This Painfully Underrated Bollywood Drama Had Me Ugly Crying Through the Whole Thing
A movie so beautiful it’ll make your heart skip a bit. And I simply refuse to let this modern masterpiece die out just because it was released 12 years too early.
Watching a good movie slip through the cracks of commercial success breaks my heart even more than the most tragic movie ending ever. Whether it's a K-Drama, a Bollywood project or a Hollywood blockbuster, it's always sad seeing great movies fall into obscurity just because the initial release fails or critics' reviews are scaring the potential viewers away.
Box office success has become such a definitive measure of a film's worth that a lot of people often forget how many genuinely great movies were initially considered so-called flops.
The cruel irony of the industry is that once a film underperforms at the box office, it's really challenging for it to find its audience later. That's why I think that this is my duty to introduce one of the most devastatingly overlooked movies in Bollywood to this day.
Lootera (2013): Your Perfectly Tragic Period Romance
Lootera follows the story of Pakhi (Sonakshi Sinha), a Bengali landlord's daughter and Varun (Ranveer Singh), a mysterious artist. They fall in love, but there's more when meets the eye.
The movie is much deeper and darker than your typical romance. The second half of the film is the real deal. Without spoiling too much (because you really need to experience this yourself), let's just say it's inspired by O. Henry's The Last Leaf and it will leave you emotionally wrecked in the best possible way.
Despite having two of the most talented actors in the industry (Ranveer Singh and Sonakshi Sinha), this period drama somehow didn't click with audiences when it first hit theaters. But you have to trust me, this movie is pure gold!
Lootera Was Way Ahead of Its Time
I’m not the only one to think that Lootera is an unfairly forgotten masterpiece. Redditor Ok-Major2145 perfectly said it:
“One of the few times "Audience wasn't ready for this movie" is true... It's a great movie.”
That is so accurate: I too think that the movie was well ahead of its time and maybe 2025 is still not going to be that big year where Lootera actually blows up suddenly and everyone starts talking about it. Unfortunately, I can only dream about it.
While I totally understand why some might find Lootera's pacing a bit too slow for their taste, that's exactly what makes it special. We all love some nice fast-cut action sequences, but that's a film that dares to breathe. And this slow-pace is very rewarding for those who have the patience to stick to it. After all, can't rush the process if you want to get that rich flavor.
Where You Can Stream Lootera Right Now
Luckily, even the most underappreciated films like Lootera can get a new life thanks to the existence of streaming platforms.
You can watch Lootera completely free of charge on Kanopy right now or rent it on Amazon Video. Go and give this one some love and you won’t be disappointed.
