Christmas: 10 Feel-Good Bollywood Films to Watch this Festive Season

It’s that time of the year again and Christmas is just around the corner.

The festive season is all about fun, laughter, spirituality and family.

Around this time, TV is packed with special shows and films which will strike a chord with audiences.

As for films, Bollywood has presented us with many feel-good films.

One of the biggies releasing this festive period is Shah Rukh Khan’s Zero, which is being highly awaited.

Besides that, there are a plethora of cinematic works that one can choose to escape from our mundane realities.

In anticipation of Christmas, Filme Shilmy presents a list of a few Indian movies to lift your spirits high!

Chupke Chupke (1975)

Movies with a great ensemble cast are like buffets for the audience… We get a bit of everything.

Hrishikesh Mukherjee’s Chupke Chupke has a classic cast consisting of:

Dharmendra, Sharmila Tagore, Amitabh Bachchan, Jaya Bachchan and Om Prakash.

It narrates the story of a mischievous botany professor Parimal Tripathi (Dharmendra) plays a little trick on his brother-in-law Raghav (Om Prakash).

Jealous of the high esteem in which his own wife, Sulekha (Sharmila Tagore), holds the other man, Parimal decides to impersonate Raghav’s new driver.

Laying the groundwork for a series of hilarious misunderstandings, the disguised professor throws doubt on his wife’s fidelity and gets his best buddy, Sukumar (Amitabh Bachchan), to help out by impersonating Parimal.

Chupke Chupke is a lovely, feel-good movie to watch with your whole family on a Sunday afternoon!

Andaz Apna Apna (1994)

If Hollywood has the lethally hilarious combination of Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels, then we have Salman and Aamir Khan in Andaz Apna Apna.

This slapstick comedy movie narrates the story of two ambitious conmen who vie to win over a multimillionaire’s daughter.

 Along the way, they run into a local gangster, Teja (Paresh Rawal).

The Rajkumar Santoshi movie showcases some crazy moments that are sure to tickle your funny bones.

Furthermore, there are some iconic, idiosyncratic characters like Crime Master Gogo (Shakti Kapoor) that will leave you rolling on the floor laughing. 

Should you be seeking many ‘LOL’ moment this time of the year, then this should definitely be the first choice!

Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge (DDLJ) (1995)

You know it, we know it… DDLJ is an evergreen classic and for the right reasons.

It revolves around Raj (Shah Rukh Khan) and Simran (Kajol), two young non-resident Indians, who fall in love during a vacation through Europe with their friends.

Raj tries to win over Simran’s family so the couple can marry, but Simran’s father (Amrish Puri) has long since promised her hand to his friend’s son.

Besides it being a quintessential Bollywood romance, the film has strong family values and the following of one’s own heart.

Furthermore, the YRF depiction in Switzerland perfectly matches snow and snow is what Christmas is usually associated with.

Jab We Met (2007)

Imtiaz Ali’s Jab We Met is a profound film, beautifully dressed as a romantic comedy.

Shahid Kapoor (as Aditya Kashyap) essays a depressed/heartbroken and famous businessman who loses focus in life.

Until he is forced to accompany Kareena Kapoor Khan (as Geet Dhillon) back to Bhatinda and then elope to unite Geet with her boyfriend.

There is everything you’d look for in an entertaining movie – songs, dance, comedy, poignant romance and an interesting story.

This film teaches several life-lessons like letting go of our past, finding a motive and exploring things we’ve never done before. 

Jab We Met takes you on an enlightening cinematic journey.

3 Idiots (2009)

Christmas is definitely a time for joy.

Nonetheless, there are many people who are burdened by the stress of education and studies.

Well, if you are one of these people, then maybe you should watch Rajkumar Hirani’s 3 Idiots.

This coming-of-age film is a satire about the social pressures under an Indian education system.

3 Idiots exhibits the friendship of three students: Raju (Sharman Joshi), Farhan (R Madhavan) and Rancho (Aamir Khan) at an Indian engineering college.

Like every Rajkumari Hirani film, this too makes the audience laugh, cry and compels us to reflect on our dreams and ambitions.

But one thing is for certain, you will chuckle a lot during the Chatur speech sequence!

Ek Main Aur Ekk Tu (EMAET) (2012)

Ek Main Aur Ekk Tu is a Woody Allen style of a film that you can snuggle into a duvet by a fireplace and watch.

The Shakun Batra movie is an unconventional comedy centring on familial pressures, friendships, one-sided love and self-discovery.

EMAET‘s plot centres on an uptight architect named Rahul Kapoor (Imran Khan), living in Las Vegas who loses his job.

Following a night of debauchery, accidentally marries a free-spirited hairstylist named Riana Braganza (Kareena Kapoor Khan).

After mutually deciding to annul the marriage, Rahul begins a one-sided attraction for Riana, which threatens to ruin their new friendship.

This movie brings a smile to your face. It is a love story which does not adhere to Bollywood stereotypes.

Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani (YJHD) (2013)

Exuberant locations, resonant characters, poignant love and a die-hard friendship – that’s YJHD for you.

Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani depicts the relationship between two characters, Bunny (Ranbir Kapoor) & Naina (Deepika Padukone), at two separate but defining times in their lives.

First, when they are just out of college and standing on the crossroads of multiple decisions that will shape who and what they become and then later on, in their late-twenties when they meet again.

They holding on to certain fulfilled and certain unfulfilled dreams, at a crossroads of another nature this time.

How these two characters affect, change, befriend and eventually fall in love with each other is the journey the film aspires to take us on.

YJHD is a movie which will lighten your mood this holiday period.

Queen (2014)

Queen is about 24-year-old Rani (Kangana Ranaut) who decides to spend an independent ‘honeymoon’ abroad, after being rejected by her fiancé Vijay (Rajkummar Rao), the night before.

During Rani’s journey abroad, she encounters and experiences new and unique things.

Thus, she becomes the “Queen” of her own life.

The Anurag Kashyap production celebrates womanhood and life.

Rather than crying and moping over a broken relationship, Rani decides to let it go and live her life.

A perfect holiday watch for those seeking some laughs, inspiration and motivation.

Dear Zindagi (2016)

Dear Zindagi touches upon mental health – a topic which is never fully acknowledged and frowned upon a lot in Asian society.

The film centres on a budding cinematographer named Kaira (Alia Bhatt), who is discontented with her life.

She meets Dr Jehangir (Shah Rukh Khan), a free-spirited psychologist who helps her to gain a new perspective on her life.

It aims to help viewers to identify and combat our inner demons.

Director Gauri Shinde competently teaches the audience to live and adapt to every situation in life.

This is the perfect film to introspect oneself and feel refreshed after watching it.

Badhaai Ho (2018)

Christmas is about spending time with family and of course celebrating one another.

One such recent (acclaimed) film that strongly revolves around family is Badhaai Ho.

This dramedy is about how a dysfunctional clan accepts that their middle-aged mother is pregnant. 

There are some hilarious moments in the film which will tickle the viewer’s funny bones for sure.

But more than the comedy, this movie illuminates us about how acceptance is a key aspect in life. 

If anything, this will definitely evoke a change in the way you view certain members of your family!

Final Word

On the whole, Christmas is a festival of love, laughs and family. 

To present a list of 10 feel-good Bollywood movies is quite a challenging task.

As such, these are a few of our favourite films which you will definitely enjoy watching.

However, if you fancy watching some more films, here are a few honourable mentions!

• Shree 420 (1955)
• Bawarchi (1972)
• Jaane Bhi Do Yaaron (1983)
• Kabhi Khushie Kabhi Gham (2001)
• Muuna Bhai series
• Anjaana Anjaani (2010)
• Band Baaja Baaraat (2010
• Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara (2011)
• Barfi! (2012)
• Golmaal Again (2017)