(This article was updated on February 18, 2025). Amazon Prime has steadily ramped up its regional content library in India, dominated mostly by Tamil films. (Check out the best Tamil movies on Amazon Prime here). Recently though, it has beefed up its catalogue of Marathi cinema, offering a wide range of choices to viewers seeking stories steeped in both local culture and contemporary issues. From heartwarming classics to modern socio-political dramas, here are some of the best Marathi movies on Amazon Prime. These films were playing as of February 18, 2025:
1. Ringan (2015)
Makarand Mane’s evocative drama beautifully explores the themes of hope, despair, and faith. We follow Arjun, a debt-ridden farmer, and his young son, Abhimanyu, as they embark on an emotional journey to Pandharpur, seeking divine intervention to escape their struggles.
Ringan’s strength lies in its raw and realistic storytelling. Arjun, played with incredible depth by Shashank Shende, represents thousands of farmers burdened by financial distress, while his son brings innocence and optimism to an otherwise bleak reality. Their pilgrimage isn’t just physical; it reflects their internal battles and search for a reason to keep going. Cinematographer Abhijit Abde captures rural Maharashtra with striking visuals, making the setting a character of its own. Ringan won Best Feature Film in Marathi at the 63rd National Film Awards.
2. Photo Prem (2021)
This Neena Kulkarni-starrer narrates the story of a housewife so photophobic she isn’t to be seen in her honeymoon photos. But Sunanda’s world is turned upside down when she’s at the funeral of an acquaintance who doesn’t seem to have a decent picture for her obituary. She wonders how her grandchildren would remember her after she’s gone. The rest of the film deals with her attempts at getting the perfect picture to be hung on the wall.
Despite an underdeveloped character, Neena is fantastic and makes us feel for Sunanda. The supporting characters too hold their own against the veteran. Watch Aditya Rathi, Gayatri Patil’s Photo Prem for its light-hearted take on death and paranoia.
Watch Photo Prem on Amazon Prime
3. Shala (2011)
Adapted from a novel of the same name by Milind Bokil, this romantic drama claimed two National Awards; the Silver Lotus for the Best Feature Film in Marathi category and the National Film Award for Best Screenplay. Harking back to the nostalgia of school days and a sweet adolescence filled with naivete, the film is set in the turbulent era of Emergency. It follows four ninth grade kids who are keen on shaping their own destiny.
Sujay Dahake’s film peeps into the life of a school boy, tracing his love for his classmate. Thematically, the film plays around with the idea of how adolescent love pans out at its very core. Questioning, while providing subtle answers, the film is a wholesome treat.
Watch Shala on Amazon Prime
4. Shyamchi Aai (1953)
It’s a story every child born into a Maharashtrian family listens to, growing up. Sane Guriji’s autobiographical novel Shyamchi Aai (“Shyam’s Mother”), about a mother’s unconditional love for her son and the sacrifices she makes, is a classic of Marathi literature, and was adapted into a feature film in 1953. I haven’t read the book so I cannot comment on whether the film is a faithful adaptation of it. But, having heard snippets of the story from my mother, the characters that I saw come alive on the screen when I first watched it were exactly as I had imagined them. That was good enough for me.
Time might have dampened the charm of Shyamchi Aai, and many may likely find it a slog to sit through. But it has the kind of sincerity and simplicity missing in our films today.
5. YZ (2016)
Initially, YZ trailer didn’t pique my interest and I dismissed it as a mere spin on 40 Year Old Virgin. But the romantic comedy far exceeded my expectations. Bold, progressive ideas are sprinkled all over this witty, breezy film. The dialogues are crisp. Akshay Tanksale and Sagar Deshmukh share a crackling chemistry. The film maturely handles themes like sex before marriage, arranged marriage, age gap in relationships, and stigma on divorcees, yet never takes them too seriously. Gajanan Kulkarni’s transformation from a wimpy, diffident boy to a man who refuses to succumb to societal pressure feels organic.
Watch YZ on Amazon Prime
6. Kaul – A Calling (2016)
A school teacher starts losing his sanity after witnessing a baffling event that takes him on a journey of unlearning everything known to him about humans and God. Kaul – A Calling is a bold experiment that rewards those willing to delve into each of its layers. It’s a cinematic milestone that relies heavily on an exploratory audio-visual medium, something rarely seen in Indian cinema. Kaul takes a vehement jibe at the superficial way of living and how we perceive God. The film is a meditation on sanity that challenges our confined thinking by the decree of society and thrashes the conventions of normalcy.
Watch Kaul – A Calling on Amazon Prime
7. Ashi Hi Banwa Banwi (1988)
Now considered a cult classic comedy, this Sachin Pilgaonkar directorial borrows its plot from Hrishikesh Mukherjee’s 1966 film Biwi Aur Makan, which has been remade in multiple languages. The story follows four friends struggling to find a rental home, only to face a landlord’s strict demands. In a hilarious twist, two of them must pretend to be the wives of the other two, sparking a chain reaction of comedic misadventures.
Featuring Ashok Saraf, Sachin Pilgaonkar, Laxmikant Berde, and Siddharth Ray in lead roles, this true comedy of errors bursts with energy from start to finish, keeping us thoroughly entertained.
8. Deool (2011)
Deool is a story of a village simpleton (Keshya) who, as an effect of a heat stroke, hallucinates Dutta (God), atop a hill. The news soon spreads across the village culminating into a series of events where believers as well as non-believers take advantage of the situation, commercializing god and religion.
How a small, insignificant incident blows out of proportion, is remarkably executed. It all becomes so ridiculous in the end that God becomes a mere spectator, trapped in his own temple. Umesh Kulkarni’s Deool came way before Bollywood’s similar satirical takes on commercialization of religion — Oh My God, PK.
Exceptional performances from the cast — Nana Patekar, Mohan Agashe, Sonali Kulkarni, Girish Kulkarni, Dilip Prabhavalkar, Usha Nadkarni make it worth a watch.
Watch Deool on Amazon Prime
9. Chaukat Raja (1991)
Sanjay Surkar’s poignant Marathi drama centers on a middle-class family who welcomes a mentally challenged individual—portrayed with immense sensitivity by Dilip Prabhavalkar—into their lives. What unfolds is a heartfelt journey of mutual growth, as the family grapples with their own insecurities and emotional baggage while helping him develop his skills. Prabhavalkar’s performance is outstanding, earning him a Maharashtra State Award for Best Actor. Surkar’s direction is both subtle and impactful, allowing viewers to reflect on how society treats its vulnerable members. Though it tackles weighty themes of mental health and social responsibility, Chaukat Raja remains tender and hopeful.
Translating to ‘The Damned Rain’ in Marathi, the film brilliantly encompasses the unremarkable lives of a farmer family, dependent on the rain, yet resilient in pursuit. Based on drought-stricken Vidarbha region, Gabhricha Paus at its core deals with farmer suicides. Neck deep in the pool of debt and struggling to survive each day, the farmers and their issues are treated with great sensitivity.
Exceptional cinematography and gripping central performances elevate the film. With its mature storytelling, it shows a mirror to the society that thrives off of the farmers’ exploitation. Gabhricha Paus has traveled to several film festivals and won two regional awards.
There we are! These are the best Marathi movies on Amazon Prime streaming right now. Join us on Instagram for a new movie recommendation everyday.
Hotstar has better Marathi films
Shala
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Chaukat Raja
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