'12th Fail' tops list of IMDB's 250 highest-rated Indian movies, India's Oscar entry 'Laapataa Ladies' placed at 20

Stills from 12th Fail and Laapataa Ladies

IMDb has designed a limited edition collectible poster of the Top 250 Highest Rated Indian Movies of all time, which will be presented as a gift to select entertainment industry leaders. Additionally, IMDb India will host a contest on Instagram, giving select fans the opportunity to win this coveted poster. Head to the IMDb India Instagram to learn more about the contest.

The IMDb Top 250 Highest Rated Indian Movies list is a collection of the highest-rated Indian films, which allows fans to celebrate and discover groundbreaking new films, as well as classics from all decades, genres, and regions. Titles on this dynamic list are determined by ratings from IMDb users who regularly vote on IMDb.

Notably, the current No. 1 movie on the list is 2023's critically-acclaimed 12th Fail. Alongside contemporary hits like Maharaja, Kantara, and Laapataa Ladies, the list also features classics such as Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro, Pariyerum Perumal, and Pather Panchali, showcasing the diversity of Indian cinema. Together, the 250 movies on the list have received more than 8.5 million votes on IMDb.

Here are the top 20 titles from the list, as of September 22, 2024:

1. 12th Fail
2. Gol Maal
3. Nayakan
4. Maharaja
5. Apur Sansar
6. Anbe Sivam
7. Pariyerum Perumal
8. 3 Idiots
9. #Home
10. Manichitrathazhu
11. Black Friday
12. Kumbalangi Nights
13. Rocketry: The Nambi Effect
14. 777 Charlie
15. Kireedam
16. C/o Kancharapalem
17. Taare Zameen Par
18. Sandesham
19. Dangal
20. Laapataa Ladies

It is noteworthy that five titles from 2024, including Maharaja, Maidaan, The Goat Life, Laapataa Ladies, and Manjummel Boys, are on the list. The earliest movie on the list is Satyajit Ray's classic Pather Panchali , released in 1955.

Mani Ratnam has most number of films in the list

With seven titles, director Mani Ratnam has the highest number of movies on the list, followed by Anurag Kashyap with six titles. Interestingly, the list also includes six movies along with their sequels: Drishyam (Malayalam) and Drishyam 2 (Malayalam), Drishyam (Hindi) and Drishyam 2 (Hindi), Munna Bhai
M.B.B.S. and Lage Raho Munna Bhai , Jigarthanda and Jigarthanda DoubleX, K.G.F: Chapter 1 and K.G.F: Chapter 2 and Baahubali: The Beginning and Baahubali 2: The Conclusion.

Sharing his excitement about 12th Fail topping the list, Vikrant Massey reflected on the most touching scene from the film. He said, "The scene I want to highlight is the champi sequence between Manoj and his mother, which was a pivotal moment in the film when Manoj comes to the realization that his grandmother has passed. What makes it special is the amount of planning and production that goes into shooting even a single shot. In this scene, in the background, there's a door with magic light - the brief period when day meets night, lasting only 5 to 7 minutes. Vidhu Vinod Chopra sir and DOP Rangarajan Ramabadran designed this
master shot months in advance. On set, we actors had to be precise, as we had only those few minutes to capture it. Geeta ji and I chose not to use glycerin for this emotionally taxing scene, opting instead to feel as close to the moment as possible. It was a scene where we were required not to cry, but weep.