5 films that show content is the ultimate king: ‘Highway,’ ‘Tamasha, ‘Super 30,’ and more

In an evolving industry where films are often labelled as either content-driven or commercial, few cinematic pieces have repeatedly proven that the two can coexist. Here are five films that beautifully showcase how substance with style, emotion with spectacle, and storytelling with soul can be achieved.

‘Highway’

Sajid Nadiadwala’s ‘Highway' shows quiet intensity, coupled with Imtiaz Ali’s unique treatment. It is an emotionally charged narrative created an experience that was both cathartic and cinematic. Several critics and Bollywood buffs feel the movie brought a big shift in Alia Bhatt’s career trajectory.

‘Tamasha’

Another movie in this list is ‘Tamasha,’ which explored the topics of identity, societal conditioning, and self-discovery that resonated deeply with audiences who saw fragments of themselves in the characters.

The film’s structure, realism, and poetic storytelling were elevated by A.R. Rahman’s iconic music. And of course, the chemistry between Ranbir Kapoor and Deepika Padukone caught everyone’s attention.

The movie gave artistic stories without compromising on cinematic scale.

‘Chhichhore’

Released in 2019, ‘Chichhore,’ the National-award-winning film, features late Sushant Singh Rajput, Shraddha Kapoor and others. It delivered a message that struck a chord across generations "success is not the opposite of failure".

A perfect combination of humour, warmth, friendship, nostalgia, and emotional depth left a lasting impression.

‘Super 30’

Bringing real to reel comes with its own charms and challenges, and an example of the same is ‘Super 30.’ Based on the real-life story of educator Anand Kumar, the film beautifully touched on topics of perseverance, hope, and social empowerment. Hrithik Roshan’s stellar performance backed the narrative.

The movie was showered with love and praise, which was further translated into box office success as well.

‘Chandu Champion’

Kartik Aaryan’s ‘Chandu Champion’ brought the real-life story of Murlikant Petkar to the big screen. The biographical drama by Sajid Nadiadwala showed the story of India's first Paralympic gold medalist. His challenges, his struggle, and his resilience woven on the cinematic canvas did wonders.Continuing its tradition of meaningful yet massively entertaining cinema, Nadiadwala Grandson Entertainment is now gearing up for one of the most anticipated films - ‘O’ Romeo’ this Valentine’s on 13th February 2026. Directed by Vishal Bhardwaj, the film has Shahid Kapoor and Tripti Dimri in the lead.