1) 3 Idiots
This coming age of drama follows the lives of 3 friends in an Indian engineering college and explores the social pressures put on students in Indian education. There’s comedy and music so it’s a lot of fun. However, nothing can prepare you for the scene that follows the musical number, “All Izz Well.”
2) Pyaar Impossible
Abhay, is in love with his colleg classmate, Alisha but she has no idea he exists. 7 years later, he runs into her (she still doesn’t remember him) and, in an attempt to get closer to her, applies to be her daughter’s nanny. It’s not as creepy as it sounds, I swear. Priyanka Chopra and Uday Chopra (pictured above) have sweet chemistry, and the film’s eponymous title track is a bop.
3) Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham
Rahul goes against his adoptive father’s wishes and marries a middle-class woman, which leads to him being banished from the family. Years later, Rahul’s younger half-brother, Rohan, sets out to find and bring Rahul home. This star-studded film is super fun, insane, and sad at the same time. Go check it out if you haven’t.
4) My Name Is Khan
After losing his son in a post 9/11 prejudice-inspired attack (against brown people in America), Rizwan, a man with Asperger’s syndrome, embarks on a journey to meet the president of the United States in an attempt to alter the public’s perception of his community. Even though I loved this movie, I still think it was a really shitty that his wife blamed him for their son’s death. Watch it and let me know what you think.
5) Kuch Kuch Hota Hai
College student, Anjali, is in love with her best friend, Rahul, but he doesn’t notice because he’s in love with the new girl, Tina. Rahul marries Tina, which breaks Anjali’s heart and causes her to leave college before confessing her feelings. They fall out of touch. Years pass and Tina dies while giving birth to a daughter. When the child, is 8 years old, she finds a letter, written by her mother before she passed, instructing her to hook the now-alone Rahul up with his true love, Anjali. I remember watching this and thinking, “How do you give such a task to a freaking 8 year old??!!” but this insane storyline somehow works.
Personally, I think it’s insane that 3 out of the 5 movies on this list have the same two actors (Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol) playing the leads. But, you know, it’s Bollywood. It never bothers you because the actors do such an amazing job every time.
