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7 best films on Netflix that stayed in our hearts for long time
Among the scores of films made every year, here’s a list of best films on Netflix that stayed in our hearts for a long time.
From bone-tickling comedy films to stunning actioners, nail-biting horrors, and more, the Indian film industry creates scores of movies every year across genres. While all of them are made with the sole purpose of entertainment, there are some that not only give the audience a paisa vasool show but also leave them with some food for thought. In this article, we will be talking about the seven best films on Netflix that have stayed in our hearts for a long time.
7 best films on Netflix that gave the audience food for thought:
1. Pad Man
- Star cast: Akshay Kumar, Sonam Kapoor, Radhika Apte
- IMDb rating: 7.9/10
- Movie genre: Comedy/Drama
- Year of release: 2018
- Director: R Balki
Based on the life of social activist and entrepreneur Arunachalam Muruganantham, Pad Man showcased how a man fought with society and the taboo about female menstruation to come up with low-cost sanitary pads that could save the lives of women in rural areas. While it became a critical and commercially successful movie, the Akshay Kumar starrer also won the National Film Award for Best Film on social issues.
2. Laapataa Ladies
- Star cast: Nitanshi Goel, Pratibha Ranta, Sparsh Shrivastava, Chhaya Kadam, Ravi Kishan
- IMDb rating: 8.4/10
- Movie genre: Comedy/Drama
- Year of release: 2023
- Director: Kiran Rao
Next up in this list of best films on Netflix that stayed in our hearts for a long time is Kiran Rao’s second directorial film, Laapataa Ladies. Through the misadventures of two young brides, the maker touched upon topics like education, a female’s desire to chase her dreams, the reality of rural India, and the dated mentality of society towards women. After the Oscar 2025-nominated movie started streaming on OTT, people across the globe watched it in awe and were left thinking, Where are we headed today?
3. Darlings
- Star cast: Alia Bhatt, Shefali Shah, Vijay Varma, Roshan Mathew
- IMDb rating: 6.61/0
- Movie genre: Dark comedy/ Thriller
- Year of release: 2022
- Director: Jasmeet K. Reen
Bankrolled by Shah Rukh Khan and Gauri Khan owned Red Chillies Entertainment, Darlings narrates the quest of two women dealing with abusive partners and finding love in the most unusual place. The conclusion shows how they were able to drop off the baggage of their toxic marriage which they were trying to work due to societal pressure. The happy faces of the women at the end say it all!
4. Toilet: Ek Prem Katha
- Star cast: Akshay Kumar, Bhumi Pednekar, Divyendu Sharma, Anupam Kher
- IMDb rating: 7.2/10
- Movie genre: Comedy/Romance
- Year of release: 2017
- Director: Shree Narayan Singh
Toilet: Ek Prem Katha is yet another movie on social issues that campaigns to eradicate open defecation and improve sanitation conditions in rural areas. With the film, Shree Narayan Singh was able to spark conversation around the need to install toilets at homes by showcasing how a man fought the backward society to do the same for his loving wife.
5. Mimi
- Star cast: Kriti Sanon, Pankaj Tripathi, Sai Tamhankar, Manoj Pahwa, Supriya Pathak
- IMDb rating: 7.8/10
- Movie genre: Comedy/Drama
- Year of release: 2021
- Director: Laxman Utekar
Kriti Sanon’s portrayal of Mimi, a surrogate, made a couple from the US realize that motherhood extends beyond genetic ties. It also narrated how a single woman accepted her son, supposed to be born with disabilities, when everyone else abandoned him, way before his birth. The drama movie touched a chord with the audience and eventually won two National Film Awards.
6. Gangubai Kathiawadi
- Star cast: Alia Bhatt, Shantanu Maheshwari, Vijay Raaz, Indira Tiwari, Seema Pahwa, Jim Sarbh, Ajay Devgn
- IMDb rating: 7.8/10
- Movie genre: Biography/Crime
- Year of release: 2022
- Director: Sanjay Leela Bhansali
Alia Bhatt’s portrayal of Gangubai Kathiawadi in the Sanjay Leela Bhansali magnum opus narrated the story of a brothel madame who eventually became a female mafia when situations compelled her to fight for what’s right for her fellow mates. Since she was duped and sold to a brothel, a young woman tries to fearlessly take control of society so no one else goes through what she did.
7. A Wednesday!
- Star cast: Naseeruddin Shah, Anupam Kher, Jimmy Sheirgill, Aamir Bashir, Deepal Shaw
- IMDb rating: 8.1/10
- Movie genre: Suspense, Mystery
- Year of release: 2008
- Director: Neeraj Pandey
A Wednesday! showcased what a ‘stupid common man wanting to clean his house’ can do when he is not convinced by the government. In the movie, a retiring police officer recalls the most astounding day of his career which continues to haunt him in his memories. The officer stated that even though he knew who the anonymous caller was, he was taken aback by the strength and determination of the common man, making him realize what he could do to clean society.
Have you watched all of these films? Let us know in the comments.
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