Bollywood, or the Indian film industry, produces thousands of films each year, solidifying its place as the largest film industry in the world. But what comes to mind when you hear the word “Bollywood”? The answer, which I have heard from many of my non-Indian friends, is "Singing and dancing around the trees." If something similar came to your mind, then you're right to some extent, because almost all Indian films used to be musicals.
But Bollywood has changed a lot in the last 10 to 15 years. With exposure to World Cinema and Hollywood, Indian audiences have matured and are now rejecting cliché storylines loaded with unnecessary, albeit entertaining dance numbers. A new breed of young, often first-time filmmakers has emerged on the scene and started making groundbreaking cinema with real, believable stories. So here's my list of 10 dark and gritty films you must see that will break your preconceived notions of Bollywood – from Indian filmmakers who are changing Indian cinema one film at a time.
These films belong to the growing pantheon of Indian independent films that have won awards and praise from all around the world for telling authentic stories. Give these films a chance and you'll never look at Bollywood the same way again:
TITLI (2014)
English Title: Butterfly
First-time director Kanu Behl's debut film is about a young man named Titli (meaning “butterfly” in Hindi), who is the youngest member of a violent car-jacking brotherhood in New Delhi. He wants to escape this life of crime. Will he be able to break free and fly away like his name suggests?
MASAAN (2015)
English Title: Crematorium
As director Neeraj Ghaywan’s debut feature film, Masaan tells the story of Devi, an ostracized woman who’s being blackmailed by a local police chief, and Deepak, the son of a cremator, who falls in love with a high caste woman while away at school. Their personal tragedies will bring them together.
TRAPPED (2016)
A man unintentionally locks himself in a high rise and must survive without food, water, and electricity. Set inside one apartment with just one actor, this one's a must-watch for budding filmmakers.
LUNCHBOX (2013)
Lunchbox is a light-hearted dramedy from first-time director Ritesh Batra. It reinvents the charms of old-fashioned romantic cinema, following two people – a man so lonely he's forgotten what companionship feels like and a suburban housewife. A mistaken delivery in Mumbai's famous lunchbox delivery system connects the two in a relationship bound by letters . . . and lunchboxes.
HOTEL SALVATION (2016)
Faced with his father's bizarre request to die at a sacred location in order to attain salvation, a son is left with no choice but to take him there. Directed by S. Bhutiani when he was just 25 years old, this film is a mix of subtle comedy-drama and spiritual inspiration.
GANGS OF WASSEYPUR 1 & 2 (2012)
A perfect mix of The Godfather (all three) and Hamlet, Gangs of Wasseypur is one of India’s best gangster films. Directed by Anurag Kashyap, who is considered the Indian Tarantino, this modern cult classic is about a deadly blood feud spanning three generations. It’s a must-see film for action lovers.
UDAAN (2010)
English Title: The Flight
Udaan is a coming-of-age film about Indian youth yearning to be free. Made by first-time director V. Motwane, it’s a story of a 16-year-old boy who’s expelled from his boarding school and returns home to his abusive and oppressive father.
TUMBBAD (2018)
This is the only horror film on this list. It’s about a man in search of a hidden treasure in the 20th century British India village of Tumbbad. It's a spine-chilling film based on local folklore.
PEEPLI LIVE (2010)
This film, by director Anusha Rizvi's, garnered her rave reviews from critics around the world. It's a fresh, satirical comedy with a satisfying seriousness that explores the issue of farmer suicides and the subsequent media and political response to them.
SALAAM BOMBAY (1988)
English Title: Hello Bombay
Although this film by Mira Nair was released in 1988, it holds up as a masterpiece. It’s an enormously moving and powerful film about the life of homeless children living in the streets of Bombay. If you liked Slumdog Millionaire, you're going to love this one.
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Note From Tongal: "No More Dancing Around the Trees: The Grittier Side of Bollywood Cinema" is part of a series of Tongal Community-written blog posts that were originally sourced in the Tongal Blog Open Call Project. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Tongal. Read more Tongal Community-written posts here and then Pitch us a topic you'd like to write about for the Tongal Blog!
