Sci-fi hasn’t been a genre that we frequently encounter when examining Bollywood movies’ various subgenres, and when it comes to producing such movies, Indian cinema still has a lot to learn. Barring a few exceptions, there haven’t been many movies or even web series where science fiction has been thoroughly tackled.
But in recent years, a few project creators have ventured to push this genre to new heights, giving us an indication of the creativity that can be incorporated.
Here are a few Indian science fiction movies and shows that explored the genre’s depth in fresh ways.
1. Dobaaraa
Anurag Kashyap’s mystery drama is an official remake of the 2018 Spanish film Mirage. The plot revolves around a woman who has the chance to save the life of a 12-year-old child who witnessed a death during a thunderstorm that occurred 25 years ago by linking through the television set during a similar storm in the present.
2. Cargo
The plot is set on a spaceship named Pushpak 634A where a scientist named Prahastha, with the assistance of a female astronaut, works for the Post Death Transition services, where the dead are recycled for rebirth. The film stars Vikrant Massey and Shweta Tripathi in the key roles.
3. Ok Computer
The comedy movie Ok Computer is set in the year 2031, when AI technology has taken over the entire planet. The story centers around a bizarre murder case involving a self-driving car that strikes and kills a human pedestrian under peculiar circumstances, and due to faulty wiring in its AI system. Saajan Kundu, a tough-as-nails cybercrime detective, is then summoned out of retirement to help with the investigation.
4. Skyfire
In Skyfire, a journalist named Chandrashekhar, a politician named Meenakshi Pirzada, and a policeman named Hassan become entangled in a situation that has the potential to end the planet. Later, when a youngster from the slum goes missing, the trail to find him uncovers unusual and seemingly unrelated events, including warnings of natural disasters.
5. JL50
When the CBI learns that JL50 is a plane that took off from Kolkata 35 years ago and subsequently vanished, their investigation into a recently wrecked flight takes a dramatic turn. The development of this puzzling investigation is aided by Shantanu, the CBI officer (Abhay Deol) in charge of the case, who has his own inner mystery.
6. Leila
Deepa Mehta, Shanker Raman, and Pawan Kumar are the creators of the dystopian drama web series Leila. Based on Prayaag Akbar’s 2017 book of the same name, Leila tells the tale of Shalini, a mother searching for her missing daughter in a totalitarian society not too distant in the future.
7. Looop Lapeta
Taapsee Pannu and Tahir Raj Bhasin play the key characters in Looop Lapeta, a Bollywood new-age thriller-comedy that was directed by Aakash Bhatia. When Satya (Tahir) loses his boss’ money gambling, Savi (Taapsee) sets out on a journey to save his life. She is forced into a time loop to correct her mistakes and prevent Satya’s death, though, after he is killed.
8. Attack
In Rawalakot, a troop of soldiers under the command of Major Arjun Sheirgill (John Abraham) ambush a group of insurgents and capture their leader. This action-packed scene sets the tone for the rest of the movie. After a terrorist assault, Arjun becomes paralysed and is overcome with grief for his lover’s passing. As a result, Arjun takes part in an experiment to get retribution when the attacker shows up again.
9. Nine
The central character in Jenuse Mohamed’s science fiction horror movie is a parent who would stop at nothing to keep his son safe. Astrophysicist Albert Lewis discovers that his personal life is endangered by forces beyond his knowledge as the globe prepares to endure a global astronomical event that sparks myths and superstition.
10. Who
Ajay Devaloka’s Who marks the debut of his directing career and is a science fiction and superhero movie. Strange occurrences takes place on Christmas Day every year in Mercada, a shadowy valley spanning 200 kilometres. In addition to two police officers working as a team, a young girl, a dream interpreter, a criminal psychologist, and others attempt to solve the mysteries.
11. Iru Murgan
After the assault on the Indian Embassy in Malaysia, Akhilan, a former spy, is tasked with finding the perpetrator. Vikram plays a dual role as a suspended RAW agent on a mission to find Love, a wanted criminal scientist who provides illegal inhalers containing “speed drug” to terrorists.
Also Read: 15 Experimental Indian Films That Broke The Norm Of Conventional Filmmaking