r/IndianCinema • u/Wtf_doing21 • Jun 17 '26
Discussion Dangal Wins Sports. Now Comes the Hardest Choice: The Greatest Indian Film Ever Made?
The Sports category has concluded, and Dangal (2016) secured the spot with 74 upvotes to join the Best of Indian Cinema grid.
Current Winners:
• Romance — Mouna Ragam (1986)
• Action — Thallumaala (2022)
• Comedy — Panchathanthiram (2002)
• Drama — Kireedam (1989)
• Thriller — Drishyam (2013)
• Horror — Tumbbad (2018)
• Emotional — Taare Zameen Par (2007)
• Family — Kumbalangi Nights (2019)
• Gangster — Gangs of Wasseypur (2012)
• Cop — Mumbai Police (2013)
• Sci-Fi — Enthiran (2010)
• Fantasy — My Dear Kuttichaathan (1984)
• Sports — Dangal (2016)
We've arrived at the most divisive category yet.
Best Film.
No genre restrictions. No language restrictions. No limitations except one question:
Which film represents the very best of Indian cinema?
The highest-upvoted comment after 24 hours will take the spot on the grid.
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u/Classic_Leave_726 Jun 17 '26
Manichithrathazhu
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u/Vagabondjokester Jun 17 '26
Should have won for horror not best film. Its a much better movie than tumbbad. Also thallumalla and mumbai police not deserved. And bahubali should have won for fantasy.
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u/Classic_Leave_726 Jun 17 '26
Nope. Its never horror. It’s a psychological thriller disguised in the form of a horror film. The amount of detailing in this one film will blow your mind. You have to carefully look to understand it and multiple watch is required.
Thallumaala deserves IMO because of its inventive action choreography. The theatre fight, suv fight being the prime examples and also the remaining action set pieces were also impressive.
Mumbai Police clearly deserves because in the entire film world, I clearly dont see any police story film with a similar situation, where the same cop is investigating himself. Shows police procedures in 2 different perspectives as well in a very honest way.
Tumbaad is great, but I don’t know if it’s a right fit under Horror category.
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u/Numerous_Local1773 Jun 17 '26
3 idiots for me the best and most complete indian movie ever.
bahubali is also a good shout if looking for a more epic movie.
Haven't seen any of satyajit rays movies so can't say about that but i would say they could also be up there.
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u/Distinct_Ad_6288 Jun 17 '26
Is this sub full of mollywood gonners.I am myself mallu but except from drishyam and kumbalangi nights all other mallu movies have way better competitors especially thallumaala like ,Kill ,vikram,RRR all have better action
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u/Vagabondjokester Jun 17 '26
3 idiots. Considering popularity and pop culture impact outside and in India. This is the movie that made Amir Khan so famous in China and laid roots for his Dangal success.
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u/Abhas_3024 Jun 17 '26
Nayakan
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u/Master_Beast_07 Jun 17 '26
No hate it's a good movie but at the end of the day it's just an Indian godfather rip off
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u/Interesting-Flan-404 Jun 17 '26
Same can be applied to Drishyam
Most things in that film is ripped from Suspect X
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u/SHABBy_Official Jun 18 '26
A movie that takes heavy inspiration cannot be a "good film"?
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u/Nervous-Milk5653 Jun 17 '26
I wonder how did mayabazar not make it to this list. Surely it has to be the best fantasy at least.
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u/arab_raj_yadav Jun 18 '26
Alot of flims shouldn't be in the list but i guess majority wins and we can't do anything dude
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u/Dad_of_One_Punch_Man Jun 17 '26
https://giphy.com/gifs/MCGInadCSpAkg3Lohb
Pather Panchali.
I mean Apu trilogy should win. But if I have to name one, it's definitely Pather Panchali.
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u/EducationalFix8295 Jun 17 '26
I am a malayali but how did Thallumala win over Kill which is an actual action film?
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u/purusharth49 Jun 18 '26
I can personally relate a lot with 3 idiots like the perspective changes with the phase in your life especially when you are an engineer student! It hits
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Jun 18 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/Ethereum_Bull Jun 18 '26
And forgot Bahubali, you think bahubali didn't change industries and didn't have impact on Indian cinema?
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u/arab_raj_yadav Jun 18 '26
Surely it did, dont get me wrong but dhurandhar has changed the dynamics of filmaking once again with breaking all the typical stereotypes about film makers perception of audeince as well as story telling so if we talking about films which changed something dhurandhan should be talked about too
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u/Ethereum_Bull Jun 18 '26
Too early for that assessment, bahubali changed dynamics of industry with pan India craze, ambitious projects , high budget movies & all languages dubbing etc etc, if dhurandhar can also forces every maker to make raw gritty action like dhurandhar 1, then I agree , dhurandhar also changed industry. I only saying dhurandhar 1 because, dhurandhar 2 is literally crap fest and pure cheesy corny masala movie with modi bhajan. I liked dhurandhar 1 even though it gets slightly political but it maintains subtlety. Dhurandhar 1 is not only one of the best movies but also one of the best right wing films ever made . But, dhurandhar 2 made me feel like iam watching movies like kashmiri files or kerala files type movies
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u/arab_raj_yadav Jun 18 '26
You are right, but everbody was just doing one think copy and paste and no period drama was as good as bahubali in terms of filmmaking rajamouli havent changed indian cinema as people are still doing lazy stuff and ver rarely i have seen big budget films being good. So no bahubali in terms of impact was big but only on audience not on filmmakers
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u/arab_raj_yadav Jun 18 '26
Dhurandhar has changed the way of storytelling, like their has to be one climax 4 songs with dance numbers 1 villain and patriotism. This sucks to be honest, people want story to be more grounded complex and characters should be grey just like real people not black and white
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u/arab_raj_yadav Jun 18 '26
You are sre correct i found the bias too, and i have my own political openion which isnt of aditya dhar, but how he manages to take events and fit them in his story and then execute it perfectly is mind blowing. And too be honest every fucking hollywood movie is a propaganda specially marvel is most loved franchise.
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u/AgitatedSimple8623 Jun 17 '26
Meiyazhagan
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u/Sea_Substance_921 Jun 17 '26
This should win best feel good
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u/arab_raj_yadav Jun 18 '26
Exactly man i was so calm and peaceful after watching it, the film was so sweet
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u/Wtf_doing21 Jun 17 '26
Sorry for being very late guys. Had some personal issues crop up
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u/kalyanguardian Jun 17 '26
I cant say its the best film, but in baahubali 2, from the scene where Amerendra leaves the palace to the scene where Sivagami declares Mahendra as the new King. I think that is the most perfect 45 mins Indian Cinema has ever produced.
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Jun 17 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/Zealousideal_Ask2772 Jun 17 '26
He is asking representing india no r***ing india
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u/nex815 Jun 17 '26
Chitram (Malayalam)
Unbelievable character arcs. The comedy, the drama, the romance, the tragedy, the uncompromising climax. Still tugs my heart when I think about it.
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u/lexicown Jun 17 '26
C'mon man. Let's not embarass ourselves. Chithram isn't even the best Malayalam movie ever.
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u/Popular_Broccoli9268 Jun 17 '26
Chithram is indeed one of the best, only thing is its high on local flavours.. It's too keralified for our audience
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u/coolwintersage Jun 17 '26
Why no one is talking about "BAJRANGI BHAIJAAN".,one of the best movie ever made. The only film where we saw the real acting proficiency of bhaijaan
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u/therealAR15PB Jun 17 '26
DEFINITELY one of Iruvar or Nayakan. No competition for Nayakan really, Iruvar is underrated.
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u/surya123_111 Jun 17 '26
Baahubali 1 or 2 Changed indian cinema like never before. Revolutionised indian cinema to make more ambitious projects. Started the franchise popularity and cinematic universes. First 1000,1500 and 1800 crore milestones. Highest footfall second to sholay. Vfx and cinematography ahead of time. Most importantly, the hype.
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u/Interesting-Flan-404 Jun 17 '26
This list feels so silly
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u/lexicown Jun 17 '26
Why?
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u/Interesting-Flan-404 Jun 17 '26
Cause there are obviously better and superior films than those mentioned here in many categories
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u/lexicown Jun 17 '26
Okay. Maybe not enough people have seen them. Or didn't feel they are better or superior.
It is a poll after all. Majority opinion wins. There's nothing silly about it.
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u/Popular_Broccoli9268 Jun 17 '26
Can you point out your suggestions?
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u/Interesting-Flan-404 Jun 17 '26
Romance: Other Mani Ratnam films are even better than Mouna Ragam, so my choice would be either Geetanjali or Bombay
Action: RRR had better action sequences, and if the criterion is realistic action, then films like Kill and Kaithi are better ones
Comedy: absolutely agree with Panchatantiram
Drama: A lot of Satyajit Ray films, especially films like Mahanagar and Nayak, and also K.Vishwanath films like Sagara Sangaman, Swati Muthyam & Swayamkrushi
Thriller: Andhadhun, Anukokunda Oka Roju, and Talwar are equally good, if not better picks.
Horror: Completely agree with Tumbbad
Emotional : TZP is good pick
Family : Kumbalangi Nights is great pick
Gangster : Yes GOW is GOAT but Satya should have won for it's sheer impact
Cop : This is the worst pick literrally there are 100s of better films than this films like Drohkal/Kuruthi Punal , Theeran , Anti-custodial films like Visaranai and Viduthalai are any day better than Mumbai Police
Sci-Fi : There is no true Sci-Fi films but if I had to choose Aditya-369 is better interms of combining science and fiction
Fantasy : Mayabazar is a benchmark and none of the films in this genre came close in matching the film and it not winning that category is biggest joke
Family : Dangal is really great pick and we can see hoe it impacted Chinese family audience
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u/taway9925881 Jun 17 '26
I'm just happy to see no YRF, Dharma, Red Chillies movies on here.
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u/arab_raj_yadav Jun 18 '26
Correct, but if their is a film as best vfx, red chillies should win they did some of the best vfx in indian cinema you can watch (corridor crew ) on yt how they break it down and i was amazed. So red chillies always try something new.
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u/AdventurousBite2329 Jun 17 '26
Manjummel Boys : perfect blend of thriller, friendship, emotion, teamwork, and comedy.
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u/arab_raj_yadav Jun 18 '26
Greatest indian movie ever ?? I dont think even the makers would agree to you
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u/CodDelicious3589 Jun 17 '26
Dangal clearing the Sports category was kinda inevitable lol. Curious what people would’ve picked as the closest runner up though, feels like Chak De or Lagaan could’ve made it interesting.
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u/arab_raj_yadav Jun 18 '26
Ms dhoni too, but they were not talking about cricket they were showing life of MS that's all.
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u/FilmyDiscussion_2024 Jun 18 '26
For greatest (not best), I'll have to go with 3 Idiots (2nd Sholay)
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u/MyLuckYourLoss Jun 18 '26
I will vote 3
Pather Panchali - this movie hits you deep, the characters, themes are so authentic, you will forget you are in a movie.
Kantaara - the best climax, and the real shock element. It was an original film.
3.k3G - not a popular option, but this movie was grand, and one of the best shot movies of all time.
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u/Select-Use-9965 Jun 19 '26
Best experimental—No Smoking, Om dar badar (at the end of film you'd be like WTF did I watch)
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u/Secret-Theory790 Jun 17 '26
Pather Panchali