Best History Movies

101 films · 56 with 3+ critic reviews

Period epics and historical drama, a genre that draws unusually polarised critical response in India.

The best history movies, ranked by aggregated critic score.

01DunkirkEnglish · 2017“Dunkirk is one of the greatest war movies ever made – it's certainly the tightest, most…” — Rashid Irani

7.8

11 criticsExceptional02SpotlightEnglish · 2016“Spotlight is an important film, especially at times of cynicism around the profession of…” — Sankhayan Ghosh

7.7

15 criticsExceptional03The PostEnglish · 2018“These aren't necessarily the debates we're either willing or confident enough to have.…” — Rohan Naahar

7.6

10 criticsExceptional04SatlujHindi · 2026“It's just as well that the story is now being told in its intended form, which delivers a…” — Neeshita Nyayapati

7.2

12 criticsRecommended05The Voice of Hind Rajab2025“This is a film intended to be discomfiting and emotionally devastating. Here, the results…” — Santanu Das

7.2

5 criticsRecommended06RaaziHindi · 2018“The actors sometimes falter with their accent and dialect, but intrigue around Sehmat's…” — Rohit Vats

7.1

27 criticsRecommended07RRRTelugu · 2022“There is a story that can potentially move you, make you weep for the characters — but it…” — Sangeetha Devi Dundoo

7.1

20 criticsRecommended08First ManEnglish · 2018“Ryan Gosling takes one giant leap towards an Oscar in Damien Chazelle's Neil Armstrong…” — Rohan Naahar

7.1

10 criticsRecommended09Rang De BasantiHindi · 2006“You may, or may not be entirely convinced by Mehra's phenomenally filmed, but rather…” — Mayank Shekhar

7.1

4 criticsRecommended10IkkisHindi · 2026“Sriram Raghavan turns to the Battle of Basantar to honour a real-life martyr and take a…” — Anuj Kumar

7.0

15 criticsRecommended11Chauthi KootPunjabi · 2015“This is a crafty move on the director's part, as it translates facts into a humane…” — Rohit Vats

7.0

7 criticsRecommended12Bridge of SpiesEnglish · 2015“This film hits all the right notes; in the last 20 minutes, I was already thinking about…” — Udhav Naig

6.9

13 criticsRecommended13Jai BhimTamil · 2021“Jai Bhim is perhaps one of the boldest films to come out of Tamil cinema. The politics…” — Srivatsan S

6.8

6 criticsRecommended14Emperor Vs. Sarat ChandraBengali · 2026“Unfortunately, despite an intriguing premise and an ambitious narrative approach, Srijit…” — Vinayak Chakravorty

6.8

7 criticsRecommended15Bajirao MastaniHindi · 2015“If you appreciate Sanjay Leela Bhansali's opulence and grandeur, this won't disappoint.…” — Sweta Kaushal

6.7

42 criticsRecommended16SullyEnglish · 2016“Thanks to Sully, I now know — as much as there is to be known safely at least — what it…” — Sudhir Srinivasan

6.7

14 criticsRecommended17Keu Bole Biplobi, Keu Bole DakatBengali · 2026“Jeet delivers a compelling performance as Ananta Singh in this gripping tale of…” — MissFilmy Editorial Desk

6.7

8 criticsRecommended18Bhaag Milkha BhaagHindi · 2013“For a film about sprinting and clocking shortest timings possible, Bhaag Milkha Bhaag…” — Sarit Ray

6.6

23 criticsRecommended19MantoHindi · 2018“Director Nandita Das beautifully stitches five of the famous Urdu author's short stories…” — Rahul Desai

6.5

14 criticsRecommended20Zero Dark ThirtyEnglish · 2012“Zero Dark Thirty is deeply disturbing. There are scenes here that you can't watch and yet…” — Anupama Chopra

6.5

5 criticsRecommended21ChhaavaHindi · 2025“However, the intrigue seldom translates into something substantial on screen. Amidst the…” — Anuj Kumar

6.4

15 criticsMixed22Darkest HourEnglish · 2018“Gary Oldman ceases to exist with his powerful performance as the former English Prime…” — Deborah Cornelious

6.4

14 criticsMixed23Raja ShivajiMarathi · 2026“This epic drama starring Riteish Deshmukh is more admirable than riveting.” — Rishabh Suri

6.2

24 criticsMixed24PadmaavatHindi · 2018“I'm an admirer of Sanjay's passion and rigour, of his operatic sensibility and his…” — Anupama Chopra

6.2

26 criticsMixed25ThangalaanTamil · 2024“Pa Ranjith's film is intertwined with some fantasy and mystical realism. A must watch for…” — Latha Srinivasan

6.2

8 criticsMixed26Billy Lynn's Long Halftime WalkEnglish · 2016“Even in regular old 2D, Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk was one of the year's most…” — Rohan Naahar

6.2

3 criticsMixed27The UprisingEnglish · 2026“Written and directed by Paul Greengrass, this retelling of the Peasants' Revolt of 1381…” — Mini Anthikad Chhibber

6.2

7 criticsMixed28Sky ForceHindi · 2025“However, in Sky Force, they have somewhat deviated from the path... the film's gaze is…” — Anuj Kumar

6.1

9 criticsMixed29RangoonHindi · 2017“At 167 minutes, Rangoon isn't only long but painful. And this isn't the pain of love. And…” — Rohit Vats

6.0

27 criticsMixed30GoldHindi · 2018“Despite the presence of the national anthem, the tricolour, and a story based on India's…” — Namrata Joshi

6.0

20 criticsMixed31Manikarnika: The Queen of JhansiHindi · 2019“A flat retelling of the legend of Jhansi Ki Rani that aims at stoking nationalism but…” — Namrata Joshi

5.9

27 criticsMixed32Mission MangalHindi · 2019“It's hard to make intelligence look entertaining. But it's harder to make intelligence…” — Rahul Desai

5.9

26 criticsMixed33KaanthaTamil · 2025“Kaantha is sincere and compelling in parts, which helps balance the portions that feel…” — Sangeetha Devi Dundoo

5.9

10 criticsMixed34KancheTelugu · 2015“Kanche doesn't stand out merely by being different, but also because it's earnest.” — Sangeetha Devi Dundoo

5.8

13 criticsMixed35Sam BahadurHindi · 2023“Known for telling complex tales like Talvar (2015) and Raazi (2019), this time director…” — Anuj Kumar

5.8

16 criticsMixed36HustlersEnglish · 2019“Towards the end a political statement is also shoved in: that the whole country is a…” — Namrata Joshi

5.8

5 criticsMixed37Children of WarHindi · 2014“A worthy film based on fact, but lacking the zing of good fiction.” — Baradwaj Rangan

5.6

8 criticsMixed38MaharajHindi · 2024“Maharaj means well as a period drama centred on a landmark case of religious reform, but…” — Shilajit Mitra

5.4

8 criticsMixed39Mission MajnuHindi · 2023“A generic spy thriller that overtly dramatises true events from our prickly relationship…” — Anuj Kumar

5.2

9 criticsMixed40KannappaTelugu · 2025“In striving for grandeur, it forgets to tell the story that matters. Kannappa had a…” — Sangeetha Devi Dundoo

5.2

9 criticsMixed41BawaalHindi · 2023“Bawaal is an epic misfire. Bawaal trivializes this unimaginable horror. The Holocaust is…” — Anupama Chopra

5.1

9 criticsMixed42Begum JaanHindi · 2017“The 134-minute long Begum Jaan has Vidya Balan in good form, but it lacks cohesiveness as…” — Rohit Vats

5.0

27 criticsMixed4312 StrongEnglish · 2018“To be fair, some of the action scenes are photographed with genuine flair, but none of…” — Rashid Irani

5.0

4 criticsMixed44Free State of JonesEnglish · 2016“Gary Ross's film does well to juxtapose telling of Knight's story with the trial his…” — Shalini Langer

5.0

3 criticsMixed45KD – The DevilKannada · 2026“The film makes a big entrance but doesn't keep you hooked till the end” — Latha Srinivasan

4.9

8 criticsMixed46KochadaiiyaanHindi · 2014“Watch Kochadaiiyaan for the vivid motion capture technology and Rajini's tandav in the…” — Sweta Kaushal

4.8

22 criticsMixed47RanabaaliTelugu · 2026“Ranabaali has a story that needed to be told, but it could have been sharper and tauter.…” — Sangeetha Devi Dundoo

4.8

16 criticsMixed48Ben-HurEnglish · 2016“Ben-Hur is exactly what it says on the tin: A remake of a remake, that is also a prime…” — Rohan Naahar

4.8

15 criticsMixed49Victoria & AbdulEnglish · 2017“Don't be taken in by the delightful sight of Queen Victoria speaking in broken Hindi, and…” — Rashid Irani

4.8

13 criticsMixed50Indu SarkarHindi · 2017“Madhur Bhandarkar's latest film starring Kriti Kulhari and Neil Nitin Mukesh has a…” — Sweta Kaushal

4.7

19 criticsMixed

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Recent History releases

4.8

Ranabaali

16 critics

6.8

Emperor Vs. Sarat Chandra

7 critics

6.2

The Uprising

7 critics

6.7

Keu Bole Biplobi, Keu Bole Dakat

8 critics

7.2

Satluj

12 critics

6.2

Raja Shivaji

24 critics

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