When you think about Bollywood, what comes to your mind? Cheesy romances and cliched comedies would be the answer for many. But once in a while, a real gem is born in Bollywood, which is much appreciated by the generous audience, not only in India but abroad as well. These are the movies that have the potential to set the course for the future.

And there are some movies, which are no less than a gem but fail to gain much-deserved applause from a clueless audience.

So here are some Bollywood movies which were way ahead of their time.

No Smoking

No Smoking is a 2007 John Abraham movie, which remains a mystery for many people. It revolves around the central character played by John Abraham, who is admitted to a rehabilitation centre with the hopes that he would quit smoking.

It seems like a simple concept, but the execution is what amazes us. Different punishments are adopted in the rehabilitation centre ‘Prayoshala’ to make ‘K’ (John Abraham’s character) quit smoking. And this is scarier than one can imagine.

The central concept behind the treatment methods of ‘Prayoshala’ is the use of one’s fears against them. Every smoker who joins the facility is expected to follow some rules or would have to suffer the consequences. 

No Smoking is a marvellous piece of art because it exposes you to the effects of smoking and what fear and delusion can do to a man. 

Fire

Ever imagined seeing a lesbian movie in the 90s? Seems impossible, right? In all fairness, LGBTQ remains a less explored field in Bollywood. But Fire is a legendary movie created in 1996 which focused on the budding relationship of two young women. Sita and Radha are married to two brothers who choose not to satisfy them with marital goodness. Frustrated and underappreciated, they find peace with one another.

But the storm hits when family members find out about their rendezvous and all hell breaks loose. Sita decides to leave the family and move on with her life, whereas Radha stays behind to sort things out with her husband. Things take a terrible turn, and her sari catches fire.

The subtle way in which the director has portrayed the love between two women is remarkable. 

Khamosh

Khamoosh is an underappreciated movie both in terms of storytelling and direction. A murder has been committed, which is presumed to be a suicide. The police deem it to be an open and shut case. But as the movie progresses, a premise is created, which allows the viewer to believe that Razdan was indeed murdered.

Storytelling is phenomenal. How each layer unravels is remarkable.

Pyaasa

Pyaasa is a classic movie that still manages to amaze everyone. It is about a young poet who has great potential but remains unknown. In his entire life, Vijay is not appreciated by anyone but a kind-hearted prostitute Gulabo. For her, his poems are sweet and meaningful.

After a train accident, it is presumed that Vijay is dead. To keep his legacy going, Gulabo gets his poems published.

But it is later discovered that Vijay is alive, but instead of getting any publicity for his poems, he is thrown in a mental hospital. Even when he escapes, things don’t pan out the way he expects. Instead, he chooses to walk away with Gulabo.

The main objective of the movie is to show how money can change anyone. And the best thing about Pyaasa is that it remains to be accurate even after decades of release.

Lamhe

Lamhe explores another unconventional topic. Viren is the main character who finds himself falling for the gorgeous Pallavi. But to his surprise, Pallavi is in love with Siddharth. They both genuinely care for each other. Viren, although happy for Pallavi, fails to keep his emotions in check and manages to escape the situation. When he returns, he realizes that Pallavi and Siddharth have left the world, leaving behind their lovely daughter Pooja. Years pass by, and sparks occur between Viren and Pooja.

The movie focuses on the fact that Viren is too old for Pooja, yet he loves her.

Bollywood has created some fantastic movies, but sadly they were way beyond the grasps of the general audience. But if you see those movies today, you will realize that the creators had a much-advanced vision. The purpose of the film was to give voice to a suppressed cause. And you will know it when you see these movies.

Here are some other movies which were ahead of their time:

Scoop Whoop

The Quint