35 Films from the Golden Age of Indian Cinema
Following India's independence, the period from the late 1940s to the 1960s are regarded by film historians as the 'Golden Age' of Indian cinema. Some of the most critically acclaimed Indian films of all time were produced during this period.
These are the top 35 most popular films from the Golden Age of Indian Cinema. Which one is your favorite? If you haven't seen any, then which one would you most like to discover first?
After voting, you may discuss the poll here.
Please visit IMDb's India Spotlight section here.
These are the top 35 most popular films from the Golden Age of Indian Cinema. Which one is your favorite? If you haven't seen any, then which one would you most like to discover first?
After voting, you may discuss the poll here.
Please visit IMDb's India Spotlight section here.
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- DirectorSatyajit RayStarsKanu BannerjeeKaruna BannerjeeSubir BanerjeeImpoverished priest Harihar Ray, dreaming of a better life for himself and his family, leaves his rural Bengal village in search of work.Nominated for Best Film at the 1958 BAFTA Awards.
Nominated for Best Human Document Award at the 1956 Cannes Film Festival.
The 'Apu' trilogy is included in "Greatest Films of All Time" lists published by Sight & Sound, British Film Institute's (BFI), Time Out, Rolling Stone etc.
The Academy Film Archive preserved the entire 'Apu' trilogy in 1996. - DirectorSatyajit RayStarsPinaki SenguptaSmaran GhosalKamala AdhikariFollowing his father's death, a boy leaves home to study in Calcutta, while his mother must face a life alone.Nominated for Best Film and Best Foreign Actress (Karuna Bannerjee) at the 1959 BAFTA Awards.
- DirectorSatyajit RayStarsSoumitra ChatterjeeSharmila TagoreAlok ChakravartyThis final installment in Satyajit Ray's Apu Trilogy follows Apu's life as an orphaned adult aspiring to be a writer.Nominated for Best Film at the 1962 BAFTA Awards.
- DirectorMehboob KhanStarsNargisSunil DuttRajendra Kumar TuliIn this melodrama, a poverty-stricken woman raises her sons through many trials and tribulations. But no matter the struggles, she always sticks to her own moral code.Nominated for Best Foreign Language Film at the 1958 Oscars.
The film is included in "Greatest Films of All Time" list published by Empire magazine. - DirectorK. AsifStarsPrithviraj KapoorMadhubalaDilip KumarA 16th century prince falls in love with a court dancer and battles with his emperor father.
- DirectorGuru DuttStarsGuru DuttWaheeda RehmanMala SinhaVijay, a talented but indigent poet, struggles for love and recognition in this selfish world.The film is included in "Greatest Films of All Time" lists published by Sight & Sound and TIME magazine.
- DirectorSatyajit RayStarsChhabi BiswasGangapada BasuPadmadeviDepicts the end days of a decadent zamindar (landlord) in Bengal, and his efforts to uphold his family prestige even when faced with economic adversity.
- DirectorRaj KapoorStarsRaj KapoorNargisPrithviraj KapoorA poor young man named Raj joins a criminal gang to feed his mother. But when he falls in love with Rita, he decides to reform himself for her.Nominated for Grand Prize at the 1953 Cannes Film Festival.
The film is included in "Greatest Films of All Time" list published by TIME magazine. - DirectorRaj KapoorStarsNargisRaj KapoorNadiraWhen a young man from a small town decides to make it big in a city, he faces several challenges.
- DirectorRitwik GhatakStarsSupriya ChoudhuryAnil ChatterjeeGyanesh MukherjeeA selfless young woman (Supriya Choudhury) sacrifices her own happiness for her unappreciative family.
- DirectorGuru DuttStarsWaheeda RehmanGuru DuttKumari NaazSuresh Sinha, a famous director, discovers star potential in Shanti, a woman he stumbled into one rainy evening, and casts her as the lead in a film. In a twist of fate, Shanti becomes a superstar and Suresh faces a decline in his career.The film is included in "Greatest Films of All Time" list published by Sight & Sound.
- DirectorBimal RoyStarsDilip KumarSuchitra SenVyjayanthimalaThe scion of a wealthy landowner family turns to alcohol and self-pity and slowly self-destructs after class differences force him to break off his relationship with his childhood sweetheart.
- DirectorSatyajit RayStarsSharmila TagoreSoumitra ChatterjeeChhabi BiswasA young woman is deemed a goddess when her father-in-law, a rich feudal land-lord, has a dream envisioning her as an avatar of Kali.Nominated for Golden Palm at the 1962 Cannes Film Festival.
- DirectorShantaram Rajaram VankudreStarsShantaram Rajaram VankudreSandhyaUlhasProgressive, reform-minded young warden gets permission to take six surly murderers from prison to dilapidated country farm, to rehabilitate it and themselves through hard work and kindly guidance.
- DirectorKadiri Venkata ReddyStarsN.T. Rama RaoS.V. Ranga RaoSavitriBalarama promises Subhadra to get his daughter married to her son. But when the Pandavas loses their kingdom to the Kaurava's, Balarama breaks his promise.
- DirectorBimal RoyStarsBalraj SahniNirupa RoyRatan KumarIn the hope of earning enough money to pay off his debts and save his land, a poor farmer becomes a rickshaw puller in Calcutta and faces many difficulties.Won International Prize and nominated for Grand Prize at the 1954 Cannes Film Festival.
- DirectorSatyen BoseStarsAshok KumarMadhubalaAnoop KumarThree woman-hating brothers face changes in their respective lifestyles when two of them fall in love.
- DirectorBimal RoyStarsDilip KumarVyjayanthimalaJohnny WalkerA young man takes shelter in a mansion when a landslide blocks his route to the railway station. Then, he finds the mansion familiar and soon learns about the story of his previous birth.
- DirectorB.R. ChopraStarsDilip KumarVyjayanthimalaAjit KhanWhen the son of a landlord decides to modernize his business by replacing the horse carts with buses, a horse cart rider decides to challenge him.
- DirectorSatyajit RayStarsTulsi ChakrabortyKali BannerjeeRani BalaAn underpaid middle-aged clerk finds a 'parash pathar', a stone that changes iron to gold on touch.Nominated for Palme d'Or at the 1958 Cannes Film Festival.
- DirectorAmit MitraSombhu MitraStarsPradeep KumarSumitra DeviSmriti BiswasAn innocent guy who has arrived from a village to Kolkata gets himself involved into trouble in search of water after he gets thirsty in the middle of the night.
- DirectorPrakash AroraStarsKumari NaazRatan KumarDavid AbrahamPre-teen brother and sister, abandoned by their father to be taken care of by an abusive prostitute aunt, survive life in an Indian squatters' camp, aided by a friendly cripple, by learning to shine shoes instead of begging.Nominated for Special Mention to a Child Actress (Kumari Naaz) at the 1955 Cannes Film Festival.
- DirectorHrishikesh MukherjeeStarsRaj KapoorNutanLalita PawarA poor young man gets employed by a rich man admiring his honesty. But when he gets suspected in a lady's murder case, he need to prove his innocence.
- DirectorRaj KhoslaStarsDev AnandShakilaJohnny WalkerA newspaper editor gets murdered when he was about to expose the underworld links of a rich person. So, a C.I.D inspector gets assigned to investigate the murder case.
- DirectorRaj KapoorStarsNargisRaj KapoorPremnath MalhotraPran and Gopal fall in love with village girls while on a holiday. After returning home, Gopal continues to flirt with other girls. But Pran realizes that he has truly fallen in love.