The first quarter of the new century reshaped Bollywood in remarkable ways. From introducing fresh stories, new concepts, emerging faces, and a renewed sense of grandeur to relatable friendships and different portrayals of love, romance, and heartbreak, this phase witnessed Hindi cinema explore it all. From power-packed, heroic masala entertainers to meaningful conversations around mental health, social issues, and emotional well-being, layered relationships from 2000 to 2025 marked a fine shift in storytelling and sensibilities. Here is the list of the top 15 Bollywood movies that went on to become iconic for a reason!
Kaho Naa… Pyaar Hai (2000) Bollywood superstar Hrithik Roshan and Ameesha Patel’s debut, directed by Rakesh Roshan, went on to become a rage with the youth right at the start of the 21st century. It became a wave, launching Hrithik into superstardom with his double role and chartbuster songs.
Mohabbatein (2000) The megastar Shah Rukh Khan and superstar Aishwarya Rai starrer musical romance was directed by Aditya Chopra. It brought together Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan and SRK for the first time on screen. The movie showcased a clash between discipline and free-spirited love. Parampara! Pratishtha! Anushasan!
Lagaan (2001) The Oscar-nominated movie was directed by Ashutosh Gowariker and starred superstar Aamir Khan and Gracy Singh. The period drama used cricket as a rebellion against colonial rule and showcased how it played a vital role in attaining independence.
Gadar: Ek Prem Katha (2001) Starring Sunny Deol and Ameesha Patel, the movie was directed by Anil Sharma. The saga, based around a partition-era love story, became a mass phenomenon, with Tara Singh emerging as an iconic patriotic character.
Dil Chahta Hai (2001) The story redefined urban Indian cinema through the lives of three friends Aakash, Sid, and Sameer, making modern friendships and their genuine ups and downs relatable to the audience. This movie was touted to be way ahead of its time. Farhan Akhtar’s debut film also kickstarted the trend of friends’ trips to Goa.
Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham (2001) Karan Johar’s larger-than-life family drama, became a pop culture mark, with Kareena Kapoor’s Poo turning into one of Bollywood’s most iconic characters. The movie starred SRK, Kajol, Hrithik Roshan, Amitabh Bachchan and Jaya Bachchan in important roles and revolved around family ties, values and love.
Kal Ho Na Ho (2002) The movie starring SRK, Preity Zinta and Saif Ali Khan revolved around the story of Naina, Aman and Rohit. The saga of love, romance and heartbreaks with an emotional ending moved the audience to tears. Directed by Nikhil Advani, the movie is still also remembered for its songs.
Devdas (2002) Starring SRK, Madhuri Dixit and Aishwarya Rai, Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s opulent adaptation to date is celebrated for its visual grandeur, emotional intensity, dialogues and songs.
Munna Bhai M.B.B.S (2003) Rajkumar Hirani’s comedy-drama blended humour with humanity and introduced ‘Gandhigiri’ and unforgettable characters like Munna Bhai and Circuit, who gave major friendship goals.
Lage Raho Munna Bhai (2005) It was one of those rarest instances when a sequel to the film was as successful as the first part.
3 Idiots (2009) Aamir Khan, R Madhavan, and Sharman Joshi’s blockbuster movie used humour to critique the education system. The Rajkumar Hirani directorial had Aamir Khan’s Rancho become a generational icon.
(IANS)
