Movies like Mangla
If you like "Mangla" you are looking for uplifting, emotional and intense movies about / with human spirit, strength, female protagonist, inspiration, determination, resilience and empowerment themes of Drama genre shot in India.
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1. Identify all themes of interest from this film (block below).
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Mangla (2025)
3K
Original name: मंगला
Genre: Drama
Country: India
Duration: 115 min.
Story:
It tells the inspiring story of a woman who, after surviving a brutal acid attack, refuses to be defined by society's rejection and follows her passion for music. Despite facing challenges in education and employment due to her disfigured face, Mangla's unwavering commitment to classical music propels her to earn a PhD and become a respected music teacher. Her powerful voice, often compared to that of Lata Mangeshkar, helps her rise above the prejudice she encounters. Mangla's journey is a powerful testament to the strength of the human spirit, proving that true beauty lies in resilience and talent.
Style:
uplifting, emotional, intense
Plot:
human spirit, strength, female protagonist, inspiration, determination, resilience, empowerment, female empowerment, moving, classical music, vocalist, prejudice, music teacher, social realism, self acceptance, education, teaching, identity, phd, mentor protege relationship, justice, activism, voice, performance
Time:
contemporary
Movie in categories
Most similar movies to Mangla
The list contains related movies ordered by similarity. Recommendation engine sorted out emotional, inspirational, intense and realistic films with plots about female protagonist, resilience, female empowerment, coming of age, identity, social realism and empowerment mostly in Drama genres. Some movies like Mangla: Flying Colors (2016), How Old Are You? (2014), RIWAJ (2025), Kamali from Nadukkaveri (2021), Mohavalayam (2016). The matching attributes are highlighted in bold.
Genre: Drama
Country: India
Duration: 84 min.
Story:
A 15 year old mute village girl runs away from home due to problems, lands in Mumbai city. Initially she struggles to cope up with the big city, but fights her way forward to survive and achieve freedom overcoming obstacles.
Style:
emotional, realistic, heartfelt
Audience:
teen drama
Plot:
empowerment, coming of age, teenager, female empowerment, female protagonist, struggle, independence, perseverance, determination, survival, resilience, disability ...
Place:
mumbai india
Similarity:
95%
Genre: Drama
Country: India
Duration: 122 min.
Story:
36 year-old Nirupama Rajeev (played by Manju Warrier) is an UD clerk in Revenue Department. The role of her husband is played by Kunchaka Boban. There is nothing interesting about her life as she leads a life which is determined by her usual daily ...
Style:
thought provoking, psychological, captivating, realistic, emotional ...
Plot:
self discovery, female protagonist, patriarchy, parent child relationship, feminist, empowerment, personal growth, gender roles, female empowerment, introspection, social relations, coping ...
Time:
2010s
Place:
canada
Similarity:
90%
6K
Genre: Drama
Country: India
Duration: 130 min.
Story:
Riwaj is a powerful and thought-provoking drama that highlights the struggles of women caught in the grip of oppressive traditions. At its core is Zainab (Myraa Sareen), a courageous woman who refuses to be a victim of triple talaq. Stripped of her ...
Style:
emotional, inspirational, intense, heartbreaking
Plot:
women's rights, social justice, female empowerment, domestic abuse, resistance, patriarchy, family conflict, resilience, women's liberation, activism, identity, civil rights ...
Time:
2020s
Similarity:
72%
Genre: Drama
Country: India
Duration: 147 min.
Story:
Kamali is a happy-go-lucky girl from a small town. She is a weak student who is hardly interested in studies when she falls in love with a studious boy in Chennai who aspires to make it to IIT Madras. She decides to take her studies seriously and ...
Style:
captivating, psychological, thrilling, inspirational, uplifting ...
Plot:
education, women's rights, village life, village, female empowerment, problem, countryside, female protagonist, personal growth, aspiration, perseverance, determination ...
Place:
india
Similarity:
69%
Movie in collections
Genre: Drama
Country: India
Story:
Envisaging a luxurious life, Prameela, a theatre artist, marries a director. But all her dreams are shattered when fate makes her the sole breadwinner of her family.
Style:
emotional
Plot:
survival, marital problem, female protagonist, ambition, resilience, theater, social realism, loneliness, identity crisis, female empowerment, middle class, migration ...
Similarity:
65%
Genre: Drama
Country: India
Duration: 136 min.
Story:
In the ancient dance village Natyam, Sitara attempts to resurrect her Guru's forgotten masterpiece choreography and discovers the true power and purpose of Indian Classical Dance. To dance is to tell a story that can change our world.
Style:
poignant, uplifting, meditative, masterpiece
Plot:
choreography, village, classical music, female protagonist, spiritual journey, inspiration, inheritance, rebirth, female empowerment, legacy, community, ritual ...
Similarity:
60%
Genre: Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 90 min.
Story:
Local aryan-type thugs, financed by an outside racist (ed begley jr), attempt to create an atmosphere of fear in a small Montana community by intimidating black churchgoers, and Native American and Jewish residents. Through the efforts of a ...
Style:
inspirational, emotional, tense, uplifting, political drama
Plot:
racism, female protagonist, small town, activism, social justice, intolerance, justice, empowerment, resilience, racial tension, social conflict, civil rights ...
Similarity:
58%
Genre: Drama
Country: India
Duration: 144 min.
Story:
Depicts Manoj Jarange Patil's struggle to fight for Maratha reservation.
Style:
serious, controversial, intense, tense, emotional ...
Plot:
activism, social justice, biopic, determination, leadership, legal battle, conflict, media coverage, angry
Similarity:
56%
Movie in collections
Genre: Drama
Country: Nepal
Story:
Radha, a young pregnant woman from a village in Nepal, embarks on a journey to find her husband, a migrant worker in Doha, who's gone missing, but discovers instead an intriguing web of lies, deceit and fraud behind his disappearance and of ...
Style:
realistic, emotional, tense, suspenseful
Plot:
female protagonist, poverty, desperation, pregnancy, immigration, social realism, gender issues, resilience, family drama, missing husband, village life, corruption ...
Place:
nepal
Similarity:
55%
Genre: Drama
Country: India
Duration: 139 min.
Story:
A seventh-grade girl from a village, raised by her single mother, follows her teacher's vision by educating locals in Kannada. Her mission shows determination and cultural pride.
Style:
heartfelt, realistic, inspirational
Plot:
village, determination, social change, female empowerment, single mother, coming of age, social realism, family drama, female protagonist
Similarity:
53%
Genre: Drama
Country: India
Duration: 110 min.
Story:
An Underdog of a Rural village survives as much as obstacles that he can to overcome his societal status
Style:
realistic, emotional, heartfelt, inspirational, tense ...
Plot:
classism, resilience, social inequality, oppression, social realism, social justice, class struggle, empowerment, political satire, corruption, activism, human rights ...
Similarity:
53%
Genre: Drama
Country: India
Duration: 114 min.
Story:
Suli's life takes a turn after she is forcefully made to serve the local deity because of an ancient tradition. When she meets Tayappa, who shares a similar fate, they find comfort in one another.
Style:
heartbreaking, intense, melancholic
Plot:
oppression, social realism, patriarchy, village life, social injustice, forbidden love, female protagonist, gender roles, tragic romance, resilience, human rights, identity crisis ...
Time:
year 2009
Similarity:
52%
2K
Genre: Drama
Country: India
Duration: 119 min.
Story:
A little girl falls into a deep borewell, and her rescue becomes a huge professional and personal challenge for a collector.
Style:
tense, suspenseful, emotional, captivating, thrilling ...
Plot:
village, female protagonist, rescue attempt, countryside, ambition, life is a bitch, social problems, bureaucracy, leadership, public service, activism, female empowerment ...
Time:
2010s
Place:
india
Similarity:
51%
Genre: Drama
Country: India
Duration: 135 min.
Story:
A talented karate student embarks on a journey of self-discovery where she experiences both love and loss.
Style:
inspirational, realistic, romantic drama, melancholic, romantic
Plot:
female protagonist, martial arts, self discovery, karate, mother daughter relationship, grief, female empowerment, determination, resilience, coming of age, heartbreak, mourning ...
Similarity:
50%
Genre: Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 120 min.
Story:
In a nation where educating girls is seen as rebellion, a visionary woman dares to teach young minds to dream. When their innovation draws global attention, their success sparks hope—and opposition. As threats loom and sacrifices are made, their ...
Style:
emotional, uplifting, tension, educational, political drama
Plot:
courage, female protagonist, education, social justice, inspiration, human rights, empowerment, teacher, activism, resistance, hopes, oppression ...
Time:
2010s
Similarity:
49%
Genre: Drama
Country: India
Duration: 130 min.
Story:
Sakhi is known in her village as ‘bad luck Sakhi’ due to the misfortune she seemingly brings to whomsoever comes in her path. What happens when two men play catalysts to changing her destiny?
Style:
psychological, disturbing, captivating, inspirational, uplifting ...
Plot:
female protagonist, bad luck, sniper, rivalry, determination, resilience, relationship problems, life is a bitch, temper, direction and purpose, mishap, coping ...
Place:
india
Similarity:
48%
Genre: Drama
Country: South Korea
Duration: 111 min.
Story:
Jeong-eun is dispatched to a subcontracting company. She tries to fit in, but her co-workers aren’t comfortable around her and she’s completely new to field work. Despite all that, she wants to stay on for a year and then return to headquarters, ...
Style:
disturbing, captivating, psychological, emotional, realistic ...
Audience:
adult
Plot:
female protagonist, worker, workplace, social problems, discrimination, women's rights, working class, co worker co worker relationship, coworker, civil rights, classism, adaptation ...
Place:
korea
Similarity:
46%
Genre: Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 102 min.
Story:
An aerialist rehearsing for a rock tour battles age, injury, and a young director scheming to end her career, while a mysterious reporter digs into the ghosts of her past.
Style:
emotional, independent film, suspense, psychological, intense ...
Plot:
character study, resilience, ageism, female protagonist, showbiz, circus, mature, performance art, female empowerment, trauma, redemption, manipulation ...
Similarity:
46%
Movie in collections
336
Genre: Drama
Country: Brazil, Portugal
Duration: 104 min.
Story:
On a hot summer day, Paloma decides to fulfill her most cherished dream: a traditional wedding in a church with her boyfriend Zé. She is a devoted mother, a hard-working farmhand in a papaya plantation and has been saving to afford the celebration. ...
Style:
emotional, inspirational, art house, intense, reflective
Plot:
male nudity, transgender, desire for fame, identity, transphobia, religious conflict, hopes, determination, discrimination, injustice, resilience, empowerment ...
Similarity:
43%
Genre: Drama
Country: Argentina
Duration: 85 min.
Story:
In a poor neighborhood crisscrossed by a polluted river, Tati, a 14-year-old girl, is forced to grow up alone in a troubled and confusing context. While learning to sail on the river, she dreams of being a boat rower. A job only ruled by men.
Style:
emotional
Plot:
female protagonist, gender roles, adolescence, coming of age, ambition, struggle, river, youth, poverty, working class, resilience, dream ...
Similarity:
41%
Genre: Drama
Country: India
Duration: 129 min.
Story:
A group of women fight patriarchy and societal values. Prem Kaur, a new police officer, uncovers dark secrets and becomes a beacon of hope for the womenfolk.
Style:
inspirational, emotional, crime drama, tense, detective
Plot:
patriarchy, women's rights, female protagonist, female empowerment, feminism, activism, resilience, social justice, solidarity, female friendship, investigation, reform ...
Time:
2020s
Similarity:
41%
Genre: Drama
Country: India
Duration: 135 min.
Story:
In a remote village, over a single day, four characters respond differently to the death of an upper-caste man named Shivaji.
Style:
emotional, poignant, tense, political, bleak ...
Plot:
death, village, human spirit, social commentary, class conflict, grief, moral ambiguity, community, resilience, hopes, morality, justice ...
Similarity:
40%
158
Genre: Drama
Country: Germany
Duration: 79 min.
Story:
Nico (33), German-Persian, emancipated and happy, is the most popular geriatric nurse for her patients. With her best friend Rosa (37), she enjoys the summer in Berlin. A xenophobic attack tears the self-confident NICO from its self-determined ...
Style:
intense
Audience:
adult
Plot:
racism, xenophobia, female empowerment, resilience, female protagonist, friendship, female friendship, ptsd, self defense, social realism, social commentary, mental health ...
Time:
2020s
Place:
berlin germany
Similarity:
37%
Movie in collections
Genre: Drama
Country: India
Duration: 132 min.
Story:
Phullora Bhaduri, a tailor from the suburbs with a gifted sense of design, is ridiculed for being on the heavier side. Can she become a fashion influencer despite the odds?
Style:
inspirational, motivational, uplifting, feel good, rom com
Plot:
self acceptance, female protagonist, personal growth, self discovery, resilience, social media, tailor, sewing, small town, slice of life, suburbs, coming of age ...
Similarity:
36%
Genre: Drama
Country: Iran
Duration: 75 min.
Story:
A divorced woman leaves Damghan with her child to live and work in Tehran but her ex-husband does everything in his capability to force her to go back.
Style:
emotional, realistic, tense, intense, melancholic ...
Plot:
domestic drama, family drama, divorce, female protagonist, mother child relationship, single mother, custody battle, struggle, patriarchy, social realism, gender roles, independent woman ...
Time:
2010s
Place:
tehran, iran
Similarity:
36%
Genre: Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 107 min.
Story:
Naturally Native follows the lives, loves, pain, joy and relationships of three sisters as they attempt to start their own business. Of American Indian ancestry, but adopted by white foster parents as young children, each sister has her own identity ...
Style:
independent film
Plot:
racism, slice of life, sisterhood, identity, family drama, family relations, sisters, cosmetics, cultural conflict, injustice, female friendship, resilience ...
Time:
90s
Similarity:
33%
Genre: Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 98 min.
Story:
Hello Beautiful is a powerful and emotionally charged film that delves into the harrowing yet transformative journey of Willow, a successful model whose life is shattered by a devastating breast cancer diagnosis. Based on Christine Handy's ...
Style:
emotional, inspirational, heartfelt, medical drama, tear jerker ...
Plot:
transformation, cancer, female protagonist, resilience, breast cancer, biopic, empowerment, identity, self discovery, survival, women, personal growth ...
Similarity:
33%
Genre: Drama
Country: Nepal, France, Norway, Hong Kong, Turkey, Taiwan, USA, Qatar
Duration: 150 min.
Story:
In a Himalayan polyandrous village in Nepal, newly married and pregnant Pema tries to make the best of her new life. But soon, her first husband Tashi vanishes on the trade route to Lhasa. Accompanied by her monk de facto husband, Karma, she ...
Style:
meditative, poignant, emotional, atmospheric, melancholic ...
Plot:
female protagonist, spiritual journey, self discovery, marriage, liberation, resilience, identity, village life, buddhism, missing husband, pregnancy, female empowerment ...
Place:
nepal, himalaya
Similarity:
33%
Genre: Drama
Country: Poland, Hungary
Duration: 119 min.
Story:
A story of a mother who had to change her profession from a teacher to a high class prostitute to make a living.
Style:
emotional, realistic, intense, melancholic, period piece ...
Plot:
prostitution, female protagonist, sacrifice, survival, poverty, mother and daughter, motherhood, social realism, branding iron, moral dilemma, class struggle, resilience ...
Time:
90s
Place:
moscow russia, warsaw poland
Similarity:
32%
1K
Genre: Drama
Country: India
Duration: 136 min.
Story:
Ammu's thought marriage was a fairy tale – full of love and magic, ends when her cop-husband Ravi hit her for the very first time. What Ammu thought was a one-off incident soon turned into a never-ending cycle of abuse, trapping her and ...
Style:
thrilling, psychological, captivating, suspense, realistic ...
Plot:
domestic violence, female protagonist, marital abuse, abusive husband, dysfunctional marriage, husband wife relationship, violence, family relations, police officer, unhappy marriage, life is a bitch, male female relationship ...
Place:
india
Similarity:
32%
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