10 Indian Regional Language Films Worth Watching

1. Pather Panchali (Bengali): The first film from independent India to attract major international critical attention, Pather Panchali, or Song of the Little Road, is a 1955 Bengali drama film written and directed by Satyajit Ray and produced by the government of the Indian state of West Bengal. This film is key in establishing Satyajit Ray as a major international filmmaker, and is still known as one of the greatest films ever made. The story follows a man who leaves his village in search of a better life for his family.

2. Lucia (Kannada): Lucia is an Indian Kannada language romantic sci-fi film written and directed by Pawan Kumar. It follows the story of a man who is tricked into buying a drug called Lucia, which fulfils all his desires in his dreams, thus merging dreams and reality. The screenplay is beautifully done and leaves you wondering whether anything around you is real.

3. Bahubali (Tamil, Telugu): Bahubali is an Indian epic historical film directed by S.S.Rajamouli. The film is set in ancient India and follows the story of an adventurous and daring man that gets involved in the ages old battle between two men at war. This movie was made in two parts, and won the National award this year for the best movie.

4. Samskara (Kannada): Girish Karnard has written the screenplay and acted in this film based on a novel and directed by Pattabhirama Reddy. The story follows the writer’s experiences in India concerning the multilayered structure of time in Indian society. This film was a trend setter in the world of Kannada cinema.

5. 36 Chowringhee Lane (English/Bengali): This critically acclaimed debut film of Aparna Sen was produced by Shashi Kapoor. Jennifer Kendall, Shashi Kapoor’s wife, played an Anglo Indian spinster. Her genuine craving for human company and empathy, and how she had become a relic of a bygone era, is beautifully depicted in this heartwarming story.

6. Chemmeen (Malayalam): Noted Malayalam author Thakazhi Sivasankaran Pillai’s novel inspired this movie, Ramu Kariat directed it. The story is about the extra marital affairs of the female protagonist, torn between her trusting husband and her the lover she ditched. The movie won the National award for Best Film and made way for a large number of Malayalam films to get noticed.

7. Sankarabharanam (Telugu): This iconic film by K.Viswanath is about an orthodox and traditional middle aged carnatic musician, and a young danseuse who idolizes him for his music. The most notable attribute of this movie is it’s soulful music by K.V.Mahadevan sung by S.P.Balasubrahmaniam.

8. Piravi (Malayalam): Shaji M. Karun’s masterful debut brings out the human nature at its most vulnerable, a beautiful film that will live in your memory for a long time after it is over. Based on a true story, it is a film about how an aging father’s longing to reunite his family after his son is killed by torture in police custody, all while battling an unstable mindset. Piravi is devastating, but truly shows how tragedy affects people and how eventually, everyone learns to cope with it.

9. Utsab (Bengali): You might not have heard of this movie, but I’m sure the director’s name, Rituparno Ghosh, rings a bell. The less we talk about the plot, the better. But for the curious souls, it follows a dysfunctional family in Bengal during the time of Durga Pooja. Ghosh has tried to make the film all about his characters and their complex relationships with one another. It is a beautifully observed and detailed film that established Ghosh as a serious filmmaker back in the day.

10. Fandry (Marathi): Nagraj Manjule’s Fandry is an outstanding film, and considering it’s his debut, it’s truly commendable. It plays on the elements of caste discrimination and self-identity in rural Maharashtra, and is perfect example of how Marathi cinema is years ahead of Hindi cinema in terms of ideas and skills.