The best movies every girl must watch before turning 25 include Queen, Little Women, The Devil Wears Prada, English Vinglish, Piku, Mean Girls, Kahaani and The Intern. These 25 films, from Bollywood and Hollywood, deal with growing up, careers, friendship, family and self-respect, and each one has something useful to say before you hit 25.
We first published this list in 2020. This version is updated for October 2026 with release years and where each film streams in India now. A few titles are no longer on any subscription service, and we have said so clearly.
Ultimate 25 movies every girl must watch before turning 25
1. Eat Pray Love (2010)
Julia Roberts leads Ryan Murphy’s film about a woman who steps away from a life that no longer fits and travels to find herself again. A gentle reminder that it is fine to start over. Watch: Sony Pictures channel on Prime Video.
2. Little Women (2019)
Greta Gerwig’s adaptation, with Saoirse Ronan as Jo March, is about four sisters with very different dreams. It is about ambition, money, marriage and choosing your own path. Watch: Prime Video, SonyLIV.
3. Million Dollar Baby (2004)
Clint Eastwood directs and co-stars with Hilary Swank, who plays Maggie Fitzgerald, a determined boxer. A tough, moving film about grit and chasing a goal late. Watch: Prime Video.
4. Mean Girls (2004)
Mark Waters’ comedy stars Lindsay Lohan as Cady Heron, a new girl who gets pulled into a toxic school clique. Still the sharpest film about peer pressure and girl politics. Watch: Prime Video.
5. Chemical Hearts (2020)
Lili Reinhart and Austin Abrams star in Richard Tanne’s teen drama about first love, grief and the fact that some people cannot be fixed by love alone. Watch: Prime Video.
6. Guilty (2020)
Ruchi Narain’s Netflix film stars Kiara Advani as Nanki, a songwriter forced to question her boyfriend’s innocence when he is accused of sexual assault. It asks hard questions about consent and silence. Watch: Netflix.
7. Easy A (2010)
Will Gluck’s comedy stars Emma Stone as Olive, a student whose life changes when a false rumour about her spreads. Funny and smart about gossip and reputation. Watch: Netflix.
8. Fire, Earth and Water (1996 to 2005)
Deepa Mehta’s Elements trilogy: Fire looks at arranged marriage and same-sex love, Earth at the 1947 Partition through a young Parsi girl’s eyes, and Water at the treatment of widows in the 1930s. Water was nominated for an Oscar. Watch: Check rental stores.
9. The Intern (2015)
Nancy Meyers’ film pairs Anne Hathaway, as the founder of a fashion startup, with Robert De Niro, as her senior intern. A warm film about work, balance and asking for help. Watch: JioHotstar, Prime Video.
10. Frozen (2013)
Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee’s Disney hit puts the bond between two sisters, Elsa and Anna, ahead of any prince. Easy to rewatch at any age. Watch: JioHotstar.
11. Queen (2014)
Vikas Bahl’s film stars Kangana Ranaut as Rani, who goes on her honeymoon alone after her wedding is called off. One of the best Hindi films about finding your own feet. Watch: Prime Video.
12. Bandit Queen (1994)
Shekhar Kapur’s film, with Seema Biswas as Phoolan Devi, is based on her life. It is brutal and not an easy watch, but it is an important film about caste, gender and violence. Watch: Prime Video.
13. Gulaab Gang (2014)
Soumik Sen’s drama stars Madhuri Dixit as Rajjo, who leads a group of women fighting injustice in their village, with Juhi Chawla as the politician on the other side. Watch: Not streaming right now.
14. Freaky Friday (2003)
Mark Waters’ comedy has Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan as a mother and daughter who swap bodies. The sequel Freakier Friday released in August 2025. Watch: JioHotstar.
15. Monster-in-Law (2005)
Jennifer Lopez and Jane Fonda face off as a bride-to-be and her future mother-in-law in Robert Luketic’s comedy. Light, silly and good fun. Watch: Netflix.
16. Mother India (1957)
Mehboob Khan’s classic stars Nargis as Radha, a poor village woman who raises her sons alone while fighting a scheming moneylender. It was India’s first Oscar nominee for Best Foreign Language Film. Watch: Not confirmed on OTT.
17. Angry Indian Goddesses (2015)
Pan Nalin’s film brings together a group of women friends in Goa ahead of a wedding. Sarah-Jane Dias, Tannishtha Chatterjee and Sandhya Mridul are part of the cast. Watch: Not streaming right now.
18. Coco Before Chanel (2009)
Anne Fontaine’s French film stars Audrey Tautou as a young Gabrielle Chanel, before she became a fashion icon. A good pick for anyone building a career from scratch. Watch: Rent on Apple TV.
19. English Vinglish (2012)
Gauri Shinde’s debut stars Sridevi as Shashi Godbole, a homemaker who quietly learns English and wins back her self-respect. A film every family should watch together. Watch: ZEE5.
20. Mamma Mia! (2008)
Phyllida Lloyd’s musical with Amanda Seyfried and Meryl Streep is about a daughter, her mother and a wedding on a Greek island. Pure feel-good. Watch: Rent on Amazon or Apple TV.
21. The Devil Wears Prada (2006)
David Frankel’s film stars Anne Hathaway as a young assistant and Meryl Streep as her tough boss, Miranda Priestly. Every first job lesson is in here. Watch: JioHotstar.
22. Kahaani (2012)
Sujoy Ghosh’s thriller stars Vidya Balan as Vidya Bagchi, a pregnant woman searching Kolkata for her missing husband. A gripping film led by a woman who is never helpless. Watch: Prime Video.
23. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)
Michel Gondry’s film with Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet is about a couple who erase their memories of each other. It is about heartbreak and whether you would really forget someone if you could. Watch: Rent on Apple TV.
24. Aisha (2010)
Rajshree Ojha’s film stars Sonam Kapoor as Aisha, a Delhi girl who loves matchmaking, with Abhay Deol as Arjun. A light film about friendship, style and getting it wrong. Watch: Prime Video, JioHotstar.
25. Piku (2015)
Shoojit Sircar’s film stars Deepika Padukone as Piku, who looks after her difficult father, played by Amitabh Bachchan, with Irrfan Khan along for a road trip. Honest about caring for ageing parents. Watch: Rent on Apple TV.
Two newer picks worth adding
Laapataa Ladies (2024): Kiran Rao’s film follows two young brides who get swapped on a train, with Nitanshi Goel, Pratibha Ranta, Sparsh Shrivastava and Ravi Kishan. Watch on Netflix.
Barbie (2023): Greta Gerwig’s film with Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling is a funny, pointed look at what it means to be a woman. Watch on Prime Video.
For more such lists, browse our movies and listicles sections.
Frequently asked questions
Which movies should every girl watch?
Queen, English Vinglish, Little Women, The Devil Wears Prada and Piku are good places to start. They cover independence, family, work and self-respect.
Which of these films are on Netflix in India?
As of October 2026, Guilty, Easy A, Monster-in-Law and Laapataa Ladies stream on Netflix in India.
Is there a sequel to Freaky Friday?
Yes. Freakier Friday, with Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan returning, released in the US on 8 August 2025.
Which Bollywood films on this list are about strong women?
Queen, Kahaani, English Vinglish, Gulaab Gang, Bandit Queen, Mother India and Piku all centre on women who take charge of their own lives.
Sources: JustWatch India, Wikipedia: Mother India, Wikipedia: Freakier Friday.
