Overview: What the IMDb study covers
IMDb’s latest report, titled Most Popular Indian Films on IMDb, serves as a longitudinal snapshot of what Indian audiences have gravitated toward on a global platform. Spanning January 1, 2000, to August 31, 2025, the study tracks the five most popular Indian films every year, based on the cumulative ratings from IMDb’s more than 250 million users worldwide. The result is a Top 130 Indian Movies list that rises and evolves year by year, reflecting changing tastes, genres, and the expanding footprint of regional cinema in a predominantly Bollywood-led landscape.
First-place champions (2000–2025)
Here are the annual winners that topped the list of Most Popular Indian Films on IMDb for each year in the period. The titles appear in their commonly used English-language forms:
- 2000 — Mohabbatein
- 2001 — Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham
- 2002 — Devdas
- 2003 — Kal Ho Naa Ho
- 2004 — Veer Zaara
- 2005 — Black
- 2006 — Dhoom 2
- 2007 — Taare Zameen Par
- 2008 — Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi
- 2009 — 3 Idiots
- 2010 — My Name Is Khan
- 2011 — Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara
- 2012 — Gangs of Wasseypur
- 2013 — The Lunchbox
- 2014 — PK
- 2015 — Baahubali: The Beginning
- 2016 — Dangal
- 2017 — Baahubali 2: The Conclusion
- 2018 — KGF: Chapter 1
- 2019 — Uri: The Surgical Strike
- 2020 — Dil Bechara
- 2021 — Pushpa: The Rise
- 2022 — KGF: Chapter 2
- 2023 — Animal
- 2024 — Pushpa 2: The Rule
- 2025 — Saiyara
These annual leaders illustrate a blend of mainstream Bollywood dramas, creator-led epics, and the ongoing surge of regional cinema. The late 2010s and early 2020s, in particular, show a growing prominence of Telugu cinema and pan-Indian projects in the top ranks.
Telugu cinema’s rising footprint (highlights beyond the top spot)
Beyond the yearly champions, several Telugu films have often ranked high in the Top 5 across years. Notable examples include Magadheera (2009) placing fourth; Nenokkadine (2014) at fourth; Arjun Reddy (2017) at fourth; Ala Vaikuntapurramloo (Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo) reaching second in 2020; RRR claiming second in 2022; and Salar placing fourth in 2023. These entries underscore a broader trend: regional productions driving audience interest on a platform with a global reach, translating into wider recognition for scripted dramas, action spectacles, and musical adventures alike.
A notable anecdote: the emotional moment and a film’s title
Among the emotional touchpoints cited by fans and critics, a moment from one film is said to have influenced the way its title was perceived—an anecdote linked to the widely loved Chhatrapati. While the exact scene and its naming story vary in retellings, the takeaway is clear: memorable emotional scenes can become cultural anchors that shape how audiences remember a movie, long after its release.
Why this matters for fans and industry alike
The IMDb Most Popular Indian Films on IMDb report offers more than a nostalgic trip through past favorites. It highlights shifts in audience appetite—romance-dramas, social dramas, sports biopics, and high-concept epics all finding resonance at different times. It also signals the rising influence of regional cinema on a global platform, encouraging studios to consider cross-language collaborations, multilingual releases, and broader casting that mirrors the diversity of Indian cinema itself. For fans, the list is a useful barometer of enduring favorites and fresh discoveries worth revisiting or exploring for the first time.
Bottom line
From Mohabbatein to Saiyara, the 2000–2025 window on IMDb’s Most Popular Indian Films offers a nuanced map of what audiences loved, when they loved it, and how Indian cinema continued to evolve across languages, narratives, and formats. Whether you’re chasing nostalgia or scouting for the next big sensation, the yearly top five reveal a dynamic industry with a shared global stage.
