If you’re newly delving into the world of Bollywood cinema, then you have a lot of variety to enjoy. Indian cinema has a proud heritage that goes back to silent movies at the beginning of the 20th Century. Not just that, but Indian film pioneers like Satyajit Ray have had an enduring influence on world cinema itself. Beyond its early days, Indian cinema continued to evolve with Bollywood crime dramas of the 70s, musical romances of the 80s, all the way to the present-day era of pan-Indian cinema. The forays of Indian cinema into all the different genres have been accompanied throughout by a taste of originality that sets these films apart.

In later days, filmmakers from Bollywood, as well as the regional cinema industries of India, have started to favor historical epics greatly. These films have also been quite popular with the Indian audience. The Telugu period action film Baahubali 2, released in 2017, became the second-highest-grossing Indian film of all time, earning USD$278 million globally. Yet, while Baahubali was a work of fiction, Indian filmmakers like Sanjay Leela Bhansali have been taking inspiration from history for some time now. The end-result has been a collection of high-budget epics, full of the characteristic Indian melodrama and chock-full of entertainment value. The visual flamboyance and dramatic storytelling in these films make for a universal appeal. So, here are 9 Indian historical epics that are worth a watch.

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9 Bajirao Mastani

     Bhansali Productions

Bajirao Mastani is a 2015 historical romance movie directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali, a filmmaker known for creating grand historical epics. The film tells the story of 18th-Century Marathi minister Bajirao I and his second wife Mastani. It is led by top Indian stars including Ranveer Singh as Bajirao, Deepika Padukone as Mastani, and Priyanka Chopra as Bajirao’s first wife, Kashibai. Bajirao Mastani is one of the most popular historical films in Bollywood of recent years. Viewers were particularly enamored by the leading cast’s performance, which further uplifted the movie’s larger-than-life tone and setting. For those with a taste for dramatic cinema, this film offers that in plenty — from the acting to the grand visual splendor.

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8 Padmaavat

Another one of Bhansali’s creations, Padmaavat is a 2018 film based on the eponymous poem from 1540 by Malik Muhammad Jayasi. Bearing much of the same signatures as Bhansali’s other works, the movie features grand visual designs, and even includes some of the same lead actors as Bajirao Mastaani. The movie features Deepika Padukone as Queen Padmavati, Shahid Kapoor as her husband Maharawal Ratan Singh, and Ranveer Singh as Alauddin Khalji. While the historical existence of Queen Padmavati is debated to this day by historians, Ratan Sen and Alauddin Khalji are actual historical figures. Historical authenticity on the aside, Padmaavat is still a massively entertaining movie held up by a stalwart cast.

7 Jodhaa Akbar

     UTV Motion Pictures

The 2008 movie Jodhaa Akbar tells the tale of love between 16th-Century Mughal emperor Akbar and his Hindu wife Jodhaa Bai. Starring Hritik Roshan and Aishwarya Rai in the titular roles, the movie was directed by critically acclaimed director Ashutosh Gowariker of Lagaan fame. Jodhaa Akbar too is known to take liberties with historical accuracy, including many fictional events to tell the story of the royal couple. Religious harmony is a major theme of the film. First-time viewers will also enjoy the musical aspects of the movie. Legendary Indian composer A.R Rehman was responsible for the film’s soundtrack, and some songs from the movie have become evergreen classics.

6 Aśoka

     Dreamz Unlimited

Aśoka tells the life story of the Mauryan emperor of 200 BC, with Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan as the titular hero. Released in 2001, the movie can easily be categorized as being from a different Bollywood era. It treats you to a radically different aesthetic than the other films on the list. From the acting to the soundtrack and cinematography, its various elements come together in a bewitching synergy that has a way of seeping deep into your skin. The film was a critical hit among Indian and international critics, earning comparisons to Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and the works of Akira Kurosawa.

5 Mangal Pandey: The Rising

     Yash Raj Films

Mangal Pandey: The Rising features one of the Three Khans of Bollywood — Amir Khan. This film details the first Indian War of Independence, otherwise known as the Sepoy Mutiny of 1857. Khan leads the movie as Mangal Pandey, the soldier who was almost single-handedly responsible for starting this rebellion. Known for his intense dedication to his roles, Khan is said to have taken 18 months to prepare for this movie. Mangal Pandey: The Rising is strongly plot-driven, and tells its story with a well-set pace that will allow you to experience all its motions in depth.

4 Gangubai Kathiawadi

Gangubai Kathiawadi is a Sanjay Leela Bhansali film featuring Alia Bhatt, one of the top actresses from the new generation of Bollywood stars. The movie is based on the life of an influencer brothel owner from 1960s Bombay called Ganga Jagjivandas Kathiawadi. Bhatt’s performance as the female lead earned rave reviews as she successfully portrays the intensity expected of such a larger-than-life persona on the screen. The colorful storytelling style of Bhansali does well for the movie’s peak moments, as it explores the complex sides to Gangubai, both as a powerful underworld figure and as a champion of sex workers’ rights.

3 The Legend Of Bhagat Singh

     Tips Industries

The Legend Of Bhagat Singh is the story of a major Indian freedom fighter, who was hanged in 1931 for the killing of a British police officer in Britain-ruled India. The movie was directed by Rajkumar Santoshi and featured Ajay Devgn as the titular character. The filmmakers sought to highlight Bhagat Singh’s ideals in this movie, and have eloquently showcased the thoughts that went behind his often-violent demonstrations. Viewers also lauded the performances of Bhagat Singh’s compatriots, who were played by Sushant Singh, D. Santosh, and Akhilendra Mishra. Moving away from common Bollywood conventions of focusing on one larger-than-life hero, The Legend Of Bhagat Singh is as much about a group of revolutionaries as it is about one single man.

2 Rudhramadevi

     Gunaa Team Works

Rudhramadevi is a 2015 Telugu-language film that tells the story of a 13th-Century warrior queen of the Kakatiya dynasty. Telugu film star Anushka Shetty, who also appeared in Baahubali, leads the movie as Queen Rudhramadevi. The movie begins with quite an unusual plot, since the real-life Rudhramadevi portrayed herself as a man for many years in order to rule successfully. South Indian cinema, of which Telugu cinema is a part, commonly features unbelievable action sequences in the midst of even the best storytelling. Rudhramadevi has its fair share of unbelievable CGI moments. However, if you can overlook that, the movie is quite an entertaining watch.

1 Mughal-e-Azam

     Sterling Investment Corporation

The epic historical drama Mughal-e-Azal is often called the greatest Indian film of all time. Released in the year 1960, it portrays an oft-told legend from the life of Mughal Prince Salim, and his love affair with a courtesan called Anarkali. The film is led by the biggest Indian film stars of the time, with Dilip Kumar as Prince Salim, Prithviraj Kapoor as Emperor Akbar, and Madhubala as Anarkali. Stories about the extremely elaborate work that went behind the production of this movie are easily found among Indian film aficionados. The movie remains relevant to this day due to its masterful depiction of the themes of duty, family, and sacrifice.