There have been many Bollywood films that successfully touch the right chord in us with their emotional stories and characters. These films focus on the life struggles of a common person and their ultimate triumph.
Today, we will be listing down 12 Bollywood films that are inspirational and motivational for the audience.
1. Airlift – Directed by Raja Krishna Menon and starring Akshay Kumar and Nimrat Kaur in the lead roles, the film revolves around a Kuwait based businessman Ranjit Katyal who carries the evacuations of Indians in the Kuwait during the Invasion of Kuwait by Saddam Hussein-ruled Iraq. The film released on 22 January, 2016 and met with mostly positive critical response, proving to be a commercial success. 
2. Manjhi: The Mountain Man – This 2015 Ketan Mehta-directed biographical film is based on the life of Dashrath Manjhi, also known as the ‘Mountain Man’ who was a poor labourer in Gehlaur village, near Gaya in Bihar, who carved a path 9.1 metres (30 ft) wide and 110 metres (360 ft) long through a hill 7.6 metres (25 ft) high, using only a hammer and chisel. The film stars Nawazuddin Siddiqui in the title role along with Radhika Apte. The film was released on August 21, 2015, and preview copy was leaked on the web on 10 August. It proved to be a critical success, but underperformed at the box-office.
3. Mary Kom – The film is based on the life of Olympic boxer Mary Kom and was directed by debutant Omung Kumar. It features Priyanka Chopra playing the eponymous character which depicts her life and the struggles she faced while pursuing her passion. Mary Kom was a critical and commercial success and won several accolades.
4. Bhaag Milkha Bhaag – Another sports film in this list, this 2013 Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra directed film is based on the life of sprinter Milkha Singh, who was awarded as the National Champion runner-up. The film stars Farhan Akhtar in the lead role along with Sonam Kapoor and Pavan Malhotra. It met with good response from the critics as well as from the audience and was declared a super hit. 
5. Udaan – Directed by debutant Vikramaditya Motwane, this coming-of-age 2010 film is based on the real-life story of Anurag Kashyap. It was first Indian film in seven years to compete in the Un Certain Regard category at the 2010 Cannes Film Festival. Starring debutant Rajat Barmecha, along with Ronit Roy and Ram Kapoor, the film was released on 16 July, 2010 and met with universal acclaim. At the 56th Filmfare Awards, the film received seven awards including for Best Film (Critics).
6. 3 Idiots -Directed by Rajkumar Hirani, this 2009 film proved to be one of the most successful Hindi film in the last decade. Based on Chetan Bhagat’s novel ‘Five Point Someone’, the film stars Aamir Khan, Kareena Kapoor Khan, R. Madhavan, Sharman Joshi, Boman Irani and Omi Vaidya. The film met with critical acclaim and became the highest grossing Indian film of all time, a record which was held for four years. It also made a successful mark on the East Asian markets such as China and Japan and was later remade in Tamil and Mexican languages. 
7. Taare Zameen Par – This 2007 film marked the directorial debut of Aamir Khan who also served as the producer and actor. It features Darsheel Safary as Ishaan, an eight year old kid suffering from dyslexia. The film was a critical and commercial success and earned a number of awards including Filmfare award for the Best Film and National Film Award for the Best Film on the Family welfare. It also sparked the debate over dyslexia.
8. Chak De India – This 2007 sports drama film directed by Shimit Amin and written by Jaideep Sahni, tells the story of the Indian women’s national hockey team. Starring Shah Rukh Khan in the lead role of the team’s coach, the film met with critical acclaim with particular praise for the performances. It was also a financial success and got a number of awards such as National Film Award for the Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment.
9. Rang De Basanti – Directed by Rakesh Omprakash Mehra, this 2006 film stars Aamir Khan, Siddharth Narayan, Soha Ali Khan, Kunal Kapoor, R.Madhavan, Sharman Joshi and Atul Kulkarni. It proved to be a massive critical and commercial success and was also nominated for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 2006 BAFTA Awards. The film also had social impact, especially the 1999 Jessica Lall Murder Case, one of the high-profile murder cases in India. A month after the film’s release, a court acquitted the main accused because of inefficient prosecution and hostile witnesses. This sparked intense civil protests and media campaigns that sought his re-arrest. Taking cue from the scene in which the protagonists hold a silent, candlelight vigil at New Delhi’s India Gate, one such group of demonstrators carried out a similar rally to voice their protest.
10. Black – Released in 2005, this Sanjay Leela Bhansali-directed film stars Rani Mukerji and Amitabh Bachchan in the lead role. It revolves around a deaf and blind girl and her relationship with her teacher who himself later develops Alzheimer’s disease. The story is based on the real life of Helen Keller’s life and struggle who was the first deaf-blind person to earn a bachelor of arts degree. It met with positive critical feedback and strong box-office response. The Times magazine mentioned it in their list of 10 best films of the year. Both Mukerji and Bachchan earned Filmfare Awards for their performance.
11. Swades – The story of ‘Swades’ is about an NRI who comes to India to meet his nanny hoping to take her back with him to America but realizes his duties towards his country. Written, produced and directed by Ashutosh Gowariker, the film features Shah Rukh Khan in the lead role. Upon release, it met with positive critical acclaim but failed to perform at the box-office. Over the years, it has gained a cult following.
