Best Indian documentary movies

In an effort to improve feminine hygiene, a machine that creates low-cost biodegradable sanitary pads is installed in a rural village in Northern India. Using the machine, a group of local women is employed to produce and sell pads, offering them newfound independence and helping to destigmatize menstruation for all.

Bomman and Bellie, a couple in south India, devote their lives to caring for an orphaned baby elephant named Raghu, forging a family like no other.

This true-crime documentary investigates six shocking deaths in the same family and the woman at the center of the unbelievable case: Jolly Joseph.

In 1990s Mumbai, a crime boss and his network wield unchecked power over the city — until the rise of "encounter cops," who brazenly kill their targets.

Sachin Tendulkar plays himself in this sports-docudrama that traces the life and times of one of the world’s biggest cricket phenomenas.​

In a cluttered news landscape dominated by men, emerges India’s only newspaper run by Dalit women. Armed with smartphones, Chief Reporter Meera and her journalists break traditions on the frontlines of India’s biggest issues and within the confines of their own homes, redefining what it means to be powerful.

A turbulent newsroom drama that intimately chronicles the working days of broadcast journalist Ravish Kumar as he navigates a spiraling world of truth and disinformation.

In rural India, a child with hydrocephalus gets a chance at life-changing surgery after her photos go viral. This documentary charts her journey.

An inspirational survival story of Deepika Kumari who, as a girl born on the roadside to abject poverty in rural India, went in search of food, stumbled upon archery, and within 4 years became the Number One archer in the World.

The sports documentary examines India's biggest match-fixing scandal, the icons caught in its web and the journalists who uncovered the corruption.

An in-depth look at the making of S.S. Rajamouli's magnum opus, RRR, with behind-the-scenes footage and exclusive interviews. Explores the vision, challenges, and dedication involved in creating this cinematic phenomenon.

Life story of world known Scientist and Scholar Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam.

The film explores the campaign waged by the Hindu right-wing organisation Vishva Hindu Parishad to build a Ram temple at the site of the Babri Masjid in Ayodhya, as well as the communal violence that it triggered. A couple of months after Ram ke Naam was released, VHP activists demolished the Babri Masjid in 1992, provoking further violence.

He was an ordinary boy with extraordinary dreams. This intimate documentary traces the rise, fall and comeback of Indian rapper Yo Yo Honey Singh.

The story of making "Lagaan," one of the millennium's seminal Indian films, is told from the point of view of production team member Satyajit Bhatkal.

This portrayal of the rhythm of life and work in a gigantic textile factory in Gujarat, India, moves through the corridors and bowels of the enormously disorienting structure—taking the viewer on a journey of dehumanizing physical labor and intense hardship.

A deep dive into who is responsible when animals kill humans in the Ranthambhore Tiger Reserve in India.

A prismatic meditation on pollution in the capital of the World’s biggest free-market democracy and the most polluted and populated city, Delhi – a film about the pollution inside of the human mind.

The revolution is here. Witness gully rap rises from the streets of Mumbai to the biggest stage in the history of Indian hip-hop. This is an Amazon Prime Exclusive documentary on film Gully Boy's music launch and concert in mumbai.

I Am is a 2011 Indian anthology film by Onir. It consists of four short films: "Omar", "Afia", "Abhimanyu", and "Megha". Each film shares the common theme of fear and each is also based on real life stories. The film was financed by donations from more than 400 different people around the world, many of whom donated through social networking sites like Facebook. There are four stories but the characters are interwoven with each story. "Abhimanyu" is based on child abuse, "Omar" on gay rights, "Megha" is about Kashmiri Pandits and "Afia" deals with sperm donation. I Am was released with subtitles in all regions as six different languages are spoken in the film: Hindi, English, Kannada, Marathi, Bengali and Kashmiri.

A narrative by Puneeth Rajkumar aka Appu which explores state of Karnataka - the land, its culture and traditions, it's social issues and even it's forests, all through his curious eyes. The film is almost Appu's own journey of discovery as he understands the rich flora and fauna of the state.

Is it good.. or bad... or both: a critical assay to fathom the momentous journey of cinema, from analogue to digital. peppered with questions & answers, sighs and pauses!

This award-winning documentary explores the changing face of right-wing politics in India through a study of the 2002 Gujarat Riots. It specifically examines political tendencies reminiscent of the Nazi Germany of early 1930s. Final Solution is anti-hate/violence, as 'those who forget history are condemned to relive it'.

Highlights Rajamouli’s influence on Indian and international cinema, with interviews and behind-the-scenes footage.

Science, religion and politics collide amidst a raging pandemic, when a group of laundrymen set out to design a poster celebrating a hugely popular annual festival worshipping the deity Ganesha.

A broad-ranging examination of Indian society, where secular rationalists are hunted down as they attempt to stem the rising tide of religious and nationalist fundamentalism.

A documentary film on the shocking truths about the lesser known business of child sex trade in India. Threaded together by spine-chilling personal accounts of survivors of the trade, the film explores the inner workings of this business that has come to engulf every village and city of our nation. The film is narrated by Rajkummar Rao (Hindi), Vidya Balan (English), Kamal Haasan (Tamil), Jisshu Sengupta (Bengali), Nani (Telugu), Puneeth Rajkumar (Kannada) and Sachin Khedekar (Marathi).

Jennifer, after claiming the position of the best journalist in india sat down for a interview. During this interview she is confronted with reasons to what she owes her success which lead to giving birth to such a powerful journalist.

Football in the Indian State of Kerala runs through the fabric of its society, where "football is life and life is football". The film brings you six unique stories that take you on a journey across the football crazy land of Kerala.

The journey from ashes to idols through the eyes of a teenager who has created many jobs in the process The documentary shows how a teenager decided to get rid of temple's waste by making idols from them and how few jail inmates became his helper in the process.

The Film brings to its viewers, a hitherto unseen and unheard narrative of one of the greatest musicians the world has ever known: A. R. Rahman

This documentary uncovers the dark events of 2024, when, for the first time in India’s history, a sitting Chief Minister and an entire political leadership were jailed without evidence.

The series explores the life of Veerappan and the people involved in the hunt for the infamous bandit. It showcases interviews with Veerappan, journalists, politicians and the victims’ families.

A Narcissist Neighbor who is known for his fake reviews unable to accept his mistake releases a video thinking he might get support. Things take turn when a common man decides to make a roast ultimately ending the career of neighbor.

Malana, a remote village in the Himalayas, isolated from outside civilization for thousands of years has been fostering a primitive existence in harmony with nature and a unique model of democracy of consensus. They have also been producing some of the best quality hashish in the world. A real life story of transition, this ancient civilization being invaded and obliterated by the modern democracy. Narrated in an epic structure, a visual essay from the edge of the world with a message of trust, peace and eternal unity.

In Kanpur, India, an electricity thief provides Robin Hood style services to the poor in the face of day long power-cuts. Meanwhile the first female chief of the local electricity supply company has vowed to put an end to all illegal connections, for good. In a summer of crisis, both come to terms with India's energy poverty.

VICE met up with the directors of Sacred Games, Netflix's first foray into originals in India. Veterans Anurag Kashyap and Vikramaditya Motwane explain their process to us.

Three generations of the Phadke family live and work together in South Bombay. As they prepare for a family wedding, director Archana Atul Phadke, who is not in any hurry to marry, observes the shifting, often very funny household dynamics, as both her mother and grandmother wonder how they have tolerated their husbands for so long.

In India, a child goes missing every 8 minutes. Where do these children go? What happens to them? This is not just a story of one missing child. This is the reality of our nation. And yet, we sit in silence.

Filmmaker Anand Patwardhan looks to history and psychology as he delves into the possible reasons behind the demolition of the Babri Mosque.

In the annals of history, the victors have always held the pen. The Indian start-up story, a tale of triumph and innovation, is no different—crafted and curated by those who reached the pinnacle of success. We are mesmerized by the narratives of founders, their relentless drive, and the remarkable journeys that transform ideas into empires. Yet, what remains conspicuously absent from these grand narratives are the gray areas they traverse, the compromises they make, and the actions that, at best, raise questions and, at worst, cross the lines of legality and ethics. This documentary delves into the other side of the start-up dream: the harsh and often overlooked reality gig workers face. Through the voices of activists and organizations that fight for these workers, we uncover the nature of gig work, the gaping void in regulatory protections, and the profound apathy of ordinary citizens like you and me.

A tragi-comical drama, whose protagonist is no other than a young cock, unfolds in a Mumbai apartment just like thousands of others. Grabbed by an eccentric patriarch to serve as a distraction for the family cat, the chick survived, grew up and now imposes his troublesome presence on everyone, tyrannising the entire household

Set during the kaleidoscopic backdrop of the kite-flying festival in India, 'Amdavad Ma Famous', witnesses the transformation of an 11-year-old Zaid from a boy next door to an aggressive and a passionate kite-runner until he comes across a hindrance that prevents him from flying kites on the terrace. And thus begins the fight for the terrace on the day of the biggest kite flying festival in India.

With a distinct filmography that faithfully depicts a cross-section of the Kerala society on celluloid during his active years, KG George is a master filmmaker and a true genius. This documentary is an attempt to analyse the relevance of his major films and understand his unique personality

L, a student in India witness to the government's violent response to university protests, writes letters to her estranged lover while he is away.

For this one, Samdish sat down with the movie maestro himself, Anurag Kashyap. For hours, they chatted about cinema, the craft of filmmaking, life, Anurag's arrest in Saudi Arabia, food reels and much more. Grab yourself a beverage and some popcorn for this unfiltered episode. Presenting, Unfiltered By Samdish ft. Anurag Kashyap

An impressionable boy is struck hard by Swami Vivekananda's quote, "Wahi jeete hain, jo doosro ke liye jeete hain" (translation: "Only those who live for others, actually live"). On the quest for purpose of life, he tries to pursue what he can do for others in his small world.

An ode to the fighters and stunt coordinators of Tamil cinema, this documentary, with a voice-over by Rajinikanth, showcases the life of these unsung warriors.

Short, Documentary

This documentary follows the life of Seven children who are working under extreme conditions at India's busiest cremation ground, Manikarnika in Banaras.

"The Karma Killings," is a modern-day crime thriller mixed in with Indian mythology and class warfare. The documentary delves into India's most infamous serial killings and its impact on a nation. Told through the people directly involved, the film unravels the complexities of the case and goes beyond the sensational headlines to present a suspenseful and scary mystery. And has a huge twist - one of the killers maybe innocent?

An intimate exploration of how everyday lives intertwine with personal and political borders in the Indian subcontinent.

Manish is a talented and athletic street dancer from Mumbai who dreams of becoming professional against the wishes of his struggling parents. He meets a curmudgeonly Israeli ballet master who gives him the determination to keep going. But when he is pitted against another boy who’s got the attention of the top school in the world, Manish realizes he must push himself to his physical limits if he has any chance to succeed.

Showmen riding cinema lorries have brought the wonder of the movies to faraway villages in India once every year. Seven decades on, as their cinema projectors crumble and film reels become scarce, their patrons are lured by slick digital technology. A benevolent showman, a shrewd exhibitor and a maverick projector mechanic bear a beautiful burden - to keep the last traveling cinemas of the world running. A critically acclaimed, poignant documentary that celebrates India’s travelling picture shows and laments their demise, filled with exquisite visuals and marvellous eccentrics.

An extensive, in-depth account of the making of an ultimate revenge saga through the eyes of Anurag Kashyap, the cast and the crew of "Gangs of Wasseypur".

This documentary deals with the Maoist insurgency in India. It focuses on the Maoists in Bastar, Chhattisgarh fighting against industrialists in Niyamgiri, Odisha, and protesters acting in memory of the Leftist revolutionary Bhagat Singh in Punjab.

Ayurveda is a science of life and a healing art, where body, mind and spirit are given equal importance. This voyage of thousands of miles across India and abroad takes you on a unique poetic journey, where we encounter remarkable men of medicine or simply a villager who lives in harmony with nature. "Hope is nature's way of enabling us to survive so that we can discover nature itself."

The movie traces three real-life incidents that took place in '80s, 90s and 2000s respectively through the stories titled 'Orphan and the Convict', 'The Farmer and the Nun' and 'The Terror and the Mom'.

This documentary is the most comprehensive look at the "untouchables" in India. Motivated by ancient religious edicts, no amount of governmental encouragement has been able to stem the tragic custom that separates human beings according to their birth. Those considered untouchable suffer more than isolation, they are forced to fulfill menial tasks in their communities, drink from separate containers, remove their shoes on the street as a sign of respect and perform or exhibit many other outward signs of their perceived inferiority. While the media projects a positive image of a democratic India, filmmaker Stalin Kurup spends four years traveling the country to expose the continued oppression of the Dalits, "the broken people," in a wide variety of communities, including Sikhs, Christians and Muslims.

Amit Dutta recorded several conversations with Prof. B.N. Goswamy, an important art historian of India, covering his entire body of work. Interspersed with his talks were also some silences. This film draws upon some of those moments of silence and weaves them into a web of ideas and images that fill the art-historian’s mindscape.

Year after year, just after the monsoon season has finished, thousands of families travel to a bleak desert in Gujerat, India, where they will stay for an endless eight months and extract salt from the earth, using the same painstaking, manual techniques as generations before them. Director Farida Pacha spent a season with one of these families, observing the very particular rhythms of their lives.

The film deals with how a teacher along with his students fight corruption.

Dalits, in the Indian caste system, belong to the lowest social sphere and are therefore subject to regular discrimination and violation of their basic human rights. Also referred as “untouchables,” this group was vindicated by B. R. Ambedkar, a Dalit who earned doctorate degrees abroad and fought for the emancipation of his people. In 1997 a statue honoring him was desecrated, unleashing the rage of the Dalit community, but instead of getting support by the authorities, ten persons were murdered. This documentary took 14 years to be made and it captures the music and poetry of this people, showing a tradition against superstition and religious bigotry that has strived since the times of Buddha.

Documentary about the nuclear sabre-rattling that has been going on between India and Pakistan. Comprised mostly of interviews with average folks on the street, the movie superbly demonstrates the gulf between the people's will and the greed of those in power.

Based on the poetry of R. Raj Rao, Bomgay is a collection of six vignettes that depict the underground and complex nature of the gay identity in urban India. Part Genet, part Bollywood, this film combines acidic verse and insightful imagery to reveal the emerging gay community in the post-liberalized India of the 1990s.

Winner of 2 National Awards, Pancham Unmixed: Mujhe Chalte Jaana Hai, takes an incisive look into the legendary composer, RD Burman's reflective artistry and buoyant-but-also-lonely inner being. Featuring a host of close friends, colleagues and admirers, the film evokes awe, admiration and nostalgia the way most of his music does, till date.