Bollywood movies are easily one of the most unique categories of films around. These movies have been stereotyped for the longest time as extremely long musicals, which is a shame since there are several excellent Bollywood films that either play around this trope beautifully or subvert it and create amazing masterpieces.
Given the sheer number of excellent movies in this industry, it can be hard to pick just a select few as some of the very best. That being said, the following films definitely deserve a ton of praise for pushing the boundaries of their genre and becoming absolutely legendary in their own right. In fact, calling these titles the best Bollywood films of all time wouldn't be a stretch at all.
10 Welcome
The Bollywood industry is full to the brim with many slapstick comedy films that are stupid, albeit in a hilarious manner. Given the sheer number of slapstick comedy films around, it's hard to wonder which one deserves a spot on this list.
However, a lot of people would attribute that credit to the legendary film Welcome. The movie's comedic chops ooze out of every pore, with everything from the hilarious dialogues to the bizarre scenarios that the main cast finds themselves in being the highlight of this movie.
9 A Wednesday
There are several crime thrillers that have been made in Bollywood. However, not many of them boast the sheer level of brilliance and tension that's on full display in A Wednesday.
Naseeruddin Shah is a legendary actor who shows why he's the perfect pick for an antagonist's role. The manner in which this movie flips the script near the end is absolutely riveting and makes for one of its best parts.
8 Kahaani
Speaking of crime thrillers, one can't fail to mention the brilliance of Kahaani. Vidya Balan takes center stage in this amazing film about a pregnant woman who's searching for her missing husband in the wake of a poison-gas attack.
The twists and turns this movie goes through are pretty riveting but don't even hold a candle to its brilliant ending. Any fan of Bollywood films owes it to themselves to check out this riveting movie.
7 Rock On!!
Rock On!! could've just been a simple movie about a band who split up before reuniting and rekindling the magic of music once again. However, instead of following such a simple trajectory, Rock On!! added several elements that made this movie all the more magical and unforgettable.
It's a great film that explores the boundaries of friendship and how they can be stretched and spread out thin but never broken. Farhan Akhtar and Arjun Rampal are the beating hearts of this movie, but the rest of the cast also deserve due props for being quite enjoyable in their own right.
6 Gully Boy
The Indian hip-hop scene was fairly underground for the longest time before Gully Boy propelled this genre to the mainstream. Zoya Akhtar played her magic on the big screen once again with a delectable masterpiece about a down-on-his-luck rapper who wanted to make it on the big stage.
The end result was a brilliant movie that tackled everything from classism to parental oppression. Watching Murad grow over the course of the movie is incredibly satisfying, with Ranveer Singh's electrifying performance being absolutely hypnotic to watch at times.
5 Haider
Shahid Kapoor is a master of his craft, and this can be clearly seen in his performance in Haider. An amazing film that adapts the story of Hamlet, Haider's amazing drama ends up elevating its enjoyment to a whole new level.
Watching Kapoor's eponymous character striving for revenge throughout the movie is a wildly destructive ride that ends in one of the most bombastic finales around. It's a brilliant film that takes the turbulent background of 1995 Kashmir and weaves a brilliant tale around it.
4 Chak De! India
Sports movies can be huge hits or misses depending on just how they're directed and the stories they choose to tell. In the case of Chak De! India, the angles they took to depict the Indian women's hockey team were absolutely riveting and made for an excellent movie.
It helped that Shah Rukh Khan's performance was magical as always and elevated the movie to a whole new level. People who love tales of underdogs finally making it in the big leagues will absolutely love the story Chak De! India tries to say.
3 Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara
Zoya Akhtar makes another appearance on this list, this time in the form of a comedy-drama film where a simple road trip allows three people to connect once again. Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara is a great feel-good film with the perfect amount of drama to keep things interesting till the very end.
The dynamics that play out in this movie are complex without being overbearing, which is a huge achievement in and of itself. It's become a classic and accessible Bollywood film that teaches people about the joys of life.
2 Rang De Basanti
Rang De Basanti is the quintessential Bollywood film that captured the rebellious zeal every youngster in India had growing up. It helped that the performances of each and every member of the main cast were absolutely riveting.
The idea of going against the government is not a novel one in the slightest, but the bold approach Rang De Basanti took in portraying its story made it all the more special. It's a must-watch film for any Bollywood buff.
1 Gangs Of Wasseypur
Gangs of Wasseypur is a two-movie epic that depicts the rise and fall of Sardar Khan and his sons as they form one of the biggest crime syndicates in Dhanbad. The movie is a masterpiece by Anurag Kashyap, and quite possibly his best work by far.
Watching the epic narrative of this movie unfold over the course of its two riveting parts is a cinematic treat. There's a reason why Gangs of Wasseypur is referred to as the Godfather of Bollywood — a statement that shouldn't be taken lightly.