Bollywood’s Unsung 13

15th September 2026

I have always heard, "Films are larger than Life..." And I have literally taken them like that. We consider films to be a medium of entertainment that keeps us away from reality and still teaches us important life lessons, sometimes just at the right time too! I am here with a list of 13 less-explored, unconventional movies that change your thought process, break cycles, and erase patterns. In this one, I am only talking about Hindi movies, and I have watched all of them at home on TV; however, while drafting this post, I realised there are many Marathi movies too that have not received the deserved limelight.

Let's explore the Hindi list first:

1) Masaan (2015): A poignant Masaan drama set in Varanasi that weaves together themes of societal stigma, caste restrictions, and personal grief. How death is an emotional affair for the family of the deceased person, whereas how it is a source of income for a particular sector, clearly shows how "One person's misfortune is another's opportunity". A very harsh truth.

2) Goodbye - We live every day, but we die once, and hence conversations about death and how one wishes to make their exit are important. Can we please normalise that, please?

3) Stanley ka dabba - I watched this before the last exam of my engineering to stay awake the whole night to study. I cried so much that I had to sleep and wake up after two hours to start afresh.

4) Do dooni Chaar - What a fun family drama this is! Relatable because only a middle-class family knows the struggle of dreaming of owning a car. My husband introduced me to this movie.

5) Swades - My cousin watched it in theatres and was praising it so, so much. The one who was not a SRK fan was praising the movie so much, and only after watching it did I know why.

6) Queen - This was the first movie I watched with my mother-in-law after I got married. And half the way I thought, what would she think about me? But she enjoyed the movie more than me. After the movie finished, she also shared her post-retirement plan with me. It sort of helped me break the ice and develop a bond with her.

7) Guzarish - This one was supposed to be filled for us. I bought a new laptop during my engineering days, and the installation of software and the operating system was going to take 2-3 hours. So, to kill time, we went to a dimly lit theatre nearby, and this was the only movie playing there. While I was determined to watch it, my friends weren't. We still agreed to watch, because what else would we do? And I did not regret it a bit. This movie changed my perception of euthanasia.



8) Dum laga ke haisha - Finding love in arranged marriage, and seeking beauty despite the size, is the only and biggest lesson this movie has taught. Plus the song, "Moh Moh ke dhaage...", if that does not give you sukoon and feel you warm and fuzzy from inside, then I don't know what ever will.

9) Cheeni Kum - For the storyline, plot, and impeccable acting. The issue picked up in this movie, again, is so unique. We Indians have centred our lives around marriage and the age to get married, and that surpasses finding love and compatibility totally. Paresh Rawal is an ideal depiction of the father of an Indian girl who confesses love as if she committed a crime!

10) Vicky Donor - Talking of love and compatibility, how can I not talk about this movie? The next milestone, as per preconceived notions, is bearing a child and becoming parents. This one also openly demonstrates what one in the couple goes through because of the natural lack of not being able to conceive. Such a fun, practical, and bold story.

11) Love break up zindagi - Most of you may not have heard about this one, but whenever this movie plays on TV, and I am exploring the channels, the search stops and the channel does not change till the movie finishes. Simple, utterly cute, and a movie that will fulfill your cravings of attending an Indian shaadi.

12) Neel batte sannaata - A complex yet pertinent film, I wish to watch it with my son. It's about that weird age when we feel our parents are our enemies, whereas the kind souls are busy making our lives comfortable, no matter what they themselves have to face.

13) Club 60 - I want to live this life after I retire. This movie is a fun depiction of second innings and is mainly about how life humbles you, instills some fears in you as you go through it, and how you start taking those fears lightly in your second inning.

I am sure if I had given this post a little more time, it would have turned into a book! How many of these have you watched? Do you have any recommendations for me?

This post is a part of Pass The Popcorn Blog hop hosted by Sukaina Majeed and Manali Desai and sponsored by Jaico Publishing House under #EveryConversationMatters Blog Hop Series.
This post is a part of Blogchatter Half Marathon.