Over the past few years, the term Pan Indian cinema has become a buzzword in this space. What does the term truly means? There’s movies like Pathaan or the Pushpa series that gain the title by getting translated in multiple regional languages, and then there are those that manage to capture the imagination and love of audiences across the country thanks to their universal themes and performances that require no translation. 2024 was the year of the latter.
This was the year where movies with a focus on storytelling managed to surpass larger-than-life narratives and heroes. Despite impressive scale, it was the story and performances anchoring these movies that made 2024 one of the most rewarding years as a moviegoer.
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Best Indian Movies Of 2024
As we inch closer to the new year, we decided to look back and revisit some of the movies that made the biggest impact in 2024. So without further ado, and in no particular order, here are some of the best Indian movies of the year.
Merry Christmas
Sriram Raghavan’s much-anticipated thriller/mystery, Merry Christmas, delivered what was inarguably the most romantic film of 2024. In the movie, two strangers meet on Christmas Eve and become intertwined with each other’s lives forever as the night progresses.
The Hindi-Tamil bilingual film starred two of the most popular stars of the respective industries, Katrina Kaif and Vijay Sethupathi, and delivered a heart-breaking romance that set the tone for the year in cinema to follow.
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All We Imagine As Light
Payal Kapadia’s All We Imagine As Light has not only set new records worldwide with all the awards it has been collecting, it also managed to expose the flawed selection process of the Film Federation Of India.
The all-male committee dropped the ball by not selecting the acclaimed movie as India’s selection to the 2025 Oscars but, if the movie’s streak of sweeping awards left and right is to be considered, the prestigious nomination might not be far behind. Through the lives of three nurses in modern-day Mumbai, the movie tells the story of intimacy and quiet dissent.
Premalu
Director Girish A.D gave the conventional romantic comedy a reboot with his third directorial. In Premalu, Sachin and Reenu’s love story has all the markers of a traditional movie romance.
There’s the typical meet-cute, the obstacles, and an obligatory airport chase (though not like what you would think). What sets it apart though is how it depicts love and relationships through its characters. The well-etched-out characters lend this love story a pleasing depth, making it a must-watch for cinema enthusiasts.
Laapataa Ladies
The fact that it was embroiled in the FFI and the Oscar selection committee controversy, through no fault of its own, doesn’t take away from the fact that Kiran Rao’s Laapataa Ladies is a movie that earned every bit of acclaim it got upon its release.
The movie tells the tale of two newlywed brides whose lives are changed irrevocably when they’re exchanged during a train ride to their husbands’ homes.
Binny and Family
This heart-warming coming-of-age drama tells the story of the titular Binny, a rebellious teenager who lives in London, and the relationship she shares with, well, her family.
When her retired grandparents come to live with them, Binny has to navigate the drastic chasm between the different generations. The subject is not new but the treatment given to the characters and the way teenage angst is depicted, so sensitively and never belittled, is what makes this film special.
Girls Will Be Girls
Director Shuchi Talati’s first feature film won two prizes at the Sundance Film Festival for its poignant portrayal of women’s sexual awakening and the tenuous relationship shared between mothers and daughters.
The coming-of-age tale gets a subtle twist here with the masterful screenplay and incredible performances by the leads Preeti Panigrahi and Kani Kusruti.
Manjummel Boys
This survival thriller film broke records with its earnings at the box office and became the highest grossing Malayalam film ever when it was released in February.
The movie is based on a true story and follows a group of boys from Manjummel in Kochi, who decide to have a vacation in Kodaikanal. They’re seemingly harmless vacation turns upside down when one of the boys gets trapped in the Guna Caves and it sets off an adventure that nobody could have predicted.
The Goat Life (Aadujeevitham)
If only we could have a rupee for every critically acclaimed 2024 Malayalam movie that was a survival thriller based on a true story, we would have two rupees. That’s not much but it’s cool that it happened twice. It’s an adaptation of the bestselling Malayalam language novel Aadujeevitham by Benyamin, which is based on the real life tale of Najeeb, a Malayali immigrant labourer in the Gulf.
By no means is the movie an easy watch. Najeeb’s hardships in the foreign land and his journey across the scorching desert do not make for a fun viewing. However, director Blessy and lead actor Prithviraj focussed on the immense triumph of the human spirit through their film, on which they worked on for 16 years, and managed to deliver one of the best movies of the year.
Aavesham
In 2024, Fahadh Faasil has not only proven to be one of the best actors of our current times but also one to watch out for as he sets to make his Bollywood debut with Imtiaz Ali in the near future.
The actor is the backbone of this action comedy film which follows the misadventures of three boys who befriend a local gangster to take revenge on their school bully.
Lubber Pandhu
Sports drama is a well-populated genre in Indian cinema, especially movies based on cricket. Lubber Pandhu, director Tamizharasan Pachamuthu’s debut feature film, sets itself apart as it tweaks the formula and plays out like a well-crafted family drama as opposed to a clichéd sports film.
The movie follows the rivalry between gully cricket players Gethu and Anbu and how Anbu’s involvement with their daughter turns things even more complicated for the two. The movie was hailed by critics as one of the most wholesome entertainers of the year.
CTRL
Despite making a debut in 2019, 2024 should be considered Ananya Panday’s breakout year.
After an impressive OTT debut, the actress starred in Vikramaditya Motwane’s CTRL, a gripping movie about the travails of AI in the modern age. In this screen-life thriller, Ananya comes alive as a social media influencer whose life falling apart plays out in front of her millions of followers, leading her to become dependant on a new AI technology that could effectively take control of her life and make everything better, one prompt at a time.
Vaazhai
One of the best filmmakers in the country at the moment, Mari Selvaraj is known for many incredible films, including his debut Pariyerum Perumal. However, the director called this semi-autobiographical film his best film, and he hits the nail right on its head.
The tender and well-crafted tale explores the systemic oppression of lower castes in the country effectively through the lens of a child. The film manages to achieve the impressive feat of being heart-wrenching and heart-warming at the same time.
I Want To Talk
If there’s one thing that Shoojit Sircar knows how to do, its to skilfully dissect familial relationship dynamics with the background of profound themes like grief and loss. In his collaboration with Abhishek Bachchan, the director does just that.
The movie subverts expectations as it turns a typical potentially tears-inducing tale of a father discovering his cancer diagnosis and its impact on his complex relationship with his daughter into a remarkable study of sorrow, determination, and human resilience.
Kill
After making waves at the Toronto International Film festival last year, the movie finally released in theatres this year and effectively introduced a new chapter in action movies in India. Set entirely in a few compartments on a train to Delhi, the movie follows a pair of commandos facing off against a group of bandits.
The relentless and unapologetically brutal action thriller rarely missed a beat and ended up becoming one of the best films of the year. The fact that it managed to do that without any big name actor or catchy song and dance number is a feat on its own.
Maharaja
This Tamil-language thriller infuses the tried-and-tested tropes with emotional depth and a narrative twist that does the intended job of taking you by surprise completely as the twists unfold. Starring Vijay Sethupathi and Anurag Kashyap, the movie follows a barber who goes to the local police station to retrieve his stolen dustbin.
It quickly becomes evident that something more insidious is in play behind his nonsensical request and that’s when the compelling thriller comes to life. The movie packs a powerful twist in the end that could have been spoiled for you already if you frequent the film side of the Internet but even if that’s true, the movie is still a solid watch.
Meiyazhagan
While larger-than-life heroes and their physics-defying shenanigans might have their place in cinema, there’s no denying that the year belonged to simple and heart-warming tales that spoke about themes that are inherently familiar to all of us, regardless of cultural differences.
One such example of this was C. Prem Kumar’s Meiyazhagan. The movie is explores the charm of homecoming through the story of Arumozhi Varman, a man who has to return to his home town after 22 years.
Amar Singh Chamkila
Imtiaz Ali’s last few movies have been divisive, to say the least. But his biopic on musician Amar Singh Chamkila’s life was hailed by many as a return to form for the director.
The director portrays the life of the artist through brilliantly recreated performances and the various controversies surrounding him. Diljit Dosanjh’s performance as the titular singer was also praised by critics across the board and A.R. Rahman’s score just added the cherry on top of this immensely enjoyable sundae.
Kishkindha Kaandam
Director Dinjeeth Ayyathan’s Kishkindha Kaandham is not only a taut and compelling thriller but also one of the most poignant family dramas of recent times.
Set in the monkey-inhabited Kallepathi reserve forest, the story follows a forest officer and his family as they investigated the strange disturbances around them. The slow burn thriller culminates into a powerful climax that leaves you reeling and the performances stay with you long past the movie ends.