Film

Thugs of Hindostan

Name: Thugs of Hindostan
Genre: Adventure, Action
Released: 2018
Cast: Amitabh Bachchan, Aamir Khan, Katrina Kaif, Fatima Sana Shaikh, Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub

Amitabh Bachchan and Aamir Khan lead a swashbuckling adventure about rebel pirates resisting British colonial rule in 18th-century India. It's a sprawling, effects-heavy spectacle with elaborate action sequences and a cast of thousands. For those who love Bollywood grandeur, historical romp energy, and two acting legends sharing the screen.

TMDb rating

2.8

Should you watch it?

Watch it if you love big, sprawling swashbuckling spectacle where a rivalry between two charismatic old-school outlaws drives the whole thing, and you don't mind the story bending itself around the star power.

Skip it if you want a tight, plausible plot or quiet character work; this one runs long, leans hard into broad comedy and melodrama, and its tone shifts more than it settles.

What it asks of you: Set aside a long, unhurried evening of nearly three hours, and expect a loud, colorful ride that swings between big set pieces and sentimental pauses.

Not sure? Find tonight's pick in a minute.

If you liked this

Lagaan: Once Upon a Time in India2001

Epic historical drama about Indians resisting British rule through cricket. Like Thugs, it champions indigenous resistance with spectacle, heart, and a David-versus-Goliath spirit that stirs the blood.

But Nearly four hours long and demands patience with extended sequences that slower modern viewers might find draggy.

Lagaan: Once Upon a Time in India poster

Padmaavat2018

Another Bollywood historical action film with sumptuous visuals, large-scale battle sequences, and a defiant heroine. Delivers similar operatic energy and production ambition in a period setting.

But Divisive on historical accuracy and controversial subject matter will distract some viewers from the spectacle.

Jodhaa Akbar2008

Gorgeous Mughal-era romance with action, political intrigue, and a marriage-as-alliance plot. Hrithik Roshan and Aishwarya Rai anchor a film that balances intimacy with grand historical scale.

But The romance angle may feel slow if you're chiefly there for action; pacing occasionally halts for extended dramatic moments.

Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from Thugs of Hindostan

The wildcard

Something you would not have found on your own.

The Deceivers1988

Both explore British-Indian power dynamics in period settings, but where Thugs celebrates rebellion, this film anatomizes the colonial mindset from within.

Pierce Brosnan in a British period film about a British officer infiltrating a cult of murderous thugs in 1820s India—the very inverse of Thugs' resistance narrative. Same colonial setting, same undercover game, but told from inside the empire's machinery, raising uncomfortable questions about complicity and duty.

But It's obscure and somewhat dated in pacing; the film moves deliberately and assumes viewer patience with historical detail over action thrills.

Mohenjo Daro2016

Ambitious period adventure about an ancient civilization threatened by invaders. Shares Thugs' appetite for large-scale action, exotic locations, and a hero leading resistance against occupying forces.

But Critical consensus is harsh; the film struggles with coherent storytelling beneath its spectacle and romantic subplots.

Krrish 32013

High-octane superhero action film with elaborate set pieces, stunts, and a hero-villain dynamic with genuine stakes. Bollywood spectacle without period baggage if you want the scale without the history lesson.

But The plot is often secondary to action sequences; character development takes a backseat to visual effects.

Bang Bang!2014

Heist-action thriller across exotic locations with Hrithik Roshan and Katrina Kaif. Fast-paced, globe-trotting fun that echoes Thugs' appetite for large-scale set pieces and high-stakes adventure.

But Thin plot and character development exist mainly as connective tissue between action sequences, which may frustrate narrative-focused viewers.

Ghajini2008

Aamir Khan in a revenge thriller with genuinely impressive action sequences and a character study beneath the spectacle. Shows Khan's range in a leaner, more focused film than Thugs.

But The domestic violence subplot is handled with neither sensitivity nor purpose, feeling exploitative rather than meaningful.

Happy New Year2011

Heist comedy with Shah Rukh Khan, Deepika Padukone, and a global scope. It's lighter and more playful than Thugs, but shares the fun of watching charismatic actors execute an elaborate plan.

But The humour is uneven; stretches feel laboured, and the tone lurches between comic and sentimental without grace.

Fan2016

Shah Rukh Khan plays a fan turned antagonist in a cat-and-mouse thriller. Compact and focused where Thugs sprawls, it proves Bollywood can deliver psychological intensity without needing three-hour runtimes.

But The film's attitude toward its obsessive antagonist is muddled; you're never sure what it thinks about the character or the dynamic.

The Ballad of Little Jo1993

Both feature marginalized protagonists who dress in disguise and form communities of outsiders to survive oppression, but this one trades spectacle for soul.

A woman disguises herself as a man to survive as an outlaw in the American West. Like Thugs, it's about resourceful rebels operating outside society's rules, but it's intimate, feminist, and spiritually searching—a character study instead of a spectacle.

But Completely quiet and introspective; if you want adventure as action, not as internal resistance, this will feel glacial and slight.

The Housemaid2010

Both employ infiltration and hidden identity as narrative engines, but where Thugs uses them for historical adventure, this uses them to build dread and social critique.

A Korean psychological thriller about a young woman infiltrating a wealthy household with hidden motives. Like Thugs, it's about infiltration and disguised intent, but told as paranoid chamber drama instead of historical adventure—tense, atmospheric, completely absorbing despite minimal action.

But It's slow-burn and requires active attention; the horror is psychological and cultural rather than physical, and some will find it opaque.