We must not lose sight of one thing in the ever-evolving world of commercial and parallel cinema: the story should rule. Indian audiences are always hungry for riveting & original content.
2022 witnessed a great mix of south remakes and cinematic experience films. However, here are 5 such films that have made us believe that the year 2022 has also seen content-driven films finding appreciation from the audiences and getting due love & respect.
Gangubai Kathiawadi
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Apr 4, 2026This movie by Sanjay Leela Bhansali is nothing short of a masterpiece. Alia Bhatt effortlessly assumes the titular role and plays the boss-lady. When you see Alia deliver dialogue with unwavering confidence, and a killer instinct you tend to root for her character even more. The film's brilliance resides in the way the story is beautifully depicted handling even the most sensitive topics with much ease.
Badhaai Do
This heart touching story produced by Junglee Pictures takes us on a truly fascinating journey of a lavender marriage set-up. The big-screen portrayal of the LGBTQ+ community and their sexual relationships is normalized in Badhaai Do. The challenges of marriage, middle-class conventional families, and their demands on individuals is portrayed with utmost realism, great humor yet sensitivity. The beauty of the story lies in how humanly it treats its queer characters (played by Rajkummar Rao, Bhumi Pednekar, Gulshan Devaiah, Chum Darang) which widely resonated with the LGBTQ+ community.
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Apr 2, 2026An Action Hero
Ayushmann Khurrana is not afraid to pick uncomfortable subjects and in An Action Hero he courageously took on a role that was a satire on mainstream movie heroes. Relevant and clever, An Action Hero was a take on the country's toxic obsession with stardom and Khurrana packed in an action-filled punch giving us much food for thought.
Doctor G
Junglee Pictures’ Doctor G sparked social conversation and highlighted a tricky subject in the most lighthearted manner. Known for his unconventional choice of films Ayushmann Khurrana essayed the role of a gynaecologist for the very first time. ‘DOCTOR G’ took audiences through a funny yet profound journey of a hopeful orthopedic who reluctantly turns gynaecologist and faces the struggles of being the only male doctor in an all-female department of a government hospital. With a plot of how a man navigates his way in a woman’s world, this medical campus comedy-drama won hearts over the nation.
Uunchai
An endearing film that's guaranteed to tug at your heartstrings, Uunchai takes audiences through the story of three best friends in their 70's, who decide to embark on a trek to Everest in honour of their late friend. With simplicity at the heart of this story, Uunchai touches upon pertinent subjects like intergenerational-discord and changes with the boom in social media. With some memorable performances by cinema stalwarts, this film had its heart in the right place.
These films have been highly acclaimed by the audience and industry alike.
