The Best Movies to Understand Indian Culture

Art reflects life in different forms, whether painting, music, poetry and even movies. Amongst all the forms of art available, none has a farther reach than films. For many years, movie producers have used human emotions to captivate people and educate them. India’s Bollywood film industry has been up and doing in this regard, releasing movie scripts that show the rich culture of India. Everyone, especially outsiders and foreigners, can tell the beauty of the Indian culture. Without stepping foot in India, one can tell that the significant elements in the country’s culture –dance, music, mathematics, language, cuisine, and interestingly gambling. So, to make you see the beauty of India’s culture, we have selected six of the best movies that you need to see, starting with the old ones. 

Pather Panchali (1955)

Pather Panchali literally translates as Song of the little road, and the movie is all about the culture and life in the rural areas of India. This vintage film counts as one of the best movies of all time. The movie director Satyajit Ray sits in India’s movie industry’s hall of fame as one of the best film directors in India. Working with a small budget, the movie Pather Panchali was his debut. Even with the obvious constraints, he was able to portray the pastoral life of Bengal alongside his needy family members. With this real showcase of India’s rural beauty, it wasn’t surprising that Ray won the heart of many people both in India and beyond, even with his silver screen.  

The Great Gambler (1979)

Everyone will agree that gambling is one of the elements of Indian culture. It started years ago, and now it has evolved to a stage where people have direct access to the best Andar Bahar casinos on the internet. The great gambler, our next movie, was produced at a time when online gambling was almost nonexistent. The film was the first action thriller to come up with gambling as a central theme. It had one of the most massive movie budgets that period because its featured scenes from Venice, Rome, Lisbon, etc. The plot was about an expert gambler who had never lost a game. To ascertain the wasn’t being fraudulent, a police inspector was assigned to investigate the gambler.    

Gandhi (1982)

Research into the culture of India would never be complete except there are some names in it. Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi is one of those names. During his life, the Indian lawyer fought for the liberation of his people from British colonial rule. This movie which David Attenborough directed, was to show the life and times of Mahatma Gandhi and his non-violent struggle for independence. The epic biography movie was so good it won an Oscar nomination in 1982 and several awards after that. It shows how non-violent agitation can win a war against impunity and cruelty. 

Passage to India (1984)

Nothing shows culture better than a historical documentary movie. The next film on our list is a classic that takes its inspiration from another classic written by E.M. Forster. In this film, you will see the real relationship between the people of India and their British colonizers. The movie, which is set before the independence of India, examines the sufferings of the people and how independence came to be. Passage to India explores India through the lens of Mrs. Moore, a fictional character in the movie, and what she believes is the true India.    

Lagaan (2001)

Indians love the game of cricket. The love is so profound that cricket has become a part of their culture, like soccer is in England and American football is in the US. This beautiful movie correctly depicts the love of Indians for this beautiful game of cricket and the beauty of rural Indian life before independence. In English, Lagaan translates as Tax which is the central theme of the movie. The movie tells a story about how some villagers in some parts of India had to play cricket just so they can avoid paying unfair taxes to the British government. In the end, the people were able to win using the passion and love for the beautiful game of cricket. 

Rang de Basanti (2006)

If you are tired of seeing old Indian movies and the British colonizers’ cruelty, head on to 2006 as we explore some of the issues in modern-day India. In this thrilling movie, a British Indian returns home to make a documentary about a group of freedom fighters called the Bhagat Singh and the Chandrashekhar Azad, and many more. Even though her grandfather was a police officer, she soon becomes a part of the crisis. The movie helps you see India’s new country in light of growing corruption and how it affects the system.