Farooq Shaikh, Rakesh Bedi and Ravi Vaswani, who are students at the Delhi University. During their summer vacation, they meet Neha (Deepti Naval). Siddharth falls in love with her but due to their failure to woo her, Omi and Jai decide to jeopardise their relationship. A comedy of errors, whose plot has inspired many comedies in the future, this is an out-and-out laugh ride. A David Dhawan remake of this film, starring Ali Zafar, Taapsee Pannu, Divyendu Sharma and Siddharth, will release next month.

Director: Sai Paranjpye

Writer: Sai Paranjpye

Music: Raj Kamal

Cast: Farooq Shaikh, Deepti Naval, Saeed Jaffrey, Rakesh Bedi, Ravi Vaswani

#53 Ardh satya (1983)

This Govind Nihalanifilm, whose script is written by the immortal Vijay Tendulkar,focused on a universal existential issue of whether you continue with what you have or take a risk to change things for the better. The stunning performance by Om Puri, wherein he portrays a character whose predicament can be resolved only from within, is captured with two endings, one written in the script by Tendulkar and one which Nihalani deemed fit. However, the widely known ending to the film sees Anant continue to face nothingness, failing to break out of his situation, rather than simply give up his uniform and regain some self respect. The film ends with a theme poem from Dilip Chitre which amplifies the meaning of this film. The poem ends with a couplet that reads "Ek palde mein napunsakta, ek palde mein paurush; aur theektaraazu ke kaante par, ardh satya"

Director: Govind Nihalani

Producer: Manmohan Shetty

Writer: Vijay Tendulkar

Cinematographer: Govind Nihalani

Cast: Om Puri, Smita Patil, Amrish Puri, Shafi Inamdar, Naseeruddin Shah, Sadashiv Amrapurkar

#54 Katha (1983)

Continuing her brand of middle cinema, Sai Paranjpye made Katha, which was a modern interpretation?and re-telling of the hare and the tortoise story. Naseeruddin Shah played Rajaram Joshi, an honest clerk whose only weakness is timidity. He is in love with Sandhya Sabnis (DeeptiNaval), a girl from his chawl. Then comes the hare, Basudev Bhat (Farooq Shaikh) who charms everybody in the neighborhood with false success stories. He woos Sandhya and promises to marry her, but the engagement is called off after his true colours are revealed. The film asks a very important question about the tortoise's slow victory, as to whether it is truly worth the wait. It is said that Sai named Farooq's negative character Basu Bhatt after the producer Basu Bhattacharya, who had delayed the release of her film Sparsh.

Director: Sai Paranjpye

Producer: Suresh Jindal

Music: Raj Kamal

Cast: Naseeruddin Shah, Farooq Shaikh, Deepti Naval

#55 Aradhana (1969)

This Shakti Samanta film was Rajesh Khanna's overnight claim to fame. After Aradhana, he went from being a struggling actor to a superstar in a matter of weeks. The film tells a melodramatic and implausible tale of love, separation and reunion. Rajesh Khanna played the role of Arun as well as his son Suraj, in a mind-boggling double role that the audience loved. Sharmila Tagore, for her graceful portrayal of the journey of a woman, won herself the Filmfare Award for Best Actress. Kishore Kumar's classics Roop Tera Mastana and Mere Sapno Ki Rani remain immortal. Anand Bakshi's lyrics to one of Hindi cinema's finest lullabies -- Chanda Hai Tu Mera Suraj Hai Tu, sung by Lata Mangeshkar, continue to be at the top of any Indian mother's playlist while lulling her child to sleep. With a couple more songs by Mohammed Rafi opposite Asha-Lata, and a thematic song Saphal Hogi Teri Aradhana, sung by SD Burman himself, make for yet another gem of a soundtrack to have in your collection.

Director: Shakti Samanta

Writer: Sachin Bhowmick

Music: SD Burman

Lyrics: Anand Bakshi

Cast: Sharmila Tagore, Rajesh Khanna, Sujit Kumar, Farida Jalal

#56 Albert Pinto Ko Gussa Kyon Ata Hai? (1980)

Based on a story by Saeed Akhtar Mirza himself, Albert Pinto Ko Gussa Kyon Ata Hai? was a social commentary which he translated to screen quite effortlessly. With a cast ensemble consisting of the most talented crop of the generation; the film chronicled the life of an underpaid, overworked middle-class family in '70s Mumbai. Naseeruddin Shah plays the title character of Albert Pinto, who is perpetually angry at everyone and everything around him. The film, without taking a stand or providing a definite resolution, showcases the life of the working class. Akhtar Mirza, with co-writer Kundan Shah, treated this serious subject with a hint of dark comedy and pointed satire. Towards the end, Albert Pinto doesn't really calm down, but he is shown to channelise his anger towards those who are responsible for the plight of his people and him.

Director: Saeed Akhtar Mirza

Music: Bhaskar Chandavarkar, Manas Mukherjee

Writer: Saeed Akhtar Mirza

Cast: Naseeruddin Shah, Shabana Azmi, Smita Patil, Dilip Dhawan, Om Puri

#57 Sparsh (1980)

On a story level, this Sai Paranjpye film was a simple tale of a relationship between a blind man and a woman; but on a symbolic level, it explored the feeling of touch, not just as a sense but as a feeling. An apex example of subtle acting, the film handles complex issues pertaining to interpersonal relationships, beliefs and above all, love. Naseeruddin Shah, in his National Award winning role as Anirudh Parmar, portrayed the blind teacher with amazing poise. Shabana Azmi is stunning in her portrayal of the widowed Kavita Prasad. Sai Paranjpye won the National Award for best screenplay, whose visuals captured the simplicity of the narrative with utmost grace. Highlighting the divide between the seeing world and the blind, the film underlined the importance of sensitivity. The music by Kanu Roy, performed by Sulkshana Pandit blends very well with the story and a special piece by Sarod legend Ustad Amjad Ali Khan is a treat for the music lovers too.

Director: Sai Paranjpye

Producer: Basu Bhattacharya

Writer: Sai Paranjpye

Music: Kanu Roy

Cinematographer: Virendra Saini

Cast: Naseeruddin Shah, Shabana Azmi, Sudha Chopra, Om Puri, Mohan Gokhale

#58 Angoor (1982)

Apart from being a renowned poet-lyricist, Gulzar's contribution to cinema is not limited to the written word. He has directed over 20 films like Aandhi, Koshish, Parichay and many more. Angoor, which was based on Shakespeare's A Comedy Of Errors, remains one of Indian cinema's finest comedies. Sanjeev Kumar and Deven Verma, both in double roles as Ashok and Bahadur, provide for a humorous plot that never gets old. The film is neither technically well-crafted, nor are the dialogues responsible for the humour. But Gulzar's ability of adapting the universal plot to particular situations, and then generating laughter with only those situations, is admirable. A clean comedy, which may be a lost form today, Angoor is one of those rare films that is liked by audience of all sections.

Director: Gulzar

Producer: Jai Singh

Writer: Gulzar

Music: RD Burman

Cast: Sanjeev Kumar, Deven Verma, Aruna Irani, Deepti Naval, Moushumi Chatterjee, Padma Chauhan, Utpal Dutt, Shammi

#59 Sadma (1983)

As an autistic child-woman, Sridevi played her career defining role as Reshmi, opposite her caretaker Somu played by Kamal Hassan. The film was a tragic tale of two traumas, one which pushes the characters into the situation and one which pulls them out of it. Somu, rescues a mentally-challenged Nehalata from a life of prostitution and looks after her. Through various melodic montages, which include Gulzar lyrics bound by classic Ilayaraaja compositions in songs like Aye Zindagi Gale Lagaa Le (Suresh Wadkar) and Surmayee Ankhiyon Mein (Yesudas), director Balu Mahendra showcases how a pure bond of love is formed between the two. Reshmi falls in love with Somu, however, he doesn't feel that way and is interested in getting her cured. Just as he gets used to life as it is, Somu's attempt to cure Reshmi finally pays off. And when he visits her, she refuses to recognise him. It comes as a devastating shock not only to Somu, but the audience too. Balu's storytelling makes you feel involved in the plot and makes you develop empathy for the principle characters.

Director: Balu Mahendra

Producer: Raj N. Sippy

Lyrics: Gulzar

Music: Ilayaraaja

Cinematographer: Balu Mahendra

Cast: Kamal Hassan, Sridevi, Gulshan Grover, Silk Smitha

#60 Saaransh (1984)

A 29-year-old Anupam Kher plays the role of an aged man in Mahesh Bhatt's memorable film Saaransh. For its moving and emotionally charged content, handled with maturity, the film was critically well-received. The film won many awards at the Filmfare and was India's official entry to the Oscars that year. The film was about an old couple who have lost their son, an event which makes their lives take a turn for the worse. Rohini Hattangadi, who played Anupam Kher's wife in the film delivered a breath-taking performance, however, with his portrayal of a man almost twice his real age, Anupam Kher stole the show. In a pivotal scene where the stubborn old man has to hustle with Customs officers for the custody of his son's ashes, Kher demonstrates the power of acting and how the artist can make you believe in the constructed reality of a film.

Director: Mahesh Bhatt

Producer: Tarachand Barjatya

Music: Ajit Verman

Cinematographer: Adeep Tandon

Cast: Anupam Kher, Rohini Hattangadi, Soni Razdan, Madan Jain

#61 Ek Ruka Hua Faisla (1986)

Remake of Sidney Lumet's Hollywood film 12 Angry Men, Ek Ruka Hua Faisla is an intense courtroom drama. The film takes place in one enclosed room, where 12 male members of the jury have assembled to deliberate their decision over a young man who is accused of having murdered his father. When the film opens, all except one (KK Raina) of the jury members is convinced that the accused is guilty. The entire film then, is a series of arguments where the 11 members try to turn the 12th member to achieve a unanimous decision. Although a re-creation of a very successful film, Ek Ruka Hua Faisla is more than just a copy. The ensemble cast provides powerful performances and strong emphasis on dialogue which puts you in a situation where you too have to make a choice as to whether or not the man is guilty.

Director: Basu Chatterjee

Writer: Ranjit Kapoor

Cinematographer: Ajay Prabhakar

Cast: Deepak Kejriwal, Amitabh Srivastav, Pankaj Kapur, SM Zaheer, Subhash Udghate, Hemant Mishra, MK Raina, KK Raina, Annu Kapoor, Subbiraj, Shailendra Goel, Aziz Qureshi, CD Sindhu

#62 Ijaazat (1987)

This Gulzar film, about the complexities of modern relationships, is poetry on screen, to say the least. The film is the story of two lovers, Mahendra and Sudha, played by Naseeruddin Shah and Rekha. The film follows the story of couple who are separated and later meet in a railway station waiting room accidentally and discover some truths about their lives without each other. With Gulzar's poetry not limited to the songs, the film's dialogues have a poetic edge that strengthens the understanding of the deep set relationship dynamics between the characters. RD Burman's music aids the poetic narrative with two ghazals and two other songs, all sung by Asha Bhosale. The song Mera Kuch Saaman also fetched Asha Bhosale a National Award. The film is perhaps Gulzar's most sensitive one, and Rekha's poignant performance is by far her most acclaimed and memorable role.

Director: Gulzar

Producer: RK Gupta

Writer: Subodh Ghosh (story) Gulzar (Screenplay)

Music: RD Burman

Cast: Rekha, Naseeruddin Shah, Anuradha Patel, Shammi Kapoor, Shashi Kapoor

#63 Mirch Masala (1987)

Set in colonial India, this Ketan Mehta film tells a brave tale of retaliation against oppression. Starring Naseeruddin Shah in one of his most important negative roles as the Subedaar, the film narrates the story of a village in central India which lives in terror of the tax collectors. However, Subedaar doesn't simply collect tax, he also forces the village women to sleep with him. But things change as he commands a strong woman, Sonbai (Smita Patil), whose husband is away, to sleep with him. And when the cowardly men of the village fail to save the honour, the women themselves make arrangements for a final confrontation that will put them out of a life of constant submission. A deep comment on the issue of women's empowerment, Ketan Mehta's Mirch Masala is one of few Indian feminist films and therefore, one of the most important films too.

Director: Ketan Mehta

Producer: Chunilal Madia

Music: Rajat Dholakia

Cast: Naseeruddin Shah, Smita Patil, Om Puri, Suresh Oberoi, Deepti Naval, Dina Pathak, Mohan Gokhale, Paresh Rawal

#64 Mr India (1987)

After Masoom, his maiden film, Shekhar Kapur returned with Mr India and dispelled all the notions about his style of filmmaking. Mr India was a film for everyone; it had fantasy, romance, drama, comedy and all that you want from a film. The story is that of an underdog, Arun Verma (Anil Kapoor), who finds power in the form of a band of invisibility and uses it to fight evil. The film is known for its comical megalomaniac villain Mogambo, and his catchphrase 'Mogambo Khush Hua', which has since become iconic. Mr India was the last film that the hit duo of Salim-Javed wrote together. The music for this film was composed by Laxmikant-Pyarelal who are responsible for the classics like Kaate Nahi Kat Te and Hawa Hawaai. Mr India, in more ways than one, was modern India's first local superhero.

Director: Shekhar Kapur

Producer: Boney Kapoor

Writers: Salim-Javed

Music: Laxmikant-Pyarelal

Lyrics: Javed Akhtar

Cast: Anil Kapoor, Sridevi, Amrish Puri, Satish Kaushik, Annu Kapoor

#65 Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak (1988)

Aamir Khan, the guitar-strumming college-boy singing Papa Kehte Hain, announced the arrival of a new generation in Indian cinema, with his first commercial success --- Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak. Juhi Chawla, who also played her first major role in this film opposite Aamir, was projected as the next big thing. This film, about a young boy and a girl who fall in love against the wishes of their feuding families, is a contemporary adaptation of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. The young and romantic mood of this film shifted the paradigm from the existing violent and dark attributes associated with the films of that era. The music was one of the major contributing factors with most of the songs going on to become hit singles. Sung entirely by the duo of Alka Yagnik and Udit Narayan, the songs like Akele Hain Toh Kya Gum Hai and Ae Mere Humsafar were some of the most popular songs of the period. Quite deservingly winning the National Award for the Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment, QSQT also dominated the laurels at the Filmfare.

Director: Mansoor Khan

Producer: Nasir Hussain

Music: Anand-Milind

Lyrics: Majrooh Sultanpuri

Cast: Aamir Khan, Juhi Chawla

#66 Salaam Bombay (1988)

This Mira Nair work is one of those films that can be made only once. The neo-realist treatment showed the city of Mumbai from a completely fresh vantage point and the ease with which it was done is commendable. Shot on real locations, this film shows the dark side of the city of dreams ?right from the cluttered, notorious red-light area of Falkland Road to the dark and eerie juvenile home. With character actors like Raghuvir Yadav, Nana Patekar and Irrfan Khan in the midst and most lead roles played by real slum kids, Salaam Bombay tears the mask off a lucrative city. In terms of the time at which it was made, the content was too real and too shocking for the everyday viewer. The film was re-released in select cities very recently on completion of its 25 glorious years.

Director: Mira Nair

Music: L Subramaniam

Cinematographer: Sandi Sissel

Cast: Shafiq Syed, Tara lasrado, Hansa Vithal, Chanda Sharma, Anita Kanwar, Nana Patekar, Raghuvir Yadav

#67 Pushpak (1988)

Nearly six decades after sound made its entry into cinema, Pushpak was made. The film's tagline says a lot about what it actually did ?A silent film that speaks. It tells the story of an unemployed man, who happens to have a moment of fortune as he takes up the identity of a rich man. As part of his new life, he gets to stay at Hotel Pushpak, a 5-star hotel in the city. There, he meets Amala and falls in love with her. But riches don't come easy. A hired assassin plans to kill Kamal Hassan because he mistakes him to be the real rich guy. The film has some memorable scenes, like the scene at the bus stop with a fancy wrapped gift with human faeces and the one where Kamal, inspired by the proverbial crow, fills his cup of tea with nuts and bolts to make it look full. A landmark film in the history of Indian cinema, Pushpak is a great example of chronicling humour of everyday situations without binding them in words.

Director: Sangeetam Srinivasrao

Writer: Sangeetam Srinivasrao

Music: Vaidyanathan

Cast: Kamal Haasan, Amala, Tinu Anand, Farida Jalal, PL Narayana, KS Ramesh, Prathap Pothan, Loknath

#68 Parinda (1989)

One of Vidhu Vinod Chopra's most important films, Parinda marks a critical point in Indian cinema as it initiated a whole new genre of realist gangster films which later snowballed into films like Satya, Sarkar and more recently, Gangs of Wasseypur. India's entry at the Oscars in the foreign language category, the film explores a conflict between two brothers who are caught on opposite sides of a gang war. The memorable negative character of Anna played by National Award winning Nana Patekar, was initially offered to Naseeruddin Shah; and in a parallel universe where he did take that role, an equally awesome version of Parinda must exist. The film can also be considered a segue between the mindless 80s and the reformatory 90s when the mass audience's acceptance to realism in films increased exponentially. Jackie Shroff and Anil Kapoor, who played Kishan and Karan, have collaborated on several occasions like Ram Lakhan, Karma and 1942 A Love Story, and are still considered a great on-screen duo.

Director: Vidhu Vinod Chopra

Writer: Ishraq Suja

Cinematographer: Binod Pradhan

Music: RD Burman

Cast: Jackie Shroff, Anil Kapoor, Madhuri Dixit, Nana Patekar, Anupam Kher and others

#69 Roja (1992)

Released on Independence Day in 1992, this Mani Ratnam film was the first of his trilogy (the others being Bombay and Dil Se) that showcases human relationships against the backdrop of India's socio-political scenarios. Originally made in Tamil, the film won the National Award for best film on national integration; and was later dubbed in Hindi, Telugu, Malayalam and Marathi. The integration spirit remained attached to Roja for a long time as Doordarshan broadcast this film on almost every Independence Day in the years that followed. The theme of patriotism and the embedded love story aside, Roja will always be remembered for one very significant contribution. The movie was AR Rahman's debut as a music director and with a soundtrack that was made up of Roja Janeman, Yeh Haseen Wadiya and the patriotic Bharat Hum Ko Jaan Se Pyara Hai, he became an instant phenomenon. And the rest, as they say, is history.

Director: Mani Ratnam

Producer: K Balachander

Cinematographer: Santosh Sivan

Music: AR Rahman

Cast: Arvind Swamy, Madhoo, Pankaj Kapur, Nassar, Janagaraj

#70 Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikander (1992)

This sports drama, based on a college-level cycling competition in a small town on a hill station, is one of the freshest films made in the early '90s. Starring Aamir Khan, the film focused on an underdog, who rises to the occasion against all odds to win the race. The young faces and fresh content made this film appealing to the younger audience and is one of the finest motivational films of recent years. With Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikander, the music composer duo of Jatin-Lalit made themselves visible in the industry with songs like Yahaan Ke Hum Sikander, Arre Yaaro Mere Pyaro and Rooth Ke Humse (sung by Jatin Pandit himself). Pehla Nasha, which was the pick of the lot, also has the distinction of becoming the first Hindi film song to be picturised in slow-motion; however, the eminence of being the first song in Indian cinema that was shot in slo-mo goes to Sundari Neeyum from Michael Madana Kama Rajan, starring Kamal Haasan.

Director: Mansoor Khan

Producer: Nasir Hussain

Music: Jatin-Lalit

Lyrics: Majrooh Sultanpuri

Cast: Aamir Khan, Ayesha Jhulka, Mamik Singh, Deepak Tijori, Kulbhushan Kharbanda, Pooja Bedi

#71 Damini (1993)

In this 'man versus world' conflict, which is more intriguing, given that the 'man' is actually a woman, Meenakshi Sheshadri plays Damini, a woman who stands for truth and innocence. Married into a wealthy family, she is faced with a dilemma when she witnesses her brother-in-law commit a rape. Completely discredited by her family and put into a mental institution, Damini is alone in her struggle for justice. She escapes the institution and receives help from an alcoholic lawyer Govind (Sunny Deol), a role which fetched him a National Award as a supporting actor and established him as the rough, angry man that he played in most of his latter films. This Rajkumar Santoshi film has been of symbolic importance ever since. The victim of the infamous Delhi rape case last year, was nicknamed Damini by the media, with the film in context.

Director: Rajkumar Santoshi

Writer: Dilip Shukla

Music: Nadeem-Shravan

Lyrics: Sameer

Cast: Rishi Kapoor, Sunny Deol, Meenakshi Sheshadri, Vijayendra Ghatge, Rohini Hattangadi, Kulbhushan Kharbanda, Amrish Puri, Paresh Rawal, Tinu Anand

#72 Hum Aapke Hain Koun...! (1994)

Known for his own brand of cinema, Hum Aapke hain Koun...! is Sooraj Barjatya's interpretation of a dramatic wedding video. However, calling it that would be undermining this 206 minute saga where the only bad guy, are the circumstances. With a soundtrack that consisted of 14 songs, the first half has scenes that simply play the role of a segue between two songs. The film makes you laugh, makes you cry, makes you believe in love and makes you believe that dogs are ways smarter than some of the people. The stunning Madhuri Dixit opposite the chocolate romantic Salman Khan make for a great on-screen couple, with some grotesquely romantic moments like the fake coughing and the sling-shot. The film has a massive following even today and in its year, won the National Award for the film providing wholesome entertainment.

Director: Sooraj Barjatya

Producer: Rajshri Productions

Writer: Sooraj Barjatya

Music: Raamlaxman

Cast: Madhuri Dixit, Salman Khan, Mohnish Bahl, Renuka Shahane, Laxmikant Berde, Anupam Kher

#73 Bandit Queen (1994)

This internationally acclaimed film by Shekhar Kapur can be described as an intriguing and honest docu-drama based on the life of Phoolan Devi, a bandit queen who was sent to prison in 1983 and released in 1994. The several impenitently filmed scenes make the film a gruelling, unbearable and overwhelming experience against the magnificent setting of the beautifully photographed desert in Northern India. Seema Biswas, with her small, fierce personality and deep eyes, paints a brutally true picture of the character in her national award winning performance. The music for this film was composed by Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and the song Saaware, is an ethereal number that stays with you for a long time. In comparison to most Indian films, Bandit Queen could easily be classified among other mainstream Hollywood films; and director Shekhar Kapur’s western influences are clearly visible in the film. The film overpowers the viewer and compels him to look into the eyes of life after its mask has been taken off.

Director: Shekhar Kapur

Producer: Bobby Bedi

Music: Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Roger White

Cinematographer: Ashok Mehta

Cast: Seema Biswas, Nirmal Pandey, Aditya Srivastava, Manoj Bajpai, Saurabh Shukla, Raghuvir Yadav

#74 Andaz Apna Apna (1994)

Amidst all the ego clashes, lack of dates, pre-production setbacks and a box office failure; it is a miracle that Rajkumar Santoshi's Andaz Apna Apna saw the light of day. Over time, it has grown into one of the most celebrated comedies in Indian cinema and has a cult following which has developed fairly recently. The comedy of errors with two central characters Amar and Prem, played by Aamir Khan and Salman Khan, is the only time the duo worked together. The dialogues, written by Santoshi and Dilip Shukla, are the backbone of the humour and are played out well by the caricature characters like that of Robert and Bhalla (Viju Khote and Shehzad Khan), Teja (Paresh Rawal) and Mogambo Ka Bhatija Crime Master Gogo (Shakti Kapoor). Over the years, the film has aged like good wine; and given that this trend continues, the scenes and dialogues from this film will be seen in scriptures and murals.

Director: Rajkumar Santoshi

Producer: Vinay Kumar Sinha

Music: Tushar Bhatiah

Cast: Aamir Khan, Salman Khan, Raveena Tandon, Karisma Kapoor, Paresh Rawal, Shakti Kapoor

#75 Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge (1995)

Released on October 20, 1995, this maiden Aditya Chopra film has a lot of historic significance. Still running successfully at Maratha Mandir in Mumbai, DDLJ has completed over 800 weeks at the theatres. Highlighting the paradigm shift in Hindi cinema with its focus on the Indian diaspora in the West, a third of the film is set in Europe. With Shahrukh Khan as Raj, an NRI who is shown as the good guy with a higher moral ground as compared to his Indian counterpart Kuljeet (Parmeet Sethi), the film marked a change of approach in the mainstream. Jatin-Lalit's soundtrack produced several hit songs, some of which were picturised in Central Europe. SRK and Kajol, perhaps the most looked-forward-to pair in the '90s, have immortalised this innocent love story of Raj and Simran.

Director: Aditya Chopra

Producer: Yash Raj Films

Writer: Aditya Chopra

Music: Jatin-Lalit

Cast: Shahrukh Khan, Kajol, Anupam Kher, Amrish Puri, Farida Jalal, Parmeet Sethi, Mandira Bedi

#76 Rangeela (1995)

This RGV film, appreciated for its noble theme that portrayed the film industry itself, from a very internal vantage point, is perhaps the greatest work from the maker till date. Having written and directed this film, Rangeela is, from beginning to end, an RGV film. Starring the perfectionist Aamir Khan as a typical Mumbaiyya tapori Munna, who sells tickets in black outside cinema halls, and Urmila Matondkar as Mili, who works as an extra on films. Mili, with her ambitions to become a star finds herself fancying superstar Raj Kamal (Jackie Shroff), who gets her an audition which changes her life. The film elegantly narrates the story of this poor young woman, who makes it big in the industry only to find herself caught in the dilemma of a love triangle that includes her best friend and her co-star. The film's music, composed by AR Rahman, marks the musical giant's first original soundtrack for a Hindi film. With songs like Tanha Tanha, Kya Kare Kya Na Kare, Hai Rama, and Pyar Ye Jaane Kaisa; recorded in the voices of renowned artists like?Asha Bhosle, Hariharan, Kavita Krishnamurthy, Suresh Wadkar, Udit Narayan and others, Rahman showed the world his repertoire and increased the expectations from his growing fan base. As time has now revealed, he has lived up to those expectations. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said about Ram Gopal Varma who, today, is a vague reminder of the man who made Rangeela and Satya.

Director: Ram Gopal Varma

Producer: Ram Gopal Varma

Music: AR Rahman

Lyrics: Mehboob

Cast: Aamir Khan, Urmila Matondkar, Jackie Shroff

#77 Sarfarosh (1999)

Mai apne mulq ko apna ghar samajhta hoon, says ACP Rathod, played by Aamir Khan in John Mathew Matthan's patriotic thriller, Sarfarosh. Although this underlines the film's theme, there is more to ACP Rathod than meets the eye. Sarfarosh shows Aamir Khan as a multi-dimensional hero. His powerful performance and dialogue delivery, which later became effortless traits in his acting, are loved by his fans even today. A hardcore, mainstream hindi film with songs for every mood, it portrays ACP Rathod as the all-rounder who romances with his college crush, worships Ghazals and when the time comes, doesn't flinch in straightening the bad guys. Naseeruddin Shah, who plays the antagonist, a famed Ghazal singer Gulfaam Hassan, delivers yet another memorable performance. Also, in retrospective, a scene where Rathod is interrogating suspects played by a couple of junior artists, has become important over time. A decade later, the scene represents the starting point of the journey of acclaimed actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui.

Director: John Mathew Matthan

Writer: John Mathew Matthan

Music: Jatin-Lalit

Cast: Aamir Khan, Sonali Bendre, Mukesh Rishi, Naseeruddin Shah, Shri Vallabh Vyas, Makarand Deshpande

#78 Monsoon Wedding (2001)

During the turn of the century, more and more importance given to the Indian audience abroad saw a new trend emerge in the Indian film industry. Monsoon Wedding, a film which won the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival, is a screaming example of the same trend. This Mira Nair film, is set on a backdrop of a lavish Punjabi wedding – an occasion for the entire extended family to come together. But, aside from the mania of a lavish Indian wedding, the film explored the theme of a transition period where the old tradition began to mingle with the technology driven western thought. The film is truly international in its production but has an Indian heart. Mychael Danna, who we now know for the music of Life Of Pi, composed the soundtrack for this film without losing sight of its theme and assembled a track which consists of a qawwali by Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, a ghazal by Farida Khanum, a Punjabi song by Sukhwinder Singh, an old Indian song by Rafi, a folk dance song and a few pop numbers by the likes of Midival Punditz and Alex Kid.

Director: Mira Nair

Writer: Sabrina Dhawan

Music: Mychael Danna

Cast: Naseeruddin Shah, Lillete Dubey, Shefali Shah, Vasundhara Das, Vijay Raaz, Tillotama Shome

#79 Mr and Mrs Iyer (2002)

With this intricately woven story of a simple yet complex relationship between two strangers, Aparna Sen proved yet again the dramatic power of realism. On a bus journey, photographer Raja Chowdhury and Meenakshi, a married woman, find themselves trapped in a riot. Posing as a couple, they find a safe house to rest before the curfew is lifted. A well acted romance, the film captures the essence of a dilemma faced by the characters who are brought together by circumstance, but when the time comes, their feelings have to be deferred. Konkona Sen Sharma, then a youngster, portrayed a Tamil-brahmin housewife with such ease that made you forget her Bengali origin while watching the film. Goutam Ghose's soothing imagery cradled the hesitant romance between the two and Zakir Hussain's music gave a sense of balance by creating a contrast between the chaos and peace, which are both a part of this simple epic.

Director: Aparna Sen

Producer: N. Venkatesan, Rupali Mehta

Writer: Aparna Sen

Music: Zakir Hussain

Cinematographer: Goutam Ghose

Cast: Rahul Bose, Konkona Sen Sharma

#80 Dil Chahta Hai (2001)

Farhan Akhtar's first film as a director, Dil Chahta Hai set a lot of trends in the in the industry. Set in modern upper-class Mumbai, the narrated a youthful tale of three friends in a transition period in their lives. The friends Akaash, Sameer and Siddharth, played by Aamir Khan, Saif Ali Khan and Akshaye Khanna, effortlessly portrayed the essence of friendship which justifies a dialogue from the film - "Ya toh dosti gehri hai; ya phir yeh photo 3D hai". A huge chunk of the first half is shot in Goa, and it deserves a little credit for Goa becoming a bachelors' hot-spot in the recent years. The film was also a turning point in the career of the music composing trio of Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy. The soundtrack was well-received by the audience and the song Koi Kahe Kehta Rahe became a contemporary youth anthem, much like Awara Hoon from the 50s. Farhan Akhtar, who brought a fresh perspective into Hindi cinema with this film, signified yet another brick in the foundation of a new wave in the mainstream that was in contrast to the earlier decades.

Director: Farhan Akhtar

Producer: Ritesh Sidhwani

Writers: Farhan Akhtar, Kassim Jagmagia

Music: Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy

Cast: Aamir Khan, Saif Ali Khan, Akshaye Khanna, Preity Zinta, Sonali Kulkarni, Dimple Kapadia

#81 Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi (2003)

Set in the time of emergency, a part of Indian history that is seldom talked about, this love triangle transcends the expectations and the complications of interpersonal relationships and makes a deep comment on the intricacies of our system. Written and directed by Sudhir Mishra, this realist film did not really work at the box office but is one of the most important films of the 21st century. With a powerful performance by Kay Kay as Siddharth, a leftist rebel who has renounced his inherited riches to take up arms against the established order; along with debutants Chitrangda Singh and Shiney Ahuja, the film makes a deep impact. Its lyrical commentary which carries the narrative, is composed brilliantly by Shantanu Moitra. Swanand Kirkire, the film's chief lyricist, made an instant everlasting impression with songs like Baanwara Mann, Mann Yeh Baanwara and?Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi. The film tells a tale of expectations, dreams, love and above all, destiny.

Director: Sudhir Mishra

Producer: Rangita Pritish Nandy

Music: Shantanu Moitra

Cast: Kay Kay Menon, Chitrangada Singh, Shiney Ahuja, Saurabh Shukla, Ram Kapoor

#82 Black Friday (2004)

After his first film, Paanch, was shelved by the censor board for being neither entertaining nor educating, Anurag Kashyap made Black Friday, a film that also ran into trouble. Made in 2004, the film that told The True Story of the Bombay Bomb Blasts, managed to release in India only in 2007. Its analytical details in place, Black Friday was taken to a higher level by the neo-realist dramatization of the events and the stunning performances by Kay Kay Menon (Rakesh Maria), Pavan Malhotra (Tiger Memon) and Aditya Srivastava (Baadshah Khan). Indian Ocean, one of India's first folk-rock band, composed the soundtrack and the background score for the film. The song Bandeh, written by Piyush Mishra, is the band's most popular song even today. For Anurag Kashyap, Black Friday was the first step in showing the world that Hindi cinema is not limited to the lavish super-productions that dominated the box office.

Director: Anurag Kashyap

Producer: Arindam Mitra

Writer: Anurag Kashyap (screenplay), Hussain S. Zaidi (novel)

Cinematographer: Natarajan Subramaniam

Music: Indian Ocean

Cast: Kay Kay Menon, Pavan Malhotra, Aditya Srivastava, Imtiaz Ali, Pratima Kazmi, Zakir Hussain

#83 Swades (2004)

Made at a time when the 'American Dream' was at peak in urban India, Swades proved to be an unofficial appeal to the youth to stay and help improve their own nation. Causing a wholesale change of heart among Indians abroad, the film carried an emotion that you couldn't surpass. The story of Mohan Bhargav, a scientist at NASA, who revisits his roots and is compelled to stay and empower his people, the film connected with the audience through its grounded setting and honest content. AR Rahman's soundtrack was yet another album which became a collector's muse. And the visuals, which showed India from inside, was a great painting of the contrast and paradox that exists in this great country. Ashutosh Gowariker's signature, a lengthy film, Swades is worth its duration and is a great reminder for everyone who is longing to go home.

Director: Ashutosh Gowariker

Cinematographer: Mahesh Aney

Music: AR Rahman

Cast: Shahrukh Khan, Gayatri Joshi

#84 Lage Raho Munna Bhai (2006)

After the success of Munna Bhai MBBS, Lage Raho was the sequel to Rajkumar Hirani's Munna Bhai franchise. This film sees the good-hearted goon, Munna (Sanjay Dutt), hallucinating about Gandhi. He has long conversations with the Mahatma, who lends an ear and also suggests a solution to his problems. Munna implements these principles and teachings to overcome his predicaments - by apologising to the girl he loves about lying to her and also by using Satyagraha as a means to save her house from being snapped by Lucky Singh (Boman Irani). The neo-satyagraha, termed as Gandhigiri in the film, spread across cities like wild fire. Rajkumar Hirani's style of preaching and handing out morals in a jovial manner has always proved effective. His 'aal izz well' and 'excellence ke peeche bhaago, success jhak maar ke ayegi' from 3 Idiots is yet another example of the same. The third film in the series, Munna Bhai Chale America ran into some rough seas and hasn't seen the light of the day yet; but Sanjay Dutt and Arshad Warsi's?duo of Munna and Circuit will be remembered by film buffs for a long time.

Director: Rajkumar Hirani

Producer: Vidhu Vinod Chopra

Writers: Vidhu Vinod Chopra, Rajkumar Hirani, Abhijat Joshi

Music: Shantanu Moitra

Cast: Sanjay Dutt, Arshad Warsi, Vidya Balan, Boman Irani, Dilip Prabhavalkar, Dia Mirza, Jimmy Shergill, Kulbhushan Kharbanda, Saurabh Shukla

#85 Omkara (2006)

The great Shakespearen tragedy, Othello has been adequately Indianised and reconstructed to fit the setting by director Vishal Bhardwaj who had already successfully adapted Macbeth a couple of years ago with Maqbool. With Ajay Devgn playing the title role, and Kareena Kapoor as Dolly (Desdemona), the most remarkable character in the film was Langda Tyagi (Iago). A role of a lifetime for Saif Ali Khan, Langda Tyagi became one of the most outstanding villains of the 21st century. Vishal Bhardwaj, the multifaceted filmmaker, also composed the music for his film and the album was a hit. Gulzar's lyrics ranging from the party number Beedi to the hauntingly elegant Jag Ja, sung by Suresh Wadkar and O Saathi Re, have given the music its soul. Capturing the essence of the tragedy, Bhardwaj took the best from Shakespeare and transformed it into an audio-visual treat.

Director: Vishal Bhardwaj

Producer: Kumar Mangat Pathak

Writers: Vishal Bhardwaj, Robin Bhatt, Abhishek Chaubey, William Shakespeare (original story)

Music: Vishal Bhardwaj

Lyrics: Gulzar

Cast: Ajay Devgan, Saif Ali Khan, Vivek Oberoi, Kareena Kapoor, Konkona Sen Sharma, Bipasha Basu, Naseeruddin Shah

#86 Rang De Basanti (2006)

Opening with a quote by Bismil, "Ab bhi jiska khoon na khaula, khoon nahi who paani hai; jo desh ke kaam na aye, woh bekaar jawaani hai", Rang De Basanti, fulfils its purpose and lights a flame of activism among the young blood. Made at a time when India was just about getting accustomed to it being a young nation, the film did to India's youth what a flamboyant, charismatic leader does to them with his speeches. Combining two narratives, one set in contemporary India and the other from the glorious history books, the film initially shows a paradox in the mindset of the?youth and later portrays how all you need for a revolution, is a spark. Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra's stylistic visuals and rapid cutting between scenes made the film very appealing to the youth. AR Rahman's music, coupled with Prasoon Joshi's lyrics, produced unforgettable songs like Rang De Basanti, Khalbali, Khoon Chala, Roobaroo and Paathshala that have become immortal youth anthems. Made in the same year as Lage Raho Munna Bhai, RDB received a similar mass-reaction and proved yet again that the philosophy of Bhagat Singh and Gandhi can still cause ripples in our society.

Director: Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra

Producer: UTV, Aamir Khan, Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra

Writer: Rensil D'Silva (screenplay), Kamlesh Pandey (story)

Cinematographer: Binod Pradhan

Music: AR Rahman

Lyrics: Prasoon Joshi

Cast: Aamir Khan, Siddharth Narayan, Sharman Joshi, Soha Ali Khan, Waheeda Rehman, R Madhavan, Kunal Kapoor, Atul Kulkarni, Alice Patten

#87 Chak De! India (2007)

The genre of sports films is largely neglected in Indian cinema. Save for Lagaan, which was the meeting point of two of India's biggest passions, hindi films and cricket, there haven't been many success stories to tell. But when Chak De! hit the theatres, it compelled a positive reaction from the audience. A triumphant tale of an underdog team, led by a coach who has his pride at stake, the film combined the unpredictability of sports very smoothly with scripted drama. SRK gave perhaps his most critically acclaimed performance as Kabir Khan. His character's resemblance to the life of former hockey player Mir Ranjan Negi was coincidental, but Negi was later incorporated in the film and also played a cameo. Salim-Sulaiman's inspirational soundtrack and some pivotal dialogue sequences like the '70 minutes' speech and the half time pep-talk in the match against Argentina, couldn't have come at a better time. Parallels were drawn between instances from the film and India's T20 World Cup triumph and the successful, controversial tour of Australia.

Director: Shimit Amin

Producer: Aditya Chopra

Writer: Jaideep Sahni

Music: Salim-Sulaiman

Cast: Shahrukh Khan, Anjan Srivastav, Shilpa Shukla, Vidya Malvade, Sagarika Ghatge

#88 Gulabi Talkies (2008)

One of the pioneering figures in the parallel cinema movement, Girish Kasaravalli is the flag-bearer of alternate cinema in Karnataka. Having won the National Award four times for his films, Kasaravalli has carved a niche for himself and has created an audience that eagerly wait for his next film. What makes Gulabi Talkies so special, is its premise. Gulabi, a neglected midwife, is an outcast living on an island with the fisher folk. The only upbeat aspect of her life is her undeterred obsession for films, and that obsession is only strengthened with the introduction of a television set in her life. Her modest hut suddenly turns into a hub for all the villagers. The film later grows into a sad commentary of the communal disharmony experienced by the village. However, its spirit is Gulabi's passion which rubs off on the village even in the times of distress. Umashree, who plays Gulabi, received a National Award for best actress, for her honest portrayal of a poor, unwanted woman with a simple purpose.

Director: Girish Kasaravalli

Producer: Basantkumar Patil

Writer: Girish Kasaravalli, Vaidehi (Story)

Cinematographer: S Ramachandra Aithal

Music: Isaac Thomas Kottukapally

Cast: Umashree, KG Krishna Murthy, MD Pallavi

#89 A Wednesday (2008)

Part of an unofficial trilogy of films set in Mumbai along with Aamir and Mumbai Meri Jaan, Neeraj Pandey's directorial debut , A Wednesday ,came as a pleasant surprise to audiences, who went into the film not expecting much. It addresses a very pivotal existential crisis of insecurity that lingered in Mumbai after a set of terrorist activities. It unravels like a well-kept secret and astonishes you with every single turn of events in the narrative. With exceptional performances by Anupam Kher and Naseeruddin Shah, the film is a minimalist thriller that takes place almost entirely on the battlefield of the mind. The conflict between an unassuming common man with a vicious plan and a protector of law and order, A Wednesday is a cleverly written film with intelligent dialogues, which showcase the contrast between two philosophies whose objectives are the same.

Director: Neeraj Pandey

Producer: Ronnie Screwvala

Writer: Neeraj Pandey

Music: Sanjay Chowdhury

Cast: Naseeruddin Shah, Anupam Kher, Jimmy Sheirgill, Aamir Bashir, Deepal Shaw

#90 Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye! (2008)

Based on the chronicles of real-life super chor Devinder Singh (Bunty), this Dibaker Banerjee film is a great follow-up to his previous venture Khosla Ka Ghosla, which surprised audience and critics alike. Known for his unique style and brand of cinema, Dibaker brought something new to the table with Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye!. The film, which won the National Award for Best Popular Film, is truly special for its fresh screenplay and its conscious non-adherence to the story-telling norms of Bollywood. Another element that makes the film so remarkable is its characterization. Abhay Deol, who plays the lead role, portrays Lucky as a man who has chosen the path of crime not due to circumstances, but as a way of life. Paresh Rawal, who plays three separate roles in the film, that of Lucky's father, Gogi Arora and Dr Handa; is an example of using an actor as a metaphor in the narrative. Manjot Singh (young Lucky) and Richa Chadda(Dolly) leave an everlasting impression with their small but significant parts. Sneha Khanwalkar's contemporary interpretation of folk music makes the soundtrack extremely remarkable with its groovy overtones.

Director: Dibaker Banerjee

Producer: Ronnie Screwvala

Writers: Urmi Juvekar, Dibaker Banerjee

Music: Sneha Khanwalkar

Cast: Abhay Deol, Paresh Rawal, Richa Chadda, Neetu Chandra

#91 Luck By Chance (2009)

A tale of destiny, fate, luck, ambition, love and deception, Zoya Akhtar's maiden film Luck By Chance is about the predicaments of human relationships and the constant conflict between what we love and what we want. What sets it apart from other epics that talk of destiny, is the fact that the whole film takes place against the backdrop of the film industry itself. An industry daughter, Zoya's keen observations on the quirks of every single character gives an insider's insight on how stuff works in the film business. The subtle exchanges between a producer and a superstar, between two struggling actors, between a starlet and an upcoming actor ?all add up to a great introduction to the strings attached to the magic of Bollywood. The songs, written by Javed Akhtar and composed by Shankar Ehsaan Loy capture the various moods of the film. Sapno Se Bhare Naina and O Rahi Re underline the spirit of struggle, Baawre explores the circus as a metaphor for the film industry and the title song, Yeh Zindagi Bhi, tells you about all the ironies and paradoxes that exist within the enigma of films.

Director: Zoya Akhtar

Producer: Farhan Akhtar, Ritesh Sidhwani

Writer: Zoya Akhtar

Music: Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy

Lyrics: Javed Akhtar

Cast: Farhan Akhtar, Konkona Sen Sharma, Rishi Kapoor, Dimple Kapadia, Juhi Chawla, Isha Sharvani, Hrithik Roshan, Sanjay Kapoor

#92 Kanjivaram (2009)

A versatile filmmaker, Priyadarshan is known for making a serious drama like Virasat as well as comedies like Hera Pheri and Hungama, but this National Award winning?Tamil film is the true measure of his craftsmanship. Set in the silk weavers' town of Kanchipuram, in post-independence India, the film was largely shot in Mysore. Its non-linear narrative, which unfolds the events from the point-of-view of a modest silk weaver, Vengadam (Prakash Raj), is perfectly constructed and lets you live his life in 2 hours. Prakash Raj, who is normally associated with villainous roles in mainstream, is seen in a new light as a poor craftsman, whose life is infested with tragedy. It blends tradition, emotion and time period into one complete work of cinematic art, which is captured beautifully by lensman Thiru.

Director: Priyadarshan

Producer: Shailendra Singh, Bhushan Kumar

Writer: Priyadarshan

Music: MG Sreekumar

Cast: Prakash Raj, Shriya Reddy, Shammu

#93 Dev D (2009)

Devdas, the hypocritical self-destructive protagonist from Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay's novel, is perhaps India's favourite tragic hero. The novel has been adapted in almost all regional languages at least once, and has three major Hindi adaptations, starring KL Saigal, Dilip Kumar and Shahrukh Khan. However, with Dev D, Anurag Kashyap did not want to remake any of the previous films and the film is an attempt to adapt the novel in the contemporary setting. Starring Abhay Deol, who conceptualised the film, Dev D became a revolution among the young audience for its unconventional visuals, unabashed realism and appealing dialogues and songs. Rajeev Ravi's cinematography captured the intoxicated vantage point of the protagonist to the fullest. Amit Trivedi, who had earlier impressed with his compositions in Aamir, created this 18-song soundtrack which was a game changer. The brass band song Emosanal Attyachar, performed by Rangeela and Rasila, is the new-age anthem of the broken heart. Dev D, is the face of how our idea of tragedy has changed, how our moral viewpoints have changed and from 1917 to 2008, how our cinema has changed.

Director: Anurag Kashyap

Producer: Ronnie Screwvala

Writer: Anurag Kashyap, Vikramaditya Motwane

Cinematographer: Rajeev Ravi

Music: Amit Trivedi

Lyrics: Amitabh Bhattacharya

Cast: Abhay Deol, Kalki Koechlin, Mahie Gill

#94 Dabangg (2010)

Contrary to his brother's ideology, Abhinav Kashyap's debut film Dabangg saw him play to the gallery unapologetically. Brazen and elementary, this Salman Khan starrer is a great example of how a film can be entertaining without being crass. It builds a reality of its own and reels you into its absurdity. Apart from catapulting Salman to dizzying success heights, Dabangg also introduced us to Sonakshi Sinha, (who before the film was known only as Shatrughan Sinha's plump daughter). Rumour has it that Salman promised Sonakshi that he would cast her opposite him if she lost the extra kilos, which she did and how. Apart from Ms Sinha, Dabangg gave us Munni who turned badnaam for Chulbul darling. Featuring Malaika Arora Khan, Munni Badnaam Hui declared the resurrection of item songs. A strong premise revolving around the solidarity among family members, what mainly works for the audience are the glorious set pieces involving Salman Khan. Join the pieces, and the film is a great experience. The film can also be seen as a pioneer of a genre that forms on section of Hindi cinema today.

Director: Abhinav Kashyap

Producer: Arbaaz Khan

Writer: Dileep Shukla

Music: Sajid Wajid

Cast: Salman Khan, Sonakshi Sinha, Sonu Sood, Vinod Khanna, Dimple Kapadia, Arbaaz Khan, Mahie Gill, Anupam Kher

#95 Anhey Ghorey Da Daan (2010)

While mainstream Hindi cinema continues its assembly line style production with nearly 200 films every year, independent cinema has found its own place with regional language, English as well as Hindi films. Gurvinder Singh's Anhey Ghorey Da Daan (Alms For A Blind Horse) is a Punjabi film set in a village on the outskirts of Bathinda, where villagers work in the fields of the local landlord. It tells the story of a father and son, who are uncertain of what lies ahead. Portraying the plight of the working class and the farmers in Punjab. The film travelled around the world in festivals and was appreciated all over, apart from winning the National Award. A great example of regional cinema going global on its reach, the film proved that if you have a great story to tell, the world is willing to listen.

Director: Gurvinder Singh

Producer: National Film Development Corporation of India

Writer: Gurdial Singh

Music: Catherine Lamb

Cast: Samuel John, Mal Singh, Sarabjeet Kaur, Emmanuel Singh, Kulvinder Kaur, Lakha Singh

#96 Udaan (2010)

After being expelled from school, a teenager comes home to an abusive father.Udaan is a story of hope, that light always breaks through the darkest moment. Poetically crafted and heart touching, Vikramaditya Motwane's debut film angers you, upsets you but shows you a struggle that ultimately leads to freedom. What enhances the poetic presentation is the film's music by Amit Trivedi. Binding the lyrics by Amitabh Bhattacharya, which capture the enthusiasm of young age with the wishful thinking and hope, the songs account for a brilliant album. Ronit Roy and Ram Kapoor, who have both spent a lot of time acting on television, have taken the film as an opportunity to showcase what they are capable of. Rajat Barmecha, who plays the lead, does a brilliant job in portraying the angst-ridden teenager who has a poet's heart. But above all, what makes Udaan so special is its unpretentious, honest storytelling which is unaltered by any governing norms of the industry. Essentially, films like Udaan are the way ahead for Indian cinema.

Director: Vikramaditya Motwane

Producer: Anurag Kashyap

Writers: Vikramaditya Motwane, Anurag Kashyap

Cinematographer: Mahendra Shetty

Music: Amit Trivedi

Lyrics: Amitabh Bhattacharya

Cast: Rajat Barmecha, Ronit Roy, Aayan Boradia, Ram Kapoor, Manjot Singh, Anand Tiwari, Sumant Mastkar, Raja Hudda, Varun Khettry, Akshay Sachdev

#97 Band Baaja Baaraat (2010)

Indian cinema has an identity in the world for producing lavish romantic comedies with outrageous song and dance sequences. And for years together, romantic comedies that have been made have corroded the genre which everyone loves to see. Maneesh Sharma's Band Bajaa Baaraat, although a romantic comedy, brought a lot of novelty to this genre and at a time when the urban youth has begun a shift towards alternate cinema, showed that the mainstream too has some innovative stories to tell. With newcomer Ranveer Singh in the lead along with Anushka Sharma, who had already established herself as a bubbly Punjabi girl, the film captured the ups and downs of their complex relationship with honesty. Its contemporary treatment and fresh screenplay were well received by the critics and accepted by the audience as a welcome change from the same-old superstar centric films.

Director: Maneesh Sharma

Producer: Aditya Chopra

Writer: Habib Faisal(screenplay)

Music: Salim-Sulaiman

Cast: Anushka Sharma,Ranveer Singh

#98 Shanghai (2012)

Based on the French film Z and a novel by the same name by Vassilis Vassilikos, Dibakar Banerjee's Shanghai stood out like a thumb among the films that were made in 2012. A dark work of satire, the film provided a sad commentary on the times we live in. Laden with strong political and social references, the story revolved around a leader of a campaign against a big government project. When he is killed in a questionable road accident an IAS officer is ordered to probe the incident and the veils of falsehood begin to drop. The minute details and peculiarities of every single character help in creating a deeper meaning. Songs like Bharat Maata Ki Jai and Imported Kamariya are great examples of satirical poetry in cinema. A rarely touched upon genre in Indian cinema, Shanghai released at a crucial time, when social media was up in arms against the Government. Emraan Hashmi and Abhay Deol, both cast in roles unlike their existing reputation, delivered excellent performances and Dibakar Banerjee added another feather to his illustrious cap that includes path breaking films like Khosla Ka Ghosla, Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye! and Love Sex Aur Dhoka.

Director: Dibakar Banerjee

Producer: National Film Development Corporation

Writer: Urmi Juvekar, Dibakar Banerjee, Rutvik Oza

Cinematographer: Nikos Andritsakis

Music: Vishal-Shekhar

Cast: Abhay Deol, Emraan Hashmi, Kalki Koechlin, Prosenjit Chatterjee, Farooq Sheikh, Supriya Pathak, Tillotama Shome, Pitobash Tripathy, Anant Jog

#99 Harishchandrachi Factory(2009)

A journey which began with a single man buying a camera to fulfill his passion for a novel medium, has turned into an industry that produces over 600 movies every year and a nation that is more than willing to consume it. However, this journey is not a linear one. Paresh Mokashi's Harishchandrachi Factory, is a film that pays tribute to Dadasaheb Phalke's quest for making a film and chronicles the story behind Raja Harishchandra, which released on May 3, 100 years ago. The film shows us how we have gone from being fascinated by the moving images to becoming capable of chronicling the process of the same. Nandu Madhav's portrayal of Phalke, based on the few film strips of Phalke in action, is terrific and Nitin Desai's sets well and truly transport you into the early 1900s where Amalendu Chaudhari's visuals make you feel involved in the making of India's first film.

Director: Paresh Mokashi

Producer: Ronnie Screwvala, Paresh Mokashi

Writer: Paresh Mokashi

Cinematographer: Amalendu Chaudhari

Music: Narendra Bhide

Cast: Nandu Madhav, Vibhavari Deshpande

#100 Bombay Talkies (2013)

Celebrating the completion of 100 years of Indian cinema, four filmmakers that arguably represent the creme de la creme of Hindi cinema today, collaborate and bring four short films that celebrate the emotion of cinema. Apart from the fact that the film that celebrates cinema releases on its centenary day, the film is a celebration of the spirit of cinema and narrates the stories of four common people whose life is influenced, in one way or another, by cinema. Be it the man who waits days outside Amitabh Bachchan's house in Juhu to fulfill his father's final wish, or the little boy who is inspired by Katrina Kaif's Shiela Ki Jawani or a failed actor struggling to prove himself to his daughter; every story connects personally. The film's music, by Amit Trivedi, includes two songs that simply speak about the 100-year legacy of cinema and what it means to us. Another song, Bachchan, is an ode to the superstar of the millennium. A film that will guide you into stepping into the second century of Indian cinema, Bombay Talkies brings together several worlds that exist within Indian cinema.

Directors: Anurag Kashyap, Zoya Akhtar, Dibakar Banerjee, Karan Johar

Producer: Viacom 18 Motion Pictures

Cinematographer: Rajeev Ravi

Music: Amit Trivedi

Lyrics: Amitabh Bhattacharya, Swanand Kirkire

Cast: Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Rani Mukerji, Randeep Hooda, Saqib Saleem, Ranvir Shorey, Sadashiv Amrapurkar, Naman Jain, Vineet Singh

Published in DNA (Pune) from January 19 to May 3, 2013