Did you know that Ramesh Sippy’s cult film ‘Sholay’ starring Amitabh Bachchan and Dharmendra did not instantly achieve encouraging box office numbers? It was only some time after the film’s theatrical release that film performed really well.
Likewise, there is another category of finely made films that do not perform very well commercially due to some reasons but eventually steal the viewers’ hearts in the longer run or on the home video segment. With the advent of OTT platforms like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+ Hotstar, SonyLIV, Zee5, etc., Indian films that did not achieve the numbers they deserved, went on to garner acclaim from OTT audiences.
In this article, we have compiled a list of five such movies that were not box office blockbusters but hold a special place amongst cinephiles. In case you missed watching them on the big screen, you can watch these films on the Indian OTT platforms.
Sonchiriya (Streaming on Zee5)
The film revolves around a gang of dacoits (played by Manoj Bajpayee, Sushant Singh Rajput and Ranvir Shorey) and is set against the backdrop of the Chambal valley during the 1970s. When their gang leader gets killed, the remaining gang members are on the run from the cops. They come across a brutally assaulted girl called Sonchiriya and decide to help her. Although the film failed to ignite the box office albeit was critically acclaimed and is a must-watch was diehard cinema buffs.
Rocket Singh: Salesman of the Year (Streaming on Amazon Prime Video)
Another underrated gem which was Shimit Amin’s next venture after the blockbuster sports film Chak De! India. The film centers around a carefree and happy-go-lucky computer salesman (Ranbir Kapoor) and how circumstances force him to make some tough professional decisions.
Khelein Hum Jee Jaan Sey (Streaming on YouTube & Google Play)
This underrated film was based on the Chittagong uprising that happened in the year 1930. It follows a schoolmaster and revolutionary (Abhishek Bachchan) and his ambitious attempt to raid an armory with the help of a group of teenagers. Despite being a well-made film by ‘Lagaan’ director Ashutosh Gowariker, it failed to attract audiences to theatres.
Mukkabaaz (Streaming on Jio)
This Boxing film is the epitome of Anurag Kashyap’s ingenious style of filmmaking. The film chronicles the story of an aspiring boxer (Vineet Kumar Singh) who comes in the bad books of the boxing federation head (Jimmy Sheirgill). On top of that, the boxer falls in love with the federation head’s niece, which further aggravates their animosity. The only way he could get his lover back is by going back into the ring.
Raincoat (Streaming on Hoichoi)
A simple story narrated well by Rituparno Ghosh. The film follows two lovers (Ajay Devgn and Aishwarya Rai) who are separated by fate but meet one day. The woman is now happily married, and the man is now a successful entrepreneur. But there seems to be more than meets the eye.
Besides these films, in case you have any movie title in your mind that deserves to be on this list, please drop your suggestions in the comments box below. We’ll try to incorporate the best ones in Part-II of this article.
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