Ten hidden treasures to find on Netflix

PLENTY of great Bollywood blockbusters are instantly recognisable on Netflix like Hum Aapke Hain Kaun, Dangal, Kahaani, Maine Pyar Kiya, Jab We Met, Lagaan and Piku. But the video-streaming site also has plenty of gems that you may not know about. Here are 10 hidden treasures on Netflix that Eastern Eye recommends...

The Lunchbox: You may have heard of the widely acclaimed drama, but have you seen it? Irrfan Khan and Nimrat Kaur play the lead roles in the stunningly-made story of two strangers who get connected through a wrongly-delivered tiffin box.

Umrika: Life Of Pi star Suraj Sharma plays the lead role in the story of a village boy who goes to the big city searching for his missing brother who was supposed to be in America. The uniquely-crafted story boasts stand­out performances.

Dhanak: The multi award-winning children’s drama won hearts at major film festivals. The inspiring story re­volves around a 10-year-old girl and her visually impaired little brother’s 300-kilometre trip to meet his idol.

Dukhtar: The acclaimed film revolves around a mother who flees with her 10-year-old daughter to save her from becoming a child bride, and how gun-toting tribal men pursue them from the sweeping landscapes. The movie was selected as Pakistan’s official entry in the Best Foreign Language film category for the 87th Academy awards.

Masaan: The award-winning film boasting a stand-out performance from lead star Richa Chadda was described as a really haunting and riveting directorial debut from Neeraj Ghaywan. The film has multiple narratives and tackles taboo issues head-on.

Liars Dice: The National Award-winning movie was In­dia’s official entry in the Best Foreign Language film cat­egory for the 87th Academy awards. The powerful movie dealing with the human cost of migration revolves around a young mother living in a village whose husband goes missing after having left for work.

Professor: One of the few classic Bollywood films worth watching on Netflix is the 1962 musical romance starring Shammi Kapoor. He plays an impoverished young man who must pretend he is really old to to get a job as a professor, but then finds himself in an unexpected love triangle.

A Billion Colour Story: A movie that received a rousing response at major film festivals revolves around a Hin­du/Muslim couple facing religious prejudices when they attempt to rent an apartment, and how their son hatch­es a plan to save the day.

Margarita, With A Straw: The critically -acclaimed film won awards and plenty of hearts. Kalki Koechlin plays the lead role in the story of a young girl with cerebral palsy who moves from Delhi to New York and finds love in an unexpected way.

Talvar: The powerful drama based on real life events focuses on a teenage girl who is murdered and what leads to her parents being convicted of the crime. The engaging drama starring Irrfan Khan presents different accounts of what happened and draws audiences deep into the heart of murders that still provoke debate.