From Dil Chahta Hai and Rang De Basanti to Swades, Bollywood has delivered a number of cult classics that will remain in our hearts forever. These movies are not just loved by everyone in the country but have also been critically acclaimed globally.
We found a Reddit thread in which non-Indians revealed the name of the movies that hooked them to our cinema. Let’s take a look.
1. cookie_queen2002, from Nigeria, revealed that the movies that hooked them in were Baazigar and Dil To Pagal Hai.
“I started watching them when they introduced the Indian channels on cable in Nigeria. They just happened to be doing the second half of Baazigar and I watched it out of boredom. The next movie they did was Dil To Pagal Hai. And I loved it. I think the next movies I watched was Aashiqui 2 and then Ramleela. Srk is my favourite actor. I really like SLB as a director too. Aashiqui 2 has my favourite soundtrack of all time. Bollywood TV series are really popular in Nigeria too. Especially Kum Kum Bhagya which I hate.”
2. Seno1404, from Afghanistan, revealed that the movies that hooked them in were Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge and Hum Aapke Hain Koun.
“My two uncles (they were around 20) who were living with us at the time used to watch Indian movies. I was 5/6 and naturally would watch with them but I had no idea what was going on, did not understand the language at all. My first memories are of DDLJ & HAHK, DDLJ has been my favorite movie since I was a child. So obviously favorite actor and actress were SRK, Kajol & Rani. In my youth I would spend every possible minute I could watching Bollywood movies. i remember practicing the dance steps and practicing with my friends all the time.”
3. Mahya14, from Iran, revealed that the movie that hooked them in was Aashayein.
“Indian films run a lot on our national TV but I never liked them much. Until one day, by sheer luck, I found a movie called Aashayein, starring John Abraham. By that time, I thought all Indian films are stupid and shallow but that movie deeply touched me. It was 8 years ago and I’ve been a big fan of Indian cinema since they might not be the best cinema but they are my favourite. Indian movies have actually changed my life but that’s another story and not really interesting.”
4. Sure-Silver-9050, from the Netherlands, revealed that the movies that hooked them in were Disco Dancer and Gunda.
“My mom is a fan of Mithun Chakraborty so at age 8 I saw Disco Dancer and Gunda in the same night, (yeah my mom didn’t care) never in my then short life was I more conflicted, in one hand I never laughed so hard at the absurdity I was witnessing, and on the other, I was in too all of it, the tunes were great too, But what hooked me was Dil Chahta Hai.”
5. Evenstar19, from The US, revealed that the movie that hooked them in was Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge.
“My college roommates were Indian Americans who both loved Bollywood. I had zero knowledge of anything but thought the songs they showed me looked fun. They showed me the 90s kids/KJo ones like K3G, KANK, and Mujhse Shaadi Karogi, and I thought they were fine, but I didn’t “get it” until DDLJ. It’s a cliché but was the first one that I really got into and loved. That was about six years ago.”
6. Wise-Guide-1186, from Malaysia, revealed that the movies that hooked them in were Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Dangal and Kal Ho Naa Ho.
“My parents are big SRK fans and they would show me his old films like Kuch Kuch Hota Hai and K3G. But I have very faint memories of it. I used to think SRK was paired with Kareena in KKHH lmao. Amitabh, SRK and Kareena were the only actors I knew. Bollywood was never a big part of my childhood. I’ve only gotten into it recently.”
7. MommaRuh, from Kenya, revealed that the movie that hooked them in was Bade Miyan Chote Miyan.
“I’m currently struggling with Indian films, I miss that old 90s early 2000s, family dramas, and love stories. I find that I can’t really relate or don’t find “modern” movies applicable to my interest or liking. So I have been watching a lot of movies and tv serials. Favourite actor: Salman Khan, if we go way back then I loved actors from the 70s. I was born in the late 90s, but my parents loved watching 70s films I kinda fell in love with the actors and actresses. Music- I really like Sonu Nigam, Shreya Goshal, Alka Yagnik, Kumar Sanu, Sunidhi Chauhan, Udit Narayan & Shaan. So definitely 90s early 2000s.”
Do you remember the first Bollywood movie that kept you glued to your TV screen? Let us know in the comments.