20 Sad Bollywood Movies To Watch For Your Next Scheduled Cry Session

The film narrates a fictional but extreme tear-inducing story where Rizwan Khan played by Shah Rukh Khan, is an autistic Muslim who sets out on a journey across the United States to meet the President after his Hindu wife, Mandira Rathod Khan (played by Kajol) and her son are faced with Islamophobic discrimination after the September 11 attacks. Shah Rukh Khan perfected the role and you find yourself wrapped around a story of injustice, religious discrimination and a not-so-sentimental love story (a rare for Karan Johar in our opinion).

IDMB Rating: 7.9/10

Duration: 2 h 45 min

Cast: Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol

The Sky Is Pink is a beautiful film based on the real-life story of Aisha Chaudhary and her parents battling her unusual medical disorder, pulmonary fibrosis. The storyline is smart, gripping and keeps you hooked against the background of turbulent hardships faced by the family. The ease and simplicity with which each character is portrayed provides the appropriate amount of nuance for a sensitive film like this. It's not your typical tear-jerker Bollywood film; instead, it strikes a chord with the heart, and you don't even notice that your eyes are moist because the emotions seep into you gradually rather than all at once, as most sad movies do. Honestly, we need more movies like this that are emotional but don't leave you feeling unsettled.

IDMB Rating: 7.6/10

Duration: 2h 23min

Cast: Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Farhan Akhtar, Zaira Wasim, Rohit Suresh Saraf 

In the league of sad Bollywood movies, Baghban needs no introduction. The movie has Ambitabh Bachchan and Hema Malini in the lead roles as a couple who finally decide to rely on their four sons after the father (played by Bachchan) retires. However, they are met with unexpected consequences. The film touches on (the sensitive topic of) how a person's life is solely dedicated to providing a loving and comfortable environment for their children, only to be neglected by them when the favour must be returned later in life. Well, it can elicit a sense of guilt (without even asking), opposition in terms of 'how much is too much', and so many tears that by the end of the film, you will be sitting up with a heavy heart.

IDMB Rating: 7.4/10

Duration: 3h 1min

Cast: Amitabh Bachchan, Hema Malini, Salman Khan 

With dominant opinions deeming it as a comedy, rather than the one that you can ball your eyes out to, 102 Not Out will surprise you in the most teary-eyed ways, and here's why —the plot of the movie is wholesome, where we get the most iconic actors of the film industry, cc: Amitabh Bachan and Rishi Kapoor, playing a father-son duo. The driving argument of the narrative is to help Rishi Kapoor's character realise to cherish life and prioritise the people who really hold him close. The second half of the movie is where we believe the waterworks will commence, all the way approaching the climax, where Amitabh Bachchan reveals the truth of the matter. The dialogue, the acting, and the ultimate resolution will surely have you shedding tears, and yes, there is a very satisfying ending to the movie, so you will not be left utterly devastated, which makes it the perfect cry movie. Its simple, rounded, and a great-great watch.

IDMB Rating: 7.4/10

Duration: 1h 42min

Cast: Amitabh Bachchan, Vijay Raaz, Rishi Kapoor

If you've heard the song 'Mera Kuch Samaan', you already know how sad the movie is. The story follows the lives of a separated couple, Sudha and Mahender, played by Rekha and Naseerudin Shah. Separated for years, the couple bump into each other at a railway station and what follows is flashbacks of their life together. Their unfulfilling marriage, Mahender's love for Maya (his partner from before marriage, played by Anuradha Patel), his continuing relationship with Maya and Sudha's steadfastness at not wanting to come second in her husband's life. The movie is a commentary on divorce that was way ahead of its time. It portrays the grief that comes with not only losing a partner, but also the life you thought you would have, and the struggle of having to come to terms with this loss and re-calibrate so you can keep going on. 

IDMB Rating: 8.3/10

Duration: 2h 17min

Cast: Naseeruddin Shah, Rekha, Anuradha Patel

Who doesn't remember the beauty that this movie is, babumoshaye? Rajesh Khanna plays Anand, a man with terminal cancer who's trying to make the most of the time he has left, and befriends Bhaskar, a doctor who has grown pessimistic because of all the suffering he witnesses. Even though his prognosis has given him six months, Anand remains cheerful and brings light to every friend he makes. We witness the relationship between Anand and Bhaskar grow into a deep and meaningful friendship. Anand helps Bhaskar confess his love to Renu, while grieving the love he lost due to his illness. This movie is an absolute sob fest in the most wholesome but heart-breaking way, the cherry on top is the music which is absolutely beautiful. 

IDMB Rating: 8.1/10

Duration: 2h 2min

Cast: Amitabh Bachchan, Rajesh Khanna, Sumita Sanyal

Friendship, love for your country, the reckless passion of youth, and find yourself in your 20s—Rang De Basanti has the makings of a great movie, and fully delivers. The story follows a group of six students of Delhi University, who are cast by a documentary filmmaker as Indian freedom fighters in her film. The shoot of this film runs parallel with the group discovering the broken systems of their own country after having been personally victimised by it. What follows is a fight to the end to get justice, and all the hardship and heartbreak that comes with it. With phenomenal performances by the entire cast and an amazing score by AR Rahman, this one is definitely a favourite in our generation.

IDMB Rating: 8.1/10

Duration: 2h 37min

Cast: Aamir Khan, Soha Ali Khan, R Madhavan, Sharman Joshi, Siddharth, Kunal Kapoor, Alice Patten

This movie would deserve to be on this list solely based on the ability of the song 'Maa' to make us weep. The story follows Ishan Awasti, a middle school kid who doesn't do well in school, is easily distracted, and is an exceptional artist. In an attempt to bring more discipline to his life, his parents send him to a boarding school in Panchgani where the art teacher, played by Aamir Khan, spends time with him to understand what is holding him back. It is a beautiful story about how we cannot hold every child to the same standard, and how just altering how we teach children based on their specific needs can do wonders for their development. 

IDMB Rating: 8.3/10

Duration: 2h 44min

Cast: Aamir Khan, Darsheel Safary, Tisca Chopra, Tanay Cheda, Vipin Sharma

Udaan is not an easy watch, but is absolutely worth your time. Rohan, a 17-year-old, is expelled from his boarding school along with his three friends and is forced to move back home to Jamshedpur where his abusive, alcoholic father, Bhairav, forces him to run everyday, work at the steel factory and take classes at the local engineering college. What follows is Rohan building a relationship with his half-brother Arjun growing protective of him. Bhairav continues his abusive behaviour, forcing Rohan to give up on his dreams of becoming a writer and belittling Jimmy, Rohan's uncle, every time he tries to stand up for the boys. The movie is uncomfortable to watch and can be extremely triggering, but it is beautifully made and the performances are unequaled. 

IDMB Rating: 8.1/10

Duration: 2h 41min

Cast: Rajat Barmecha, Ronit Roy, Manjot Singh 

Aligarh comes in this writer's top 10 best movies of all time list because of the sensitivity with which it treats its subjects. With award-worthy performances from Manoj Vajpayee and Rajkumar Rao, the movie is based on real events following the life of Ramchandra Siras, a professor of language at Aligarh Muslim University who is suspended on the grounds of morality after a TV crew violates his privacy. Deepu Sebastian, a journalist who wants to tell Ramchandra's story, contacts him, and helps him fight his case. It is a tender portrayal of love, loneliness and longing, while also advocating for gay rights. It's definitely worth adding to your watch list. 

IDMB Rating: 7.8/10

Duration: 1h 54min

Cast: Manoj Bajpayee, Rajkumar Rao, Balaji Gauri

Another one of this writer's favourites (a big part of that is Shah Rukh), Dear Zindagi talks about mental health and therapy in a way that hasn't been done before in Bollywood. I remember sobbing in the movie hall because of how much I resonated with it. Kaira, played by Alia Bhatt, is a cinematograph in her 20s who has trouble maintaining romantic relationships, has insomnia and is feeling the general existential dread you feel in your 20s, and to top it all has a complicated relationship with her parents. The treatment of trauma, having to come to terms with it, and redefining your relationship with it is done beautifully in the movie—while some of the therapy scenes will definitely move you, and make you reflect. 

IDMB Rating: 7.9/10

Duration: 2h 39min

Cast: Alia Bhatt, Shah Rukh Khan, Kunal Kapoor, Ira Dubey

An amazing cast with Alia Bhatt, Fawad Khan, Siddharth Malhotra, Ratna Pathak Shah, Naseerudin Shah, Rajat Kapoor and Rishi Kapoor—Kapoor and Sons delves into complicated family equations, a marriage that still has love but buried under resentment, and lots and lots of love. One of our favourite things about the movie is Rishi Kapoor's character, who plays a cheerful, way ahead of his times Dadu and the tender moments between Fawad Khan and Ratna Pathak Shah's character. The movie has an ending you don't expect and the tears are guaranteed. 

IDMB Rating: 7.9/10

Duration: 2 h 12min

Cast: Sidharth Malhotra, Fawad Khan, Alia Bhatt, Rajat Kapoor, Ratna Pathak Shah

One of the best films of recent times, Masaan follows the lives of two young people in Benaras—Devi and Deepak. The movie is a commentary on caste, on the policing of women's sexuality and treats love, loss and grief with immense tenderness and nuance. Devi and Deepak both are people in love who have to come to terms with the consequences of love and how overpowering grief can be. There aren't enough words to describe just how brilliant this movie is. The writing, the direction, the performances and how beautifully Varanasi becomes a central character in the movie. It'll make you ugly cry, for sure. 

IDMB Rating: 8.1/10

Duration: 1h 49min

Cast: Vicky Kaushal, Richa Chadha, Shewta Tripathi

A heart-breaking beautiful story about Raju, an orphan, who builds a lifelong friendship with four elephants who saved his life, Haathi Mere Saathi is a beautiful cinematic journey to take. Love, loss, grief and the cuteness of the four animals will have you bawling. And it has the wonderful Rajesh Khanna as the protagonist, who we can watch for endless hours. 

IDMB Rating: 6.9/10

Duration: 2h 50min

Cast: Rajesh Khanna, Tanuja Samrath, David Abraham

There was a time when KJo's family drama's had our tear ducts working in overdrive. Kal Ho Naa Ho is just one of the many Shah Rukh Khan-starrers that delivered the right amount of drama, emotions and tears for us. It follows the story of Naina (Preity Zinta), an introvert dealing with multiple issues in her head (like us) who somehow ends up falling in love with the lively, fun-loving and extremely generous Aman (Shah Rukh Khan) but destiny plays its own cards and they can't be together (which sucks). What unwraps is a love-triangle (with Saif Ali Khan to the rescue) that's actually not messy and filled with love and respect for all three of 'em.

IDMB Rating: 8.1/10

Duration: 1h 49min

Cast: Shah Rukh Khan, Preity Zinta, Saif Ali Khan

Though a common suggestion for a comedy-drama, Chhichhore explores deep emotional themes of failure, grief, and friendship. The tragic death of a character adds a layer of sadness, and the movie leaves a lasting impact on viewers with its messages of hope and resilience.

IDMB Rating: 8.3/10

Duration: 2h 23min

Cast: Sushant Singh Rajput, Shraddha Kapoor, Varun Sharma, Naveen Polishetty, Tahir Raj Bhasin, Tushar Pandey and Saharsh Kumar Shukla

Based on the life of Indian Army officer Captain Vikram Batra, Shershaah is an emotional journey that portrays bravery, sacrifice, and love. The tragic loss of Captain Batra during the Kargil War adds a deeper emotional layer to this heroic story. The film also gained attention for its realistic depiction of the Kargil War and its heart wrenching impact on the audience.

IDMB Rating: 8.3/10

Duration: 2h 15min

Cast: Sidharth Malhotra, Kiara Advani

This film, based on one of the most beloved novel in the modern times, The Fault in Our Stars. The movie follows the love story of two cancer patients. Sushant Singh Rajput’s final performance in Dil Bechara is adds more sadness n the visual narrative. The movie is deeply emotional, and the film's heart-wrenching ending will leave you in tears.

IDMB Rating: 8.3/10

Duration: 2h 15min

Cast: Sidharth Malhotra, Kiara Advani

This film, directed by Imtiaz Ali, is a beautiful yet heartbreaking exploration of self-identity, love, and societal expectations. Ranbir Kapoor and Deepika Padukone’s performances leave viewers emotionally invested as the characters navigate through the complexities of their emotions and relationships.

IDMB Rating: 7.4/10

Duration: 2h 14min

Cast: Ranbir Kapoor, Deepika Padukone, and Nawazuddin Siddiqui.

Barfi narrates a beautifully crafted plot of acceptance and love. The movie follows the story of a mute and deaf man played by Ranbir Kapoor and his relationships with two women, and one of them. The second women whom he loves is autistic and he tries to protect her from her family who are profiting from her disability. This pair of disabled duo looks after each other and develops strong romantic bond, which later is altered by various downfalls that follows. The film is a rollercoaster of emotions, filled with moments of joy and sorrow that resonate deeply with the audience.

IDMB Rating: 8.4/10

Duration: 2h 31min

Cast: Ranbir Kapoor, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Ileana D'Cruz.