Top 10 Best Bollywood Films of All Time

The 1995 Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol romance directed by Aditya Chopra ran continuously at Mumbai's Maratha Mandir cinema for over 25 years, a world record. DDLJ redefined the Bollywood romance genre and became the defining film for the Indian diaspora worldwide, grossing over Rs 100 crore.

K. Asif's 1960 historical epic was the most expensive Indian film of its era, starring Prithviraj Kapoor and Dilip Kumar. The film was re-colourised and re-released in 2004 to sold-out theatres, proving its timeless grandeur. Its production took 16 years to complete.

Mehboob Khan's 1957 epic starring Nargis became the first Indian film nominated for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, narrowly losing to Federico Fellini's Nights of Cabiria. A powerful story of sacrifice and resilience, it remains a cornerstone of Indian national cinema.

Aamir Khan's 2001 period epic about villagers who challenge British colonisers to a cricket match earned the second Oscar nomination for an Indian film in the Best Foreign Language Film category. It won the National Film Award for Best Popular Film and grossed ?100 crore worldwide.

Rajkumar Hirani's 2009 comedy-drama starring Aamir Khan, R. Madhavan, and Sharman Joshi became the highest-grossing Bollywood film of its time at Rs 460 crore worldwide. A sharp satire on India's education system, it remains one of the most-watched Hindi films on streaming platforms globally.

Yash Chopra's 1975 crime drama cemented Amitabh Bachchan's status as the Angry Young Man of Bollywood. Written by Salim-Javed, its iconic dialogue 'Mere paas maa hai' defined an era of Indian masculinity and working-class aspiration. The film grossed Rs 4 crore against a Rs 65 lakh budget.

Guru Dutt's 1957 poetic masterpiece about a struggling poet's rejection by society is regularly cited in global film criticism lists. Time magazine included it among the 100 Best Films ever made. Waheeda Rehman's performance and S.D. Burman's haunting score elevated Indian cinema to world-class art.

Rajkumar Santoshi's 1994 buddy comedy starring Aamir Khan and Salman Khan flopped on release but became a beloved cult classic over the following decade. Its rapid-fire dialogue and comedic timing have been quoted endlessly in Indian pop culture, earning it the status of a timeless comedy masterpiece.

Nitesh Tiwari's 2016 biographical sports drama starring Aamir Khan as wrestling coach Mahavir Singh Phogat grossed Rs 2,000 crore worldwide, making it the highest-grossing Bollywood film globally. Particularly massive in China where it earned over $190 million, it broke barriers for Indian cinema internationally.

The 1995 Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol romance directed by Aditya Chopra ran continuously at Mumbai's Maratha Mandir cinema for over 25 years, a world record. DDLJ redefined the Bollywood romance genre and became the defining film for the Indian diaspora worldwide, grossing over Rs 100 crore.

K. Asif's 1960 historical epic was the most expensive Indian film of its era, starring Prithviraj Kapoor and Dilip Kumar. The film was re-colourised and re-released in 2004 to sold-out theatres, proving its timeless grandeur. Its production took 16 years to complete.

Mehboob Khan's 1957 epic starring Nargis became the first Indian film nominated for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, narrowly losing to Federico Fellini's Nights of Cabiria. A powerful story of sacrifice and resilience, it remains a cornerstone of Indian national cinema.

Aamir Khan's 2001 period epic about villagers who challenge British colonisers to a cricket match earned the second Oscar nomination for an Indian film in the Best Foreign Language Film category. It won the National Film Award for Best Popular Film and grossed ?100 crore worldwide.

Rajkumar Hirani's 2009 comedy-drama starring Aamir Khan, R. Madhavan, and Sharman Joshi became the highest-grossing Bollywood film of its time at Rs 460 crore worldwide. A sharp satire on India's education system, it remains one of the most-watched Hindi films on streaming platforms globally.

Yash Chopra's 1975 crime drama cemented Amitabh Bachchan's status as the Angry Young Man of Bollywood. Written by Salim-Javed, its iconic dialogue 'Mere paas maa hai' defined an era of Indian masculinity and working-class aspiration. The film grossed Rs 4 crore against a Rs 65 lakh budget.

Guru Dutt's 1957 poetic masterpiece about a struggling poet's rejection by society is regularly cited in global film criticism lists. Time magazine included it among the 100 Best Films ever made. Waheeda Rehman's performance and S.D. Burman's haunting score elevated Indian cinema to world-class art.

Rajkumar Santoshi's 1994 buddy comedy starring Aamir Khan and Salman Khan flopped on release but became a beloved cult classic over the following decade. Its rapid-fire dialogue and comedic timing have been quoted endlessly in Indian pop culture, earning it the status of a timeless comedy masterpiece.

Nitesh Tiwari's 2016 biographical sports drama starring Aamir Khan as wrestling coach Mahavir Singh Phogat grossed Rs 2,000 crore worldwide, making it the highest-grossing Bollywood film globally. Particularly massive in China where it earned over $190 million, it broke barriers for Indian cinema internationally.