15 Best Rituparno Ghosh Movies (and Where to Watch Them)

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Rituparno Ghosh was one of the most celebrated directors of the Bengali industry, known for his artistic adaptations of the works of Rabindranath Tagore. He also drew equal acclaim in other languages with experiments in Hindi (Raincoat) and English (The Last Lear).

If you wish to watch Rituparno Ghosh’s best movies, our streaming guide will take you through his entire filmography and show you where you can stream, buy or rent these modern classics in India.

Which Rituparno Ghosh movies should I watch first?

The best Rituparno Ghosh movies to get started with are his period pieces. A top-tier example to watch is Chokher Bali. Based on the Tagore story of the same name, the 2003 National Award-winning romance is a poignant tale of love and betrayal. It stars Aishwarya Rai as Binodini, a young widow navigating the complexities of relationships in early 20th century Bengal.

Another must-watch period drama by Ghosh is Antarmahal. Set in late 19th century Bengal, this 2005 film delves into the oppressive world of a patriarchal society, starring Jackie Shroff and Rupa Ganguly.

Ghosh’s second collaboration with Rai also makes for essential viewing with the Hindi drama Raincoat. Also starring Ajay Devgn in the lead, Raincoat explores the bittersweet reunion of two former lovers on a rainy afternoon.

Raincoat was his sole Hindi feature film (barring a segment in the anthology Mumbai Cutting). But Ghosh also collaborated with Bollywood actors in other languages. For example, his 2000 Bengali drama Bariwali offered a stellar performance by Kirron Kher as a lonely, middle-aged woman whose life changes when a film crew rents her house.

In the English-language drama The Last Lear, Ghosh had industry veteran Amitabh Bachchan play an aging Shakespearean actor who unwillingly takes on a film role.

Talking about Shakespeare, Ghosh was a man of many tastes. So, it’s not just Bengali writers like Tagore that inspired his movies. The aforementioned Raincoat was heavily inspired by American writer O Henry’s short story “The Gift of Magi”. Meanwhile, his 2003 mystery thriller Shubho Mahurat was a tribute to Agatha Christie's novel “The Mirror Crack’d”.

Apart from literature inspirations, another recurring theme in Ghosh’s films have been characters with complex situations. Personal freedom and infidelity play a major part in Chokher Bali and the Konkana Sen Sharma-led drama Dosar. Even his 2010 hit Abohomaan revolved around an aging director's affair with a young actress, highlighting the complexities of love and art.

The celebrated filmmaker could also occasionally act in his own films. This was the case in the semi-autobiographical drama Chitrangada. The film features Ghosh himself, tackling issues of gender identity and societal acceptance with profound sensitivity.

Memories in March is another movie to watch that has Ghosh in the cast. Sharing screen space with Deepti Naval, Ghosh’s film explored the themes of grief and acceptance following a mother’s discovery of her deceased son’s hidden life.

The 2012 movie is similar to some of Ghosh's other dramas that take on heavy themes like dysfunctional families and death. So, in the National Award-winning Unishe April, the focus lies on a strained mother-daughter relationship and their journey towards reconciliation.

In the Bipasha Basu-led drama Shob Charitro Kalponik, we follow the life of a widow as she discovers her deceased husband's creative genius posthumously.

Where can I watch the best Rituparno Ghosh movies online?

Below you can find the latest streaming information for Rituparno Ghosh's best movies. This includes every offer for viewers in India today. We'll also show you if any of his best movies are available to watch online for free.

Netflix
Amazon Prime Video
Apple TV Plus
Apple TV
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Hotstar
Jio Cinema
Zee5
Google Play Movies
MUBI
Sony Liv
YouTube
GuideDoc
Netflix Kids
Tubi TV
Sun Nxt
Hoichoi
Hungama Play
Alt Balaji
Curiosity Stream
EPIC ON
ShemarooMe
DOCSVILLE
Tata Play
Discovery+
ManoramaMax
MX Player
Spamflix
aha
Plex
WOW Presents Plus
Magellan TV
BroadwayHD
Filmzie
Lionsgate Play
MovieSaints
Dekkoo
True Story
DocAlliance Films
VI movies and tv
Eventive
ShortsTV Amazon Channel
Amazon Video
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FilmBox+
Takflix
Amazon miniTV
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  1. Chokher Bali

    Chokher Bali

    2003

    #1

    A young woman is left to her own devices when her sickly husband dies. Based on the novel by Rabindranath Tagore.

  2. Raincoat

    Raincoat

    2004

    #2

    Tells the story of two lovers, separated by destiny, who meet again one day. This encounter allows each to realize the truth about the lives they are living.

  3. Bariwali

    Bariwali

    2000

    #3

    A quiet drama about a lonely, sad, middle-aged woman, Banalata, who has lived a solitary existence since her husband-to-be died the night before their wedding from a snake bite. Never having quite gotten over the tragedy, she rarely ventures out and is clearly very lonely. This changes when she agrees to allow a film production to shoot in a wing in her sprawling estate.

  4. The Last Lear

    The Last Lear

    2008

    #4

    The film starts with the veteran thespian Harish Mishra, he is gravely ill. The punishments of a film shoot have left the old man in a coma. His co-star, Shabnam, is wracked with worry, but their director, Siddharth, keeps strangely distant and refuses to visit his ailing star. In flashbacks, their story emerges.

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  5. Subho Mahurat

    #5

    An actress mysteriously dies after the "Shubho Mahurat," a celebration of the first shot of the film. A journalist and her perceptive aunt investigate.

  6. Dosar

    Dosar

    2006

    #6

    When a car accident lands her husband, Kaushik, in the hospital, Kaberi's life takes a dramatic turn -- in more ways than one. Anguish over Kaushik's dire condition gives way to anger when Kaberi learns he was having an affair with his co-worker. Torn between sympathy for her bedridden husband and the sting of his betrayal, Kaberi weighs her options.

  7. Abohomaan

    Abohomaan

    2009

    #7

    Abohomaan tells the story of Aniket, one of the finest filmmakers of Bengal in eastern India and the loves of his life. Devoted to his craft, Aniket met and fell in love with his wife Deepti, an actress, while they worked together on the set of a film. They were so in love that Deepti sacrificed her own career for her husband's and for their son Apratim, but lost a little of who she was in the process. The plot thickens when Aniket auditions a young actress, Shikha, who bares an uncanny resemblance to his wife when she was younger. Deepti enthusiastically begins to coach Shikha for her husband's film - so much so that Shikha becomes even more like the girl Deepti used to be and as a result the aging Aniket falls in love with Shikha, a woman as young as his son, despite the sadness and trouble it brings to his family.

  8. Chitrangada

    #8

    Rudra and Partho's desire to adopt a child leads Rudra to take the most crucial decision. Rudra decides to undergo sex reassignment surgery, so that they can be legally considered a couple and allowed to adopt a baby.

  9. Unishe April

    #9

    A female dancer becomes famous but loses her relationship with her daughter on the way.

  10. Titli

    Titli

    2002

    #10

    A tender coming-of-age drama that explores the evolving dynamics between a mother and daughter against the serene backdrop of Darjeeling. The film beautifully captures themes of adolescence, longing, and the complexities of familial relationships, offering a heartfelt glimpse into the delicate threads that bind us.

  11. Shob Charitro Kalponik

    #11

    The sudden death of Indraneel, a poet, averts a possible divorce and takes Radhika on a fantastic inward journey of discovering her own roots through the language of poetry and lost love. A publisher asks Radhika to complete Indraneel's works. This compels her to study his work, and thus begins her journey into the past.

  12. Malaise

    Malaise

    1999

    #12

    Sudhamoy is forced to depend on his daughter's earnings. His life takes a drastic turn when his wife falls ill and gets hospitalized.

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  13. The Festival

    #13

    Family tension runs high when four grown siblings reunite at their elderly mother’s home. When the mother reveals that she might sell off the estate, the announcement stirs up painful memories and uncovers a long-buried secret.

  14. Memories in March

    #14

    The film is the effective exploration of a situation wherein a bereaved mother comes to terms with her late son’s sexual identity.