Best Bollywood Movies of 2024

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With the first theatrical releases of 2025 due to make their streaming debuts any day now, it’s time to wrap up 2024. I wasn’t able to get to all of the films I wanted to review (sorry, Madgaon Express), but I did have 35 Hindi movies to choose from. Here are my Top 10 Bollywood Movies of 2024:

Sequels can’t help but be compared to the films that spawned them. Thankfully, Stree 2 had the same spooky, funny energy as the original Stree from 2018.

Choosing Laapataa Ladies as India’s submission to the most recent Oscars opened it up to unfair criticism, especially after it failed to make the shortlist for Best International Feature. Still, it’s a very cute story that introduced some fresh new acting talent.

If you’ve read any of my previous “Best of” lists, you know that they almost always include a Vidyut Jammwal action flick. This time it’s Crakk: Jeetegaa Toh Jiyegaa! (which is unfortunately not available anywhere in the United States at the time of this writing).

I’m a sucker for buddy comedies about women, and Tabu, Kareena Kapoor Khan, and Kriti Sanon came through with the heist flick Crew.

The movie that India’s selection committee should have picked as its Oscar submission was All We Imagine as Light, a great look at the alienation of modern day life in the city.

Some of my favorite performances of 2024 were by Deepak Dobriyal and Vikrant Massey in the tense serial killer drama Sector 36.

The most exciting action movie of the year was Kill. Watching Lakshya punch, kick, and hack his way through goons on a crowded train provided nonstop thrills.

Alia Bhatt makes an appearance on this list as an action heroine in the jailbreak drama Jigra. Vasan Bala is one of my favorite directors, and casting Bhatt as a sister who’ll do anything to save her imprisoned brother was a genius choice.

One of my other favorite filmmakers took a huge risk in shooting a thriller that consists almost entirely of footage meant to look like it was shot on a smartphone, and boy did it pay off. Vikramaditya Motwane trusted Ananya Pandey to lead the claustrophobic mystery CTRL as an influencer lured into a technological trap, and he was repaid with a career-best performance in a gripping film.

The best Hindi movie of the year told the true story of a controversial artist via a clever, memorable mix of narrative techniques. Diljeet Dosanjh and Parineeti Chopra shone in their leading roles in my new favorite movie from writer-director Imtiaz Ali. The Best Bollywood Movie of 2024 is Amar Singh Chamkila!

What was your favorite Hindi film of 2024? What would have made your Top 10 list? Let me know in the comments!

Kathy’s Best Bollywood Movies of 2024

  1. Amar Singh Chamkila – stream on Netflix
  2. CTRL – stream on Netflix
  3. Jigra – stream on Netflix
  4. Kill – stream on Hulu; buy/rent on Amazon
  5. Sector 36 – stream on Netflix
  6. All We Imagine as Light – buy/rent on Amazon
  7. Crew – stream on Netflix
  8. Crakk
  9. Laapataa Ladies – stream on Netflix
  10. Stree 2 – stream on Amazon Prime

Previous Best Movies Lists

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5 thoughts on “Best Bollywood Movies of 2024”

  2. Gospvg

    Thankfully I have managed to watch a few of the films on your list in Jigra, Kill & Laapataa Ladies.

    I enjoyed Laapataa Ladies the most, I do enjoy films set on social commentary and this films focuses on womens rights which are very much restricted in the indian sub-continet especially in villages.

    Kill set a new bar for indian action movies and can easily be compared against the best from hollywood.

    Jigra was an enjoyable family watch and I do enjoy films starring Alia Bhatt.

    Looking at my letterboxd diary, I also enjoyed watching Dunki last year with is focus on migrants.

    Maharaja was another 2024 release I enjoyed especially with it’s twist at the end. I did check and I can’t see a review on your site Kathy. Maybe add this one to your watchlist.

    I have added the other Amazon/Netflix titles you have mentioned to my watchlist.

    Thank you for the 2024 year review.

    Reply ↓
    1. Kathy Post author

      Thanks so much, Gospvg! I appreciate that, with Laapataa Ladies, Kiran Rao was able to make a movie with meaningful social commentary that was also cute. That’s really hard to do!

      Reply ↓

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