15 Underrated Bollywood Movies That Deserve More Love: From Monica, Oh My Darling, and Lootera to Game Over

Bollywood November 27, 2023

Thought you understood everything about Bollywood? Think again! Bollywood isn’t just about flashy blockbusters and superstar actors. Sometimes movies that seem promising end up being flops. On the other hand, there are some great Hindi films that go unnoticed due to the lack of big marketing strategies like commercial films. Think of them as hidden gems waiting to be unearthed. We’ve compiled a list of 15 underrated Bollywood movies that are truly worth your attention.

Top 15 Underrated Bollywood Movies Worth Watching

1. Nil Bhati Sannata (2016)

Execution time: 1 hour 44 minutes
IMDB rating: 8.2/10
Movie genre: Drama
Movie star cast: Swara Bhaskar, Pankaj Tripathi, Ratna Pathak Shah
director: Ashwini Iyer Tiwari
Writer: Ashwini Iyer Tiwari, Nitesh Tiwari, Neeraj Singh, Pranjal Chaudhary
Release year: 2016
Where to watch / OTT platforms: Geo Cinema / Amazon Prime / Zee5

Nil Batti Sannata is a shining example of an underrated film that is often overlooked. This hidden gem explores the enduring bond between mother and daughter and depicts the struggles of a financially constrained mother as she strives to prioritize her daughter’s education. The story unfolds beautifully and sheds light on the often overlooked challenges of the lower strata of society.

2. Carib Carib Single (2017)

Execution time: 2 hours 5 minutes
IMDB rating: 7.1/10
Movie genre: comedy/romance
Movie star cast: Irrfan Khan, Parvathy Thiruvottu, Neha Dhupia, Esha Sharvani
director: Tanuja Chandra
Writer: Tanuja Chandra, Ghazal Dhaliwal, Ramashrit Joshi
Release year: 2017
Where to watch / OTT platforms: Netflix/Zee5

Qarib Qarib Singlle stands out among the most underrated films and is a hidden treasure waiting to be discovered. This gem of a film weaves a beautifully simple story of love blossoming between her two characters with contrasting personalities. The filmmakers handle this story with exquisite delicacy, and the cast’s performances leave an indelible mark on the audience.

3. Udaan (2010)

Udaan is a masterpiece of youth cinema and stands as one of the best underrated films of all time. The storyline revolves around the turbulent journey of 17-year-old Lohan, who is expelled from school and forced to face the harsh reality of returning to her abusive and alcoholic father. .

4. Anhon Deki (2013)

Execution time: 1 hour 48 minutes
IMDB rating: 7.9 /10
Movie genre: Drama/Comedy
Movie star cast: Sanjay Mishra, Rajat Kapoor, Seema Pahwa, Namit Das
director: rajat kapoor
Writer: rajat kapoor
Release year: 2013
Where to watch / OTT platforms: Amazon Prime / Geo Cinema

When it comes to the best underrated Bollywood movies, Ankhon Dekhi is worth a watch. It follows Rajesh Bauji’s transformational journey in Delhi. Confronted with his relationship with his daughter, he experiences an encounter that changes his life and learns a valuable lesson. Sanjay Mishra’s impactful portrayal provides a fresh perspective on this hidden gem.

5. Stanley Ka Daba (2011)

Execution time: 1 hour 36 minutes
IMDB rating: 7.8/10
Movie genre: comedy/drama
Movie star cast: Amore Gupte, Partho Gupte, Divya Dutta
director: Amore Gupte
Release year: 2011
Where to watch / OTT platforms: YouTube

Stanley Ka Dabba revolves around the story of a schoolboy named Stanley. Since he does not have his own lunch box, he relies on the generosity of his classmates. However, this angered the Hindi teacher, Babubhai, who warned Stanley to bring his own lunch or be excluded. What follows is a moving story that explores the effects of kindness and societal expectations. This is definitely one of the underrated Hindi films that deserves more recognition. Please watch with your children. They’ll love it!

6. Khosla Ka Gosla (2006)

Execution time: 2 hours 15 minutes
IMDB rating: 8.3/10
Movie genre: comedy/drama
Movie star cast: Anupam Kher, Boman Irani, Pravin Dabas.Vinay Pathak, Tara Sharma, Ranvir Shorey
director: Dibakar Banerjee
Writer– Jaydeep Sahni
Release year: 2006
Where to watch / OTT platforms: Disney+Hotstar

‘Khosla Ka Ghosla’ has gained a cult following over the years for its brilliant plot and raucous dialogues. The film tells the story of Kamal Kishore Khosla, a middle-class man who discovers that his land has been confiscated by a local tycoon. The Khosla family devises an ingenious plan to outwit the crooks and recover their fortune.

7. Dhuni Char (2010)

Execution time: 1 hour 50 minutes
IMDB rating: 7.5/10
Movie genre: comedy/drama
Movie star cast: Neetu Singh, Rishi Kapoor
director: Habib Faisal
Release year: 2010
Where to watch / OTT platforms: Netflix

When we talk about the most underrated Bollywood movies, Do Dooni Chaar stands out as a must-watch movie. Set in Delhi, the film cleverly depicts the journey of a middle-class family who dreams of owning a car. Despite its outstanding quality, this cinematic gem somehow remains underrated and earned its place as one of the most underrated Bollywood films.

8. Runway 34 (2022)

Execution time: 2 hours 25 minutes
IMDB rating: 7/10
Movie genre: Action/Thriller
Movie star cast: Ajay Devgn, Amitabh Bachchan, Rakul Preet Singh
director: Ajay Devgn
Writer: Sandeep Kehlani, Aamir Kiyan Khan
Release year: 2022
Where to watch / OTT platforms: amazon prime

Runway 34 tells the story of Captain Vikrant Khanna, the genius aviator who performed an incredible landing while blindfolded. Initially hailed as a hero, the story takes a turn when an investigation led by Narayan Vedant begins, unearthing a series of questions that reveal an entirely different story. Inspired by true events, the film delves into the complexities and ensuing mysteries surrounding Captain Khanna’s remarkable feat. Definitely one of his most underrated Indian films of all time.

9. Game Over (2019)

Execution time: 1 hour 43 minutes
IMDB rating: 6.9 /10
Movie genre: thriller
Movie star cast: Taapsee Pannu, Parvati Malaa, Anish Kuruvilla
director: Ashwin Saravanan
Writer: Kavya Ramkumar, Ashwin Saravanan
Release year: 2019
Where to watch / OTT platforms: Netflix

Game Over is a gripping psychological thriller that tells the story of Swapna, a video game designer with a traumatic past. As she battles her inner demons, a mysterious home invasion threatens her life. The film explores themes such as fear, resilience, and the blurred line between reality and virtual worlds in an unforgiving game of survival.

10. Loutera (2013)

Execution time: 2 hours 16 minutes
IMDB rating: 7.4 /10
Movie genre: Romance/Drama
Movie star cast: Ranveer Singh, Sonakshi Sinha, Vikrant Massey
director: Vikramaditya Motwane
Writer: Bhavani Iyer
Release year: 2013
Where to watch / OTT platforms: Amazon Prime / GeoCinema / Disney+Hotstar

Lootera is an Indian period romance film set in the 1950s. The story revolves around Varun Shrivastav, a young archaeologist, and Pakhi Roy Chaudhary, the daughter of a wealthy Bengali zamindar. Varun infiltrates Pakhi’s life by posing as an archaeologist on a mission and hiding his true intentions. As their love story develops, unexpected circumstances and tragic events unfold, creating a heart-wrenching and moving tale. The film complexly captures the essence of love, loss, and redemption, with stunning visuals and a soulful soundtrack.

11. 101 Not Out (2018)

Execution time: 1 hour 42 minutes
IMDB rating: 7.4 /10
Movie genre: comedy/drama
Movie star cast: Amitabh Bachchan, Rishi Kapoor
director: Umesh Shukla
Writer: Saumya girls
Release year: 2018
Where to watch / OTT platforms: amazon prime

101 Not Out is one of the most underrated Bollywood films, depicting an unusual father-son dynamic. Starring Amitabh Bachchan and Rishi Kapoor, the film follows a 100-year-old father who aims to break the world record for oldest living man, and his 75-year-old son who struggles to breathe life into his life. It depicts a story.

12. Lunchbox (2013)

Execution time: 1 hour 44 minutes
IMDB rating: 7.8 /10
Movie genre: Romance/Drama
Movie star cast: Irrfan Khan, Nimrat Kaur, Nawazuddin Siddiqui
director: Ritesh Batra
Writer: Ritesh Batra
Release year: 2013
Where to watch / OTT platforms: YouTube

One of the most underrated Indian films, The Lunchbox depicts the unlikely connection between Ira, a lonely housewife, and Sajjan, a widowed office worker, through a misguided lunchbox delivery in Mumbai . The film delicately explores loneliness, love, and the coincidences of life, as their notes exchanged through lunchboxes create a unique bond.

13. Ramprasad Ki Theruvi (2019)

Execution time: 1 hour 53 minutes
IMDB rating: 7.5 /10
Movie genre: comedy/drama
Movie star cast: Naseeruddin Shah, Supriya Pathak, Vikrant Massey, Konkona Sen Sharma, Parambrata Chattopadhyay, Manoj Paffa
director: Seema Power
Writer: Seema Pafa
Release year: 2019
Where to watch / OTT platforms: Netflix / GeoCinema

Ramprasad ki Tehrvi is a touching Indian family drama. The death of a family leader brings together diverse relatives under one roof during a 13-day mourning period. As they grapple with their grief, long-buried secrets and conflicts resurface, revealing the complexity of family ties. The film deftly navigates emotion, humor, and introspection in the face of loss.

14. Shakuntala Devi (2020)

Execution time: 2 hours 7 minutes
IMDB rating: 6.1 /10
Movie genre: Drama/Comedy
Movie star cast: Vidya Balan, Sanya Malhotra, Amit Sadh, Jisshu Sengupta
director: Anu Menon
Release year: 2020
Where to watch / OTT platforms: amazon prime

‘Shakuntala Devi’ is a biopic chronicling the extraordinary life of mathematical genius Shakuntala Devi. Known as her human computer, she amazed the world with her unparalleled ability to mentally solve complex mathematical problems. The film explores her journey, relationships, and the challenges she faced in balancing her mathematical talents with her motherhood.

15. Monica, Oh My Darling (2022)

Execution time: 2 hours 9 minutes
IMDB rating: 7.4 /10
Movie genre: thriller/comedy
Movie star cast: Rajkummar Rao, Huma Qureshi, Radhika Apte, Akanksha Ranjan Kapoor, Sikandar Kher, Abhimanyu Dassani
director: Vasan Bala
Release year: 2022
Where to watch / OTT platforms: Netflix

Monica, Oh My Darling is one of the best underrated Hindi films, telling the fascinating story of an undercover agent navigating the harsh underworld. Full of suspense, betrayal, and unexpected twists, this crime thriller explores the complex dynamics of love and deception. The film offers a unique but underrated cinematic experience and is a hidden gem in Hindi cinema.

(Tag translation) Ranveer Singh