In India, comedy films are classified as “family films.” It’s pointless to speculate that they do exceptionally well at the box office. So much so that the popularity of romantic and comedy films is balanced. While most comedy films today are ‘escapist’ in nature, some old gems from the past had impeccable storylines. Nonetheless, good comedies are still made today. We’ve compiled a list of the 10 Hindi comedy films in history. We guarantee ticklish ribs and hysterical laughter if you watch any of these. Let the stomach aches begin!
Best of Hindi comedy films on OTT:
10. Good Newwz:
Year of release: 2019
IMDB rating: 6.8/10
Director: Raj Mehta
Cast: Kareena Kapoor, Kiara Advani, Akshay Kumar and Diljit Dosanjh
OTT platform: Amazon Prime Video
Storyline: This comedy of errors follows two diametrically opposed couples who get mixed up during their IVF treatment, resulting in a laugh-riot.
9. Bhool Bhulaiyaa:
Year of release: 2007
IMDB rating: 7.4/10
Director: Priyadarshan
Cast: Akshay Kumar, Vidya Balan, Rajpal Yadav, Ameesha Patel
OTT platform: Amazon Prime Video
Storyline: If you’re looking for some good old horror and comedy, Bhool Bhulaiyaa is the way to go. Unlike most Bollywood comedies, this film has a strong and gripping storyline with humour sprinkled throughout.
8. Andaz Apna Apna:
Year of release: 1994
IMDB rating: 8/10
Director: Rajkumar Santoshi
Cast: Aamir Khan, Salman Khan, Raveena Tandon, Karisma Kapoor, Paresh Rawal
OTT platform: Amazon Prime Video
Storyline: Two loafers (Aamir Khan and Salman Khan) compete for an heiress’s heart and end up protecting her from criminals. While the film received mixed reviews when it first came out, it is now considered a cult classic.
7. Gol Maal:
Year of release: 1979
IMDB rating: 8.5/10
Director: Hrishikesh Mukherjee
Cast: Amol Palekar, Bindiya Goswami, Deven Verma, Shubha Khote, Buaji Kalindi, Manju Singh, Ratna Sharma, Dina Pathak
OTT platform: Sony Liv
Storyline: Gol Mal has been lauded by critics and audiences alike as one of the best Bollywood comedies ever made. A job search, a fake moustache, a hockey game… confusion has never been so amusing. Utpal Dutt’s shrieks and cacophonous laughter are still legendary.
6. Chupke Chupke:
Year of release: 1975
IMDB rating: 8.3/10
Director: Hrishikesh Mukherjee
Cast: Dharmendra, Sharmila Tagore, Amitabh Bachchan, Jaya Bachchan
OTT platform: Amazon Prime Video
Storyline: This film is remembered for Dharmendra and Amitabh Bachchan’s comic chemistry, which followed the iconic Sholay. The film is a lighthearted comedy about a husband pulling a practical joke on his wife’s father.
5. Munna Bhai MBBS:
Year of release: 2003
IMDB rating: 8.1/10
Director: Rajkumar Hirani
Cast: Sanjay Dutt, Arshad Warsi, Boman Irani, Sunil Dutt, Gracy Singh
OTT platform: YouTube rent
Storyline: Munna Bhai will be remembered as one of the most iconic characters of the modern era. While the first instalment of this hit series (Munna Bhai MBBS) featured an underworld don taking over a medical college, the second instalment (Lageraho Munna Bhai) focused on Gandhigiri and its relevance to modern society. Hardcore fans are still waiting for the third instalment with bated breath.
4. Hera Pheri:
Year of release: 2000
IMDB rating: 8.1/10
Director: Priyadarshan
Cast: Akshay Kumar, Paresh Rawal, Sunil Shetty, Tabu, Om Puri, Gulshan Grover, Kulbhushan Kharbanda, Mukesh Khanna
OTT platform: Amazon Prime Video
Storyline: A Hindi remake of the Malayalam film from 1989. Ramji Rao’s Hera Pheri is a cult classic, to be sure. The plot revolves around a troublesome trio who becomes involved in a dangerous kidnapping case.
3. 3 Idiots:
Year of release: 2009
IMDB rating: 8.4/10
Director: Rajkumar Hirani
Cast: Aamir Khan, Kareena Kapoor, R. Madhavan, Sharman Joshi, Boman Irani
OTT platform: Amazon Prime Video
Storyline: 3 Idiots, based on Chetan Bhagat’s Five Point Someone, was the highest-grossing film of its time and a hit in China as well. Two friends are searching for the third ‘idiot,’ who was the other one and has been missing since the last day of college. To put it mildly, it’s a roller-coaster ride. Keep an eye out for the insane monologue in which Omi Vaidya delivers a speech in Hindi.
2. Chachi 420:
Year of release: 1997
IMDB rating: 7.4/10
Director: Kamal Haasan
Cast: Kamal Hassan, Tabu, Amrish Puri, Paresh Rawal
OTT platform: YouTube
Storyline: A tangled plot in which a father-in-law falls in love with his son-in-law dressed as a lady… This is a wild ride.
1. Angoor:
Year of release: 1982
IMDB rating: 8.3/10
Director: Gulzar
Cast: Sanjeev Kumar, Moushumi Chatterjee, Deven Verma
OTT platform: Amazon Prime Video
Storyline: It’s based on Shakespeare’s ‘A Comedy of Errors,’ in which two pairs of identical twins are separated at birth and their lives take an unexpected turn when they meet as adults. It contains one of the best comedic performances by an Indian actor ever. This was Sanjeev Kumar’s brilliance!
