The credit sequence is, often, the most ignored part of a movie. If you are watching a movie in a theater, chances are that you must have walked out once the credits started rolling on the screen. For most of the audience, watching the names roll out on a black screen isn’t the most entertaining thing.
However, some filmmakers choose to take a different route and present us with unique and entertaining credit sequences where the audience wants to sit back and notice the people behind the film. Here are nine such Bollywood movies from recent times that have well-thought-out credit sequences.
1. Qala (2022)
Hands down, Qala was the most aesthetic movie of 2022. Directed by Anvita Dutt, the movie had some mesmerizing frames that wowed you and kept you glued to the very end. The movie also had an immaculate opening credit sequence. Set against the backdrop of Himachal Pradesh, the credits rolled on the screen amidst butterflies and moth motifs that only helped in setting the tone of the film.
2. Happy New Year (2007)
Leave it to Farah Khan to come up with the most entertaining credit sequence where she brings those behind the camera to the forefront and gives them the limelight they deserve. From Main Hoon Na to Happy New Year, Farah includes everyone in the movie for the credits. But nothing beats the credit sequence of Happy New Year where the crew engages in a dance competition.
3. Luck By Chance (2009)
Zoya Akhtar takes you behind the scenes, quite literally. The credits for Luck By Chance are shown in the beginning. She introduced the people behind the glitz and glamour in a way that merged beautifully with the film. She takes you behind the scenes and shows everything that goes into making a movie.
4. Taare Zameen Par (2007)
The movie had a short opening credit sequence and a long sequence at the end of the film. But what sets the opening credits apart is how the movie used animations to roll out the opening credits. The animation cleverly captured Ishaan’s imagination and psyche.
5. Jab Tak Hai Jaan (2012)
Jab Tak Hai Jaan was Yash Chopra’s last movie before his demise. The credits pay homage to the director and the title track fits perfectly with the visuals. You can see various BTS shots of Yash Chopra directing SRK, Katrina Kaif, Anushka Sharma, and others to get the perfect frame. There are bloopers and who doesn’t love them?
6. Johnny Gaddaar (2007)
Directed by Sriram Raghavan, this neo-noir thriller film stayed true to its aesthetics when it came to the opening credits sequence. The credits mentioned that the movie was dedicated to Vijay Anand and James Hadley Chase. The movie was a tribute to the Hindi noir genre and the opening credits, in a very Pulp Fiction style, made it pretty evident.
7. Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi (2008)
The credits in Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi take the story further. On one hand, you have the names of the crew involved in the film. On the other, you have SRK’s Surinder Sahni narrating their belated honeymoon experience in Japan over various stills.
8. Tamasha (2015)
Tamasha has a nice surprise in the credits sequence. Towards the mid of the credit roll, the visual takes you back to a flashback scene of Ved and Tara in Corsica. They have their headphones on and are dancing to their own beat on an empty field. It’s ambiguous and it’s on you how you interpret this scene.
9. Bhavesh Joshi Superhero (2018)
There’s a mid-credit scene in this movie. The masked vigilante, Insaaf Man, tries to stop a car from entering a no-entry zone. Surprisingly, it is the same guy who had beaten him up earlier. Classic way to tie up the loose ends!
What other Bollywood movies would you add to this list?