From family dramas to feel-good favourites: 13 films to watch on Ganesh Chaturthi

If you are planning a quieter stay-at-home Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations, then order your food or make the best festive course, gather your friends and turn to binge-watching mode with several movies which depict Ganesh Chaturthi in the most vibrant way. From Hindi to South Indian movies, all show the festival as a major part of the film’s setting or even treat it as a character. Here’s a list of recommendations for the season, so that you can make up your mind sooner.

This 2012 film by Karan Malhotra stars Hrithik Roshan, Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Sanjay Dutt in pivotal roles. A remake of the original film starring Amitabh Bachchan, Ganesh Chaturthi forms a crucial backdrop of the narrative especially since the narrative revolves around community, homecoming, family ties, romance and more. Also, one cannot forget the Deva Shree Ganesha song playing in most pandals at least once a day? Streaming on Netflix and Amazon Prime Video

Directed by Mahesh Manjrekar, this 1999 film stars Sanjay Dutt, Namrata Shirodkar, Mohnish Bahl, Reema Lagoo, Paresh Rawal, Shivaji Satam and Sanjay Narvekar. The narrative follows Raghu who accidently kills a man and enters the criminal world. Ganesh Chaturthi forms a very sentimental space where he gets to connect with his family and reflect on his doings as part of the underworld. Streaming on Amazon Prime Video

A cinematic divine justice is achieved when criminal doings and religious celebrations collide in the climax of this 1998 movie directed Ram Gopal Varma. Starring Manoj Bajpayee, Urmila Matondkar, Paresh Rawal, Shefali Shah and Saurabh Shukla, it revolves around Mumbai’s underworld. Streaming on Airtel Xstream Play

This Raj and DK 2011 directorial starred Tusshar Kapoor, Radhika Apte, Preeti Desai and others. A narrative on petty criminals and how their lives intersect, the film actually opens with the vibrant Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations before shifting to a darker storyline. Streaming on JioHotstar, Amazon MX Player

The 2006 Shah Rukh Khan led Farhan Akhtar directorial has a larger than life Ganesh Chaturthi celebration sequence against the song Morya Re. The movie also has Priyanka Chopra, Arjun Rampal, Boman Irani in crucial roles. Streaming on Apple TV Store for rental / buy

Directed by ace choreographer Remo D’Souza in 2013, it stars Prabhu Deva, Kay Kay Menon, Varun Dhawan, Lauren Gottlieb, Dharmesh Yelande and others. A story is about a group of unconventional dancers who set out on a journey to prove themselves. Their performance Shambhu Sutaya for a competition final is still one of the most popular tracks played during the festival which brings together everybody for a foot-tapping dance.  Streaming on JioHotstar

A 2010- comedy starring Ajay Devgn, Konkona Sen Sharma and Paresh Rawal, it is a story about a peaceful domestic life which gets disrupted with the arrival of an unexpected visitor. The Ganesh Chaturthi sequence becomes a part of the comic twist and becomes the backbone that gives the story an impetus to move forward. Streaming on Netflix

Rather than treating Ganesha as a devotional idol, the movie treats Ganesha as a character who comes alive and befriends a young child. This 2007 movie is directed by Rajiv S Ruia and stars Ahsaas Channa, Kiran Janjani, Shital Shah and Upasana Singh in major roles. Streaming on Amazon Prime Video and JioHotstar

The narrative revolves around identity, social evils, land sharks, politics and cultural values. Starring Rajinikanth, Nana Patekar, Huma Qureshi, Anjali Patil and others, this 2018 movie is directed by Pa. Ranjith. Ganesh Chaturthi forms a crucial backdrop in talking about the social identity and a community’s cultural harmony. Streaming on Amazon Prime Video and JioHotstar

This 1997 directorial by Rajiv Menon stars Arvind Swamy, Prabhu Deva, Kajol, Nissar and Girish Karnad. The film is an unusual love triangle involving a man, a woman who is preparing to become a nun and a close friend. Ganesh Chaturthi is depicted as a vibrant festival amidst this love triangle. Streaming on Netflix

The movie starring Shiva, Jai, Premji Amaren, Aravind Akash, and others is about local cricket and rivalry. Ganesh Chaturthi comes as a vibrant cultural sequence in the movie. Streaming on Sun NXT OTT and Airtel Xstream Play

This 2024 Uday Shetty directorial stars Anand Deverakonda, Nayan Sarika, Satyam Rajesh, Raj Arjun and others. A small time thief Ganesh tries to pull off a big time heist but gets trapped in a maze of comical twists and turns when he finds out that he isn’t the only one planning a heist. What more, the plan is being hatched and pulled off during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival. Streaming on Amazon Prime Video

Directed by Samudrala Sr, and starring N.T Rama Rao and Jamuna, this 1957 movie revolves around the Syamantaka jewel associated with Lord Krishna and Ganesha. Streaming on Airtel Xstream Play

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