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Top 5 Bollywood Movies for Bollywood First Timers

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at UK chapter.
  • Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge

This movie is the most Bollywood movie ever!

It has everything Bollywood from pretty landscapes, dramatic acting, a love story and of course, the music. This is one of the most famous Bollywood movies out there, also known as DDLJ for short. Every kid knows the songs in-and-out and have seen this movie more than once growing up.

It’s about Simran (Kajol) and Raj (Shahrukh Khan) who are both traveling Europe from India. Raj has a major crush on Simran and tries to flirt with her and get her attention, despite the fact she is not interested.

Soon, he becomes successful with his woo-ing and she falls in love. Then, it’s up to Raj to get Simran’s father’s permission to marry her. This film is so quotable and iconic, from Simran’s unibrow, to Raj’s guitar playing in the middle of a field.

This really is a MUST SEE especially if you’re a newbie.

 

  • Khabi Khushi Khabie Gham

Also very Bollywood but super dramatic.

It has the famous actors from DDLJ, as well as the legend, Amitabh Bachan who plays the prideful and stuck-up father, his wife in real life Jaya, Hrithik Roshan and the stunning, Kareena Kapoor. This is also very famous and is just a step down from DDLJ when it comes to how iconic it is.

The plot is that Rahul (Shahrukh Khan) falls in love with Anjali (Kajol), they get married without their parents knowing, but when they come home, Rahul’s father does not give his blessings. Rahul’s dad is the literal worst and says no because Anjali is from a middle class family, he disowns Rahul from the family. UGH.

Watch the movie to see whether or not the family comes together again. The songs in this movie are BUMPIN’ and will get stuck in your head.

 

  • Jab We Met

This film is a rom-com starring Kareena Kapoor as Geet and my heart-throb Shahid Kapoor as Aditya. Aditya in his black kurta at the end during Nagada Nagada—OOF.

This film is not like most Bollywood movies. Usually, the guy gets the girl by teasing her and getting her to fall in love. But instead, Geet has Aditya fall in love with her just by being herself, she didn’t even have to try.

It begins with Aditya being lost in his thoughts at work, thinking about how meaningless life is now that him and his ex-girlfriend broke up. He has this spontaneous idea to just get up and leave and travel mindlessly on a train to—wherever!? On this train ride he meets Geet.

This crazy, spunky, care-free, talkative girl. The polar opposite of Aditya. She tries to befriend him, and helps him forget about his ex. He falls in love with her, but what about Geet? Are feelings reciprocated? Watch the movie to find out! The second half of the movie is so different from the first half.

 

  • Dabangg

This action-packed film is a must see, and even your guy friends or boyfriend wouldn’t mind it. One thing about Bollywood that I forgot to mention is that when there is action, it’s loud, aggressive, exaggerated and uh—explosives!

Salman Khan aka the king of Bollywood action movies, plays the role of Chulbul Pandey, a kind-of corrupt police officer who fights crime with his cool stunts, he never loses a fight. He becomes enemies with an even more corrupt political figure named Chedi Singh (Sonu Sood).

Throughout the film, he falls in love with Rajjo (Sonakshi Sinha), she makes him become more sensitive and get in touch with his emotional side. Watch the film to find out what happens between them and if Chulbul wins against Singh.

Bollywood action films are always fun to watch and can be so cheesy that you just have to laugh but doesn’t take away from the actor’s badass-ery.

 

  • Ae Dil Hai Mushkil  

This movie has a modern take on Bollywood, but still checks off all of its characteristics.

It’s about Ayan (Ranbir Kapoor) an aspiring singer and Alizeh (Anushka Sharma) the life of a party, life-loving girl. The plot really begins with them kissing, which sparks some feelings from Ayan. Later the two find out their significant others were cheating on the both of them (even though they cheated on them first by kissing each other? But, OK) and decide to go to Paris to spend the week together as single people.

Alizeh just wants to be casual and be friends with Ayan, while Ayan is taking each friendzone hit by hit, yet still falls in love with her. Later on in the film Alizeh runs into her ex DJ Ali (Fawad Khan), and decides to make up with him. To see what happens to both Alizeh and Ayan, watch the film!

Also you are probably familiar with Aishwarya Rai Bachan, she also plays a role in the film.

Hey guys! I'm Neha, a broadcast journalism major here at the University of Kentucky! I come from two immigrant parents and want girls like me to know they aren't alone! My dream job is to work in entertainment and I have a passion to inform others. I love video and make-up and meeting new people!