Ranked top 100 highest-rated Indian films on Letterboxd - tier list

[Farhan]

Tier 1 (s) - Anantaram, The Adversary (Pratidwandi), Mathilukal, Apur Sansar, Pudhupettai, Nayak (60s), Ashadh ka ek din, Devi (Bengali), Haider, Meghe Dhaka Tara, Visaranai, Interview, Hey Ram, Pyaasa, Jalsagar, Ee.Ma.Yau, Charulata (Bengali) and Nainsukh.

Tier 2 (Greats) - Iruvar, Jana Aranya, Asha Jauar Majhe, Kadasi Vivasayi, Pather Panchali, Kattradu Tamizh, Aadukalam, Maheshinte Prathikaaram, Aaranya kaandam, Aranyer Din Ratri, Super Deluxe, Mirch Masala, Ship of Theseus, Mahanagar, Vada Chennai, Aparajito, Anbe Sivam, Gangs of Wasseypur 2, Peranbu, Kuch bhi na janne ki ek raat, The Lunchbox, Thanmatra, Virumandi, The great Indian kitchen, Hirak rajar deshe, Sarpatta Parambarai, Aattam, C/o Kancharapalem.

Tier 3 - Thaniyavarthanam, Periyerum Perumal, Michael Madana Kama Raja, Gupi gayen bagha bayen, Udaan, Kireedam, Gangs of Wasseypur, Nadodikkattu, Vazhai, Mahanadhi, Sardar Udham, Kishkindha Kaandam, Thalapathi, Satya, Ustad Hotel, Masaan, Jigarthanda, Taare Zameen par, Nayakan.

Tier 4 - Chittha, Mughal E Azam, Jigarthanda doubt x, Kumbalangi nights, Bangalore days, Mayabazar, Soodhu kavvum, Meiyazhagan, CID Moosa, Manichitrathazu, Kannathil Muttamittal, Vaaranam Aayiram, Drishyam, Panchatanthiram, Premam, Three of us, Nuvvu Naaku Naachav, Raam ke naam, Ee Nagaraniki Emaindi, Jersey and Manjumel boys.

Tier 5 - Zindagi na milegi dobara, VIP, Kaithi, Bommarillu, Laapata ladies, Homebound, 3 idiots, 12th fail, Nuvostanante Nenoddantana, Om Shanti Om, RRR, Dilwale dulhania le jayenge, 96', Athadu.

I ranked them based on artistic merit – focusing on thematic depth, moral complexity or ambiguity, authorial vision and expressiveness, basically the director's inner voice.

I deliberately ignored box‑office numbers, spectacle value, pure entertainment, influence or global recognition.

Let me know what you think.

[Advik]

Drishyam is one of the best movies, and it's placed in Tier 4?

[Vidya]

Alright, someone's lying:

[Akshara]

Haider... I could take my revenge on my brother by putting bullets in both his eyes... those eyes that turned you into an orphan... iconic, a true masterpiece by VB.

[Samar]

3 Idiots is definitely one of the best Indian movies of the 21st century and it's super rewatchable. Not sure what you're getting at.

[Benny]

Manichithrathazhu in Tier 4? What the heck!

[Jasmin]

Why is Haider placed in the GOAT tier? Just curious.

[Douglas]

Can you make a version where you rank them by their Letterboxd scores? I'm curious to see.

[Devendra]

I think both Gangs of Wasseypur movies deserve a tier higher than where they sit now.

[Hari]

I made a picture out of this list:

[Suraj]

Bakwaas, you're saying 3 Idiots isn't in the top 100 just because of some made‑up artistic‑merit metric.