Top 20 Old Hindi Movie Names That You Should Know About in 2023

Bollywood is one of the greatest industries in the world, generating more than 2000 movies every year. It has been years, and a lot of new stars came and went, but the nation drenched love for each generation of artists. 

Here's a list of Top 20 Old Hindi Movie Names That You Should Know About in 2023: 

1. Pyaasa (1957)

This film is about Vijaya, a skilled but struggling writer whose attempts to get published fail all the time.

Through all this struggle, his paths crossed with Gulabo, a prostitute, who falls in love with him and persuades a publisher to publish his work, but she misstates Vijay's death.

Details:

Cast Members: Guru Dutt, Waheeda Rehman, Mala Sinha, Mehmood, Johnny Walker, Rehman, and many more.

Director:  Guru Dutt

Genre: Musical/Drama

IMDB Rating: 8.3/10

Release: 19 February 1957

Run time: 2h 26m

2. Do Bigha Zamin (1953)

This film revolves around an impoverished farmer named Shambhu from Calcutta, and his fight to repay his debts led his way to become a rickshaw puller.

Details: 

Cast Members: Balraj Sahni, Nirupa Roy, Ratan Kumar, Nana Palsikar, Meena Kumari, Mehmood, Jagdip, Nazir Hussain, Murad

Director:  Bimal Roy

Genre: Drama/ Musical

IMDB Rating: 8.2/10

Release: 16 January 1953

Run time: 120 minutes

3. Awaara (1951)

The plot of this film revolves around an impoverished thief Raj, lawyer Rita, as well as a judge named Raghunath. 

Raj kills Jagga as he was accountable for the pain to his family. 

Afterwards, Raj's case was represented by his love and lawyer Rita in the court of Raghunath, his father.

Details:

Cast Members: Raj Kapoor, Nargis, Prithviraj Kapoor, K.N. Singh, Shashi Kapoor

Director:  Raj Kapoor

Genre: Musical/Drama

IMDB Rating: 7.8/10

Release: 14 December 1951

Run time: 2h 44m

4. Jaagte Raho (1956) (Stay Alert)

A very poor and lost villager came to Calcutta and was searching for water, whilst the residents think him as the thief. 

Whilst escaping, he discloses the dishonesty of building's residents.

Details: 

Cast Members: Raj Kapoor, Nargis, Pradeep Kumar, Sumitra Devi, Smriti Biswas, and many more.

Director:  Amit Maitra, Sombhu Mitra

Genre: Drama/Thriller

IMDB Rating: 8.1/10

Release: 1956

Run time: 2h 29m

5. Kaagaz Ke Phool (1959) (Paper Flowers)

A movie director fell in love with an orphan woman who is named Shanti and made her a huge star. 

His wife as well as his in-laws take legal action against him. In the meantime, Shanti also leaves the movie industry. 

These emotional turmoils affect his career whilst Shanti tries to bring him back.

Details: 

Cast Members: Guru Dutt, Waheeda Rehman, Johnny Walker, Veena, and many more

Director:  Guru Dutt

Genre: Musical/Romance

IMDB Rating: 7.7/10

Release: 2 January 1959

Run time: 2h 28m

6. Usne Kaha Tha (1960)

It's based on a love story about Nandu and Kamli who wish to marry each other, but Kamli's uncle disapproves because he is unemployed. 

Hence, Nandu joined the army, and gets the information that Kmali is already married. 

Afterwards, he finds out that her husband is his superior officer, so he has to take a decision whether to quit the army or relocate to forget Kamli.

Details: 

Cast Members: Sunil Dutt, Nanda, Rajendra Nath, Durga Khote, Tarun Bose, and many more

Director:  Moni Bhattacharjee

Genre: Hindi cinema/Drama

IMDB Rating: 7/10

Release: 1960

Run time: 2h 15m

7. Neecha Nagar (1946)

The story was based around a wealthy landlord who lives a great life whilst poor villagers live in misery. 

He tries to relocate the villagers to have their land for a project by disposing of his waste in the village, diverting water supply, etc.

Villagers concuss a protest against the landlord and it is led by Balraj.

Details:

Cast Members: Rafiq Anwar, Uma Anand, Kamini Kaushal, Murad, Rafi Peer, S.P. Bhatia, Hamid Butt, etc.

Director:  Chetan Anand

Genre: Drama

IMDB Rating: 6.7/10

Release: 29 September 1946

Run time: 2h 2m

8.Dastak (1970)

A recently married couple relocate to Bombay and move to a flat that was owned by courtesan Shamshad at the beginning.

Shamshad's customers keep on coming to that place as they were not aware of her shifting, whilst neighbours think that the couple is also into the same profession. 

It mostly works on social stigmas like flesh trade, notch girls, etc.

Details:

Cast Members: Sanjeev Kumar, Rehana Sultan, Anju Mahendru, Shakeela, Kamal Kapoor, Manmohan

Director:  Rajinder Singh Bedi

Genre: Drama

IMDB Rating: 7.4/10

Release: 31 December 1970

Run time: 2h 20m

9. Devdas (1955)

It is based on a love story on Devdas and Parvati, where he is unable to marry her as she is poor and belongs to a lower caste. 

He was not able to fight social evils and began drinking uncontrollably, which led to destroying himself.

Details:

Cast Members: Dilip Kumar, Suchitra Sen, Vyjayanthimala, Motilal, Nazir Hussain, Murad, Pratima Devi, Shivraj, Iftekhar, Kanhaiyalal, Sarita Devi, etc.

Director: Bimal Roy

Genre: Musical/Drama

IMDB Rating: 7.7/10

Release: 1 January 1955

Run time: 2h 39m

10. Bombai Ka Babu (1960)

Babu and Malik are childhood buddies who eventually become Police inspectors as well as criminals, respectively. 

Babu kills a man and is blackmailed by Bhagat for pretending the identity of Kundan, who is a rich heir. 

Things become complex even more when Babu falls in love with Kundan's sister. 

Details:

Cast Members: Saif Ali Khan, Atul Agnihotri, Kajol, Vaishnavi Mahant, Dalip Tahil, Vishwajeet Pradhan, Saeed Jaffrey, etc.

Director: Vikram Bhatt

Genre: Musical/Drama

IMDB Rating: 4.2/10

Release:  22 March 1996

Run time: 2h 28m

11. Guide (1965)

The story is based on an ex-tour guide, who is actually mistaken to be a sage by the villagers. 

He returns from jail for theft and reflects on his lost love and starts af.

Details:

Cast Members: Dev Anand, Waheeda Rehman, iLeela Chitnis, Kishore Sahu, Gajanan Jagirdar, Praveen Paul, Anwar Hussain, Rashid Khan, Ram Avtar, Narbada Shankar, Nazir Kashmiri

Director: Vijay Anand, Tad Danielewski

Genre: Musical/Drama

IMDB Rating: 8.4/10

Release: 6 February 1965

Run time: 3h 3m

12. Sangam (I) (1964)

The film is about a pilot, Sundar, who fell in love with Radha, but she rejects him. 

So, he attempted to prove his worth and carry a very dangerous flight in the Indian Air Force and was assumed to be dead during that flight. 

But, he manages to come back again and marry Radha but eventually finds out that she was about to get married to his best friend.

Details:

Cast Members: Raj Kapoor, Vyjayanthimala, Rajendra Kumar, Raj Mehra, Iftekhar, Randhir Kapoor, etc.

Director: Raj Kapoor

Genre: Romance/Musical

IMDB Rating: 7.3/10

Release: 18 June 1964

Run time: 3h 58m

13. Anupama (1966)

It is about an overachiever named Mohan and how his life takes a turn when his wife dies giving birth to their daughter, Uma. 

He charges her for his wife's death and only shows love when drunk. 

Then, Uma meets Ashok and gets hope, whilst Mohan had other plans for her.

Details: 

Cast Memebers: Dharmendra, Sharmila Tagore, Shashikala, Tarun Bose, Dulari, David, Deven Verma, Naina, Durga Khote, Surekha Pandit, Brahm Bhardwaj

Director: Hrishikesh Mukherjee

Genre: Drama/Hindi cinema

IMDB Rating: 7.3/10

Release: 1966

Run time:  2h 19m

14. Jewel Thief (1967)

An ordinary man Vinay looks like a jewel thief, Amar, and aids police impersonate Amar to resolve a crime, but things change when Amar also begins to impersonate Vinay. 

The film revolves around how Vinay face various hardships to prove himself innocent.

Details:

Cast Members: Ashok Kumar, Dev Anand, Vyjayantimala, Tanuja, Helen, Farya, Anju Mahendru, Nazir Hussain, Pratima Devi, Sapru, Jagdish Raj, Sachin

Director: Vijay Anand

Genre: Thriller/Hindi cinema

IMDB Rating: 7.9/10

Release: 27 October 1967

Run time: 3h 6m

15. Tere Ghar Ke Samne (1963)

Children of two life-long rivals fall for each other and juggle their lives to meet their family's wishes. 

There are various turns when the father of the girl without knowing assigns the contract to make his house to the boy.

Details: 

Cast Members: Dev Anand, Nutan Behl, Rajendra Nath, Zarine Katrak, Rashid Khan, Parveen Choudhary,  Pratima Devi, Harindranath Chattopadhyay, Mumtaz Begum, Om Prakash, Jankidas

Director: Vijay Anand, Biren Nag

Genre: Hindi cinema/Comedy music

IMDB Rating: 7.4/10

Release: 1 January 1963

Run time: 2h 29m

16. Namak Haraam (1973)

The story revolves around the friendship of two men. One is from an impoverished, and the other from a rich background. 

Eventually, their friendship is put to test. 

Details:

Cast Members: Rajesh Khanna, Amitabh Bachchan, Simi Garewal, Rekha, Asrani as Dhondu, A. K. Hangal, Om Shivpuri, Manju, Manmohan, Manisha, Durga Khote, Raza Murad, Jayshree

Director: Hrishikesh Mukherjee

Genre: Drama

IMDB Rating: 7.2/10

Release: 19 November 1973

Run time: 2h 26m

17. Waqt (1965)

It is based on a story about a family that gets apart due to an earthquake. 

The family reunites many years later in a courtroom trial, where their lives are weirdly connected. 

The twist of the film plot is that how the father meets his sons in weird circumstances.

Details: 

Cast Members: Sunil Dutt, Raaj Kumar, Shashi Kapoor, Sadhana Shivdasani, Sharmila Tagore, Achala Sachdev, and Balraj Sahni

Director: Yash Chopra

Genre: Drama/Romance

IMDB Rating: 7.6/10

Release: 28 July 1965

Run time:  2h 58m

18. Hum Dono (1961)

The film set the scene of world war II, in which an army officer is assumed to be dead. 

His lookalike is given the duty to inform the family about his death, but a number of circumstances made him impersonate the dead man.

Details:

Cast Members: Dev Anand, Lalita Pawar, Sadhana, Nanda, Leela Chitnis, Gajanan Jagirdar, Rashid Khan

Director: Amarjeet, Vijay Anand

Genre: Drama/Romance

IMDB Rating: 7.4/10

Release: 1961

Run time: 2h 30m

19. Mohabbat Isko Kahete Hain (1965)

The film revolves around childhood sweethearts Vijay and Rajni, who afterwards get separated because of various circumstances. 

When they reunite, they both dislike each other. Rajni gets married to Ravi, and the story gets intense about how their life is affected when Vijay re-enters her life.

Details: 

Cast Members: David Abraham, Ramesh Deo, Chand Burque, Shashi Kapoor, Nanda, Anwar Hussain,  Madan Puri, Tabassum

Director: Akhtar Mirza

Genre: Drama/Romance

IMDB Rating: 6.8/10

Release: 1 January 1970

Run time: 1h 42m

20. Pakeezah (1972)

The story revolves around Lucknow, where a courtesan who’s name is Sahibjaan, who thinks that her pure soul and body can help her find true love. 

A young man, Salim falls in love with her, but his family protests his love for Sahibjaan.

Details: 

Cast Members: Ashok Kumar, Meena Kumari, Raaj Kumar, Veena, Nadira, D. K. Sapru, Kamal Kapoor, Vijayalakshmi

Director: Kamal Amrohi

Genre: Musical/ Romance

IMDB Rating: 7.1/19

Release: 4 February 1972

Run time: 2h 55m