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.
