Bollywood Films From the 2000s That Deserve More Love

The Bollywood films from the 2000s that deserve to be seen more often include Khosla Ka Ghosla, Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye!, Dev.D, Gulaal, No Smoking, Aamir, Hey Ram, Bawandar and The Stoneman Murders. Most of them did modest business on release but have aged far better than many hits of that decade.

The 2000s were a strange decade for Hindi cinema. Big-star romances and multiplex comedies ruled the box office, while a new set of directors, including Anurag Kashyap, Dibakar Banerjee and Raj Kumar Gupta, made smaller, sharper films. Below is our updated list, with year, director and where each film streams in India as of October 2026.

Bollywood films from the 2000s: quick facts

1. No Smoking (2007)

John Abraham plays K, an arrogant chain smoker whose wife pushes him into a mysterious rehab centre run by a godman-like figure played by Paresh Rawal. The story is loosely based on Stephen King’s short story “Quitters, Inc.”, and it plays out like a dark, surreal nightmare.

It flopped badly in theatres and confused most viewers in 2007. Today it is seen as one of Anurag Kashyap’s boldest experiments. It is available free with ads on ZEE5 and MX Player in India.

2. Gulaal (2009)

Gulaal is Anurag Kashyap’s political drama set in Rajasthan, about student elections, a fading royal family and a secessionist movement. Kay Kay Menon as Dukey Bana and Piyush Mishra, who also wrote the music, are outstanding.

Songs like “Aarambh Hai Prachand” have a bigger life online today than the film had in theatres. Sadly, Gulaal is not on any streaming service in India right now.

3. Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye! (2008)

Dibakar Banerjee’s comedy follows Lucky, a charming Delhi thief played by Abhay Deol. It was inspired by the real-life thief Devinder Singh, also known as Bunty Chor, who was famous for stealing from upmarket homes.

Paresh Rawal plays three different characters, and the film’s view of Delhi’s class anxiety still feels accurate. It won the National Film Award for Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment. Stream it on Prime Video.

4. Aamir (2008)

Rajeev Khandelwal plays Dr Aamir Ali, a London-returned doctor who lands in Mumbai and is forced by an unseen caller to run errands for a terror network. The whole film takes place over one day in the crowded lanes of the city.

Raj Kumar Gupta later made No One Killed Jessica and Raid. Aamir, his debut, remains his tightest film. It streams on Prime Video.

5. Hey Ram (2000)

Kamal Haasan wrote, directed and starred in this drama set around Partition and the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi. Shah Rukh Khan has a key role, and Rani Mukerji, Hema Malini and Naseeruddin Shah are part of the cast.

It was India’s official submission for the Academy Awards that year but was not nominated. It is a long, demanding film, and it rewards patience. It is on Prime Video and JioHotstar.

6. Khosla Ka Ghosla! (2006)

Dibakar Banerjee’s debut is a comedy about a middle-class Delhi family whose plot of land is grabbed by a property dealer played by Boman Irani. Anupam Kher plays the worried father, and the family plans an elaborate con to get their money back.

It won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi. It is not on any streaming service in India at the moment, which is a real loss.

7. Bawandar (2000)

Jagmohan Mundhra’s film is based on the case of Bhanwari Devi, a saathin in Rajasthan who was sexually assaulted after she tried to stop a child marriage, and her long fight for justice. Nandita Das plays the lead.

The case is linked to the Vishaka guidelines on sexual harassment at the workplace. We could not confirm a current streaming home for Bawandar in India.

8. The Stoneman Murders (2009)

Manish Gupta’s thriller is based on the real serial killings in Mumbai in the 1980s, when a killer crushed homeless people with a stone while they slept. Kay Kay Menon plays a suspended police officer who takes on the case on his own.

It is grim and well paced, and Arbaaz Khan plays his colleague. It streams on Prime Video and JioHotstar, and is free with ads on MX Player.

9. Dev.D (2009)

Anurag Kashyap’s modern take on Devdas moves the story to Punjab and Delhi. Abhay Deol plays Dev, Mahie Gill plays Paro and Kalki Koechlin plays Chanda in her film debut.

Amit Trivedi’s soundtrack, with “Emotional Atyachaar”, became a cult favourite. Dev.D did well on release, but it is still not watched as widely as the classic Devdas versions. It streams on JioHotstar.

Why these films found a second life

Streaming and social media have helped many small Hindi films find audiences years later. The same thing happened with 2010s titles like Udaan, Masaan and Newton. For more picks, browse our Bollywood section and our listicles.

Streaming rights in India change often. Before you plan a movie night, check the app, because a film listed today can move to another platform within weeks.

Frequently asked questions

Sources: Gulaal, Wikipedia, Khosla Ka Ghosla, Wikipedia, Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye!, Wikipedia, Dev.D streaming listing, JustWatch India.