Film

Bunty Aur Babli

Name: Bunty Aur Babli
Genre: Comedy, Crime, Romance
Released: 2005
Cast: Abhishek Bachchan, Rani Mukerji, Amitabh Bachchan, Raj Babbar, Rameshwari Talluri

Con-artist caper

A high-spirited Hindi heist comedy about two small-town runaways who become India's most wanted con artists. Bunty and Babli charm, deceive, and fall in love across a series of elaborate scams, all while a dogged cop closes in. It's effervescent and fun—a film that believes in the thrill of the con and the romance of breaking rules together.

TMDb rating

3.2

If you liked this

Hera Pheri2000

The spiritual predecessor to this kind of heist comedy in Hindi cinema. Three lovable con men stumble through increasingly ridiculous schemes with impeccable timing and chemistry. It has the same DNA: humor, heart, and the gleeful mechanics of a good scam.

But Broader and campier than Bunty Aur Babli, with dated effects and a very early-2000s sensibility that hasn't aged smoothly.

Golmaal – Fun Unlimited2006

Released a year after Bunty Aur Babli, this ensemble comedy has the same buoyant energy and playful plotting. Four friends create chaos through increasingly elaborate deceptions, all in service of something they believe in.

But It's longer and looser than it needs to be, and some sequences feel like they're killing time rather than advancing the fun.

Khosla Ka Ghosla!2006

A Delhi-set comedy about a family's battle against a corrupt builder, told with clever schemes and genuine warmth. The humor comes from character and plotting rather than slapstick; it's sharper and more grounded than many Hindi comedies of its era.

But Less glossy and romantic than Bunty Aur Babli—if you want spectacle and music, this is smaller and more domestic.

Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from Bunty Aur Babli

The wildcard

Something you would not have found on your own.

Ocean's Eleven1960

Both films understand that a heist is romantic—the real thrill is watching attractive people use their brains and charm to pull off something impossible together, not the violence or moral weight.

The godfather of heist cinema. Frank Sinatra and a constellation of stars pull off a Vegas casino job with style, music, and genuine joy. It proved that a heist could be about the pleasure of watching smart people work together, not just the crime itself.

But Shot in Technicolor flat-lands with a very 1960s pace. Long stretches are dialogue and setup; if you need constant action, the first half moves like molasses.

Johnny Gaddaar2007

A stylish, Bollywood-inflected crime thriller that flips the con-artist formula. Double-crosses, betrayal, and the question of who's really running the show. It has Bunty Aur Babli's love of clever plotting but with genuine stakes and darkness underneath.

But The tone is significantly darker and more serious. There's less romance and levity, and the ending doesn't feel as generous to its characters.

Dostana2008

Abhishek Bachchan reunites with the spirit of romantic comedy here—two men pretend to be a couple to rent an apartment, leading to escalating absurd situations. It has similar energy: likable leads, escalating deceptions, and the pleasure of watching characters charm their way through chaos.

But The premise hinges on jokes about sexuality that haven't aged particularly well, and it's more straightforward rom-com than crime caper.

Band Baaja Baaraat2010

Rani Mukerji (Babli herself) and Ranveer Singh create chemistry as two wedding planners starting a business together. It has the same spirit of ambition, humor, and two people against the world, but focused on building something legitimate rather than tearing society off.

But Gentler and more earnestly romantic than Bunty Aur Babli; if you came for the adrenaline of the con, this might feel too sincere.

Special 262013

A heist thriller about a con that targets banks across India. It's sleek, clever, and genuinely thrilling—the con itself is the plot, and every twist lands. If you loved the ingenuity of Bunty and Babli's schemes, this scratches that itch with real suspense.

But It's grittier and less romantic; the leads are professionals, not lovers, and there's a moral coldness that lacks the warmth of Bunty Aur Babli.

Pyaar Ka Punchnama2011

Young Delhi leads in romantic chaos—relationships, misunderstandings, and the comedy of modern romance. The humor is character-driven and observational; it has that same sense of fun without the crime caper machinery.

But Plotless in the best and worst ways—some sequences drag, and if you want tight storytelling with payoffs, this meanders.

Barfi!2012

A charming, quirky love story between a deaf-mute man and a woman with autism. It has Bunty Aur Babli's sense of playfulness and adventure, with an emotional core that Bunty Aur Babli only hints at. Visually inventive and genuinely warm.

But Sentimentality is baked in from the start. If you're allergic to movies wearing their hearts visibly on their sleeves, this will feel cloying.

Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro1983

Both are films about ordinary young Indians discovering they're clever enough to outmaneuver the system. But where Bunty Aur Babli is sleek and assured, Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro is scrappy and anarchic—it's the film that proved Hindi cinema could be truly intelligent comedy.

A cult Hindi comedy about two struggling photographers who stumble into political corruption and murder. It's absurdist, inventive, and genuinely funny—anarchic in a way that makes it feel like it's breaking cinema's rules, not just character rules.

But The print quality is rough, the pacing is weird by modern standards, and humor that worked in 1983 Delhi doesn't always translate. It requires patience and goodwill.

Andhadhun2018

Both are built on the pleasure of plotting—watching a central deception unfold with perfect mechanics. But Andhadhun asks what happens when the con stops being fun and becomes genuinely dangerous, which Bunty Aur Babli never really does.

A pianist pretends to be blind and gets tangled in a murder. It has the same engine as Bunty Aur Babli—someone running a con, escalating stakes, moral ambiguity—but in the register of a Hitchcockian thriller. Brilliantly plotted, genuinely suspenseful, with a cynical bite.

But It's dark and morally uncomfortable. No one is sympathetic; the con artist here is not lovable. If you want heroes, this will disappoint you.