Film making is one of the most celebrated arts in the entertainment industry.
Often times, we forget to notice the work and efforts put up in making a film for the sole purpose of entertaining us. While most of us simply adore the stars and the song sequences or the action sequences, we seldom appreciate the hard work put up by the technicians, cinematographers, editor, spot boys, makeup artists, action choreographers, scriptwriters, and most importantly the director.
Well, to address this scenario and guide the audience about what goes behind the scenes right from the beginning, many films have been made featuring cinema or filmmaking in India.
Today, let’s check out this amazing list of Indian movies on cinema or filmmaking.
Best Indian Films on Cinema/Filmmaking
A lot happens behind the scenes while making a film. Whether it’s the technical side or the creative side of filmmaking or the struggles of new artists getting into the line of cinema, there’s a lot more than we know about this industry.
If you wish to know more, then we suggest you watch the movies listed below and increase your knowledge about the Indian film industry.
Let’s get started.
Luck By Chance (2009)
Directed by Zoya Akhtar, Luck By Chance is a film about a young man moving to Mumbai to become a movie star. The film tries to show the hardships and challenges one has to face in this world of cinema both while struggling and after you gained fandom. It features Farhan Akhtar and Konkana Sen Sharma in the lead roles.
Filmistaan (2013)
Filmistaan is a comedy film that will excite every filmy buff who desires to be an actor someday. The film follows the story of a similar wanna-be-actor who gets kidnapped by a terrorist group mistaking him for an American.
During his time with the terrorist group, we see a lot of comical events and rants about superiority between India and Pakistan. The film tries to convey a sweet message that despite being divided by the border, both India and Pakistan share a human and cultural bond.
Also Read : Filmy Keedays of Bollywood films
The Dirty Picture (2011)
Roughly based on the life of Silk Smitha, The Dirty Picture is a film that portrays the life of South Indian actresses who are cast in films for simply erotic roles. Directed by Milan Luthria, the film features Vidya Balan in one of her iconic roles alongside Naseeruddin Shah, Emraan Hashmi, and Tusshar Kapoor. Once you watch the film, you will understand the commercial angle of the art of cinema.
Also Read: Best Biopic Movies from Bollywood
Monsoon Mangoes (2015)
A Malayalam Film, Monsoon Mangoes is the story of a young man and his dream of becoming a film director. The film features Fahadh Faasil as the young director, who pursues his dream but fails. However, his premonitions lead him to try again and this time he changes a few things, re-edits the film, and presents it to the audience. Whether he succeeds in his journey or not is what forms the crux of the story.
Celluloid (2013)
Another Malayalam film on the list is the 2013 docudrama Celluloid. It’s a biopic about the father of Malayalam cinema, J.C. Daniel. Featuring Prithviraj as J.C. Daniel, the story of the film is adapted from his biography titled, “Life of J.C. Daniel” written by Chelangatt Gopalakrishnan. Directed by Kamal, the film follows the journey of J.C. Daniel during the making of his film Vigathakumaran.
Lucia (2013)
Lucia is one of those films that will literally blow your brains out. Directed by Pawan Kumar, Lucia is a Kannada film following two different lives of the same person. One is the reality while the other’s the dream. By the time, the film reaches the climax; you will be totally confused about what’s real and what’s not. It is also the first Kannada film to be crowdfunded by the people, Lucia is one of the Best films in India with Twisted Climax.
Bombay Talkies (2013)
Bombay Talkies is a 2013 Indian anthology film consisting of 4 different short films. The short films are directed by ace filmmakers such as Anurag Kashyap, Karan Johar, Zoya Akhtar, and Dibaker Banerjee. The film marked the new era for Indian cinema as it was released at a time when Indian cinema completed 100 years. Each short story in this film focuses on the very common yet ignored problems in the society which is hardly explored in Indian cinema.
Iruvar (1997)
Iruvar is a Tamil political drama film directed by the ace director Mani Ratnam. The film is loosely based on the lives and rivalry of the Tamil Nadu political icons M.G. Ramachandran and M. Karunanidhi. The film features Mohanlal as an actor turned politician, whereas Prakash Raj plays his rival. Iruvar was also credited as Aishwarya Rai’s debut film where she plays the double role.
Harishchandrachi Factory (2009)
Harishchandrachi Factory is a 2009 Marathi film that depicts the struggles faced by Dadasaheb Phalke during the making of India’s first feature film, Raja Harishchandra released in 1913. Making his debut as a director, Paresh Mokashi’s Harishchandrachi Factory became the second Marathi to be selected as India’s official entry to the Oscars in Best Foreign Language film category.
Also Read: Best Marathi Films of all Time.
Bhumika (1977)
Bhumika is a 1977 Indian film that features the life and struggles of an actress in the industry. Featuring Smita Patil in the lead role, this Shyam Benegal film is based on the life of legendary Marathi actress of the 1940s, Hansa Wadkar. The film is about identifying the true meaning of life through self-discovery.
Jigarthanda (2014)
Jigarthanda is a 2014 Tamil film featuring Siddharth in the lead role. Directed by Karthik Subbaraj, Jigarthanda is a dark comedy film that follows the life of a wannabe filmmaker, who must make a short film on a real-life gangster to gain recognition and pursue his dream of directing a feature film. The film also stars Bobby Simha and Lakshmi Menon in pivotal roles.
Autograph (2010)
Autograph is a Bengali film that revolves around one of Satyajit Ray’s best films, Nayak. Featuring Prosenjit, Nandana Sen, and Indraneil Sengupta in important roles, the film is directed by Srijit Mukherji and narrates the story of remaking the classic. While Indraneil Sengupta plays the debutant director, Prosenjit and Nandana Sen essay the roles of the lead pair in the remake version. However, things don’t go as planned and the film gets stuck in the post-production.
Over to you!
Indian filmmaking offers a lot of variety as there are multiple film industries flourishing within this culturally rich country. If you are someone who aspires to become a filmmaker or wish to pursue a career in this industry, then you must watch the films listed above.
You will get a clearer picture of the Indian film industry and this will help you understand what goes through behind the art of making a film.
Also, don’t forget to let us know about your favorite film about cinema or filmmaking in the comments below.
