Movies like Hawayein
If you like "Hawayein" you are looking for historical drama, bleak and emotional movies about / with punjabi, terrorism, loss of innocence, social injustice, political unrest, civil unrest and trauma themes of Drama and Romance genre shot in India.
Find your next favorite and similar movies in two steps:
1. Identify all themes of interest from this film (block below).
2. Look for them in the presented list.
Hawayein (2003)
323
Genre: Drama, Romance
Country: India
Duration: 176 min.
Story:
Hawayein is a film which emerges from the consequences of the BlueStar Operation and is based on the aftermath of India’s Prime Minister, Mrs. Indira Gandhi’s assassination in 1984 – the 1984 Sikh genocide in Delhi and other places in India, and the subsequent victimization of the people of Punjab in the years that followed. This film depicts real-life events and most of the situations shown are authentically seen through the eyes of the central protagonist "Sarabjeet". It is the story of his journey from innocence to disillusionment, from being a simple, music-loving student to becoming one of the most wanted terrorists in the country. This film is an honest exploration of the reasons which led to the angst of the youth of Punjab and the turmoils suffered by their families.
Style:
historical drama, bleak, emotional, realistic, tense, reflective, period piece, banned, period drama, political drama
Plot:
punjabi, terrorism, loss of innocence, social injustice, political unrest, civil unrest, trauma, revenge, family drama, identity crisis, police brutality, angst, family tragedy, biopic, survival, genocide, bollywood
Time:
80s
Movie in categories
Most similar movies to Hawayein
The list contains related movies ordered by similarity. Recommendation engine sorted out emotional, tense, bleak and realistic films with plots about trauma, survival, family drama, revenge, moral ambiguity, social injustice and urban mostly in Drama, Romance and Action genres. Some movies like Hawayein: Saani Kaayidham (2022), All That's Left of You (2025), Narappa (2021), Maa Jaye (2025), Birth (2024). The matching attributes are highlighted in bold.
Genre: Action, Crime, Drama, Romance
Country: India
Duration: 136 min.
Story:
A police constable from an oppressed caste and her half-brother go after the dominant caste men who raped her and burned her husband and kid alive.
Style:
tense, captivating, brutal, period piece, crime drama ...
Plot:
revenge, rape, social injustice, violence, vengeance, life is a bitch, problem, family problems, curse, tragic past, confronting the past, vigilante ...
Time:
80s
Place:
india
Similarity:
95%
Genre: Drama, Romance
Country: Germany, Cyprus, Jordan, Greece, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, USA, Egypt
Duration: 146 min.
Story:
In the Occupied West Bank of the 1980s, a Palestinian teenager is swept into a protest that changes the course of his family's life. Reeling from its aftermath, his mother, Hanan, shares the story that led them to that fateful moment. Spanning ...
Style:
political, bleak, poignant, realistic, reflective ...
Plot:
protest, conflict, occupation, resistance, family drama, memory, mother son relationship, trauma, coming of age, human rights, loss, grief ...
Time:
70s, 80s, 1940s
Place:
middle east, palestine, israel
Similarity:
80%
Genre: Action, Drama
Country: India
Duration: 153 min.
Story:
Narappa is forced to flee into the forest with his younger son, Sinappa, after Sinappa murders an upper caste landlord to avenge his older brother’s death. And now Narappa must make more sacrifices and navigate a deeply unjust justice system to ...
Style:
tense, thrilling, captivating, bleak, serious ...
Audience:
adult
Plot:
social injustice, class conflict, father son relationship, killing, conflict, battles, fight, murder, moral dilemma, revenge, poverty, survival ...
Time:
80s
Place:
india
Similarity:
73%
134
Genre: Drama
Country: India
Duration: 110 min.
Story:
An emotional story of two brothers; the biography of Dr. Amarjit Singh, an Indian American immigrant who walked through The First Kashmir War as a child, forced from his home with his severely disabled brother and a family in fear for their lives.
Style:
historical drama, poignant, emotional, dramatic, heartfelt ...
Plot:
biopic, immigration, brothers, brotherhood, resilience, survival, perseverance, family drama, cleaning, sacrifice, loss, refugee ...
Time:
20th century
Place:
kashmir, india, usa
Similarity:
66%
Movie in collections
Genre: Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 90 min.
Story:
Nichole Jolly is a nurse at the town’s hospital, who begins her day as usual, only to face an unimaginable crisis when a wildfire rapidly engulfs the town. Torn between her duty to protect her patients and her desperate need to find her husband ...
Style:
inspirational, heartfelt, uplifting, tense, emotional ...
Plot:
wildfire, courage, heroism, hopes, survival, natural disaster, evacuation, hospital, tribute, biopic, sacrifice, tragedy ...
Place:
california
Similarity:
65%
100
Genre: Drama
Country: Spain
Duration: 101 min.
Story:
Spain, 1982. Marisa decides to take her daughter to Madrid to find a solution for an unwanted pregnancy. Lucia ends up in Peñagrande, a reformatory for pregnant teenagers. There, she will forge strong friendships with the other girls and discover ...
Style:
historical drama, bleak, emotional, tense, period piece ...
Audience:
adult
Plot:
injustice, motherhood, women's rights, unwanted pregnancy, child kidnapping, abuse of power, trauma, social realism, family drama, reformatory, human rights, mother daughter relationship ...
Time:
80s
Place:
spain, madrid
Similarity:
65%
70K
Genre: Action, Drama, Romance
Country: India
Duration: 138 min.
Story:
Inspired from the true incidents occurred in Bengaluru - 1983, Kaiva brings the visual grandeur of Old Bengaluru showing the lights of world famous Bengaluru Karaga and the dark underworld of the city as well.
Style:
dark, tense, intense, bleak, reflective
Plot:
power struggle, moral ambiguity, haunting
Time:
80s
Similarity:
64%
Genre: Drama, Romance
Country: Sweden
Duration: 87 min.
Story:
Said, the main character in the film Another Place, lives in Sweden but longs to be somewhere else. His integrity is suddenly and brutally violated when the police ransack his apartment and brand him as a terrorist.
Style:
tense, melancholic, bleak, intense, political drama
Plot:
human rights, police raid, false accusation, social injustice, isolation, alienation, bureaucracy, identity crisis, moral ambiguity, paranoid, psychological trauma, urban ...
Place:
eastern europe
Similarity:
61%
Movie in collections
406
Genre: Drama
Country: Sri Lanka
Story:
The film follows Dr. Manorani Saravanamuttu's relentless pursuit of justice after the tragic abduction and murder of her son, Richard de Zoysa, a journalist, writer, and human rights activist, in 1990.
Style:
emotional, bleak, tense, historical drama, political thriller ...
Audience:
adult
Plot:
human rights, family tragedy, political violence, biopic, courage, abduction, activism, assassination, journalism, investigation, trauma, social justice ...
Similarity:
60%
Genre: Drama
Country: Italy
Duration: 92 min.
Story:
Laura participates in terrorist attack against a magistrate; a member of her commando is shot to death. Such begins the story of women: Maria and Rosa, the mother and sister of the killed terrorist; Gina, the old nanny of Laura; her mother Marta and ...
Style:
bleak, emotional, intense, art house, period piece ...
Plot:
terrorism, guilt, trauma, moral ambiguity, family secret, accomplice, political unrest, loss, betrayal, judiciary, mourning, urban ...
Time:
80s
Place:
italy, southern italy
Similarity:
52%
Genre: Drama
Country: India
Duration: 131 min.
Story:
Four anthologies about revenge explore the need for vengeance, the effects of self-harm, and forgiveness through the lives of different people.
Style:
anthology, dark, intense, tense, crime drama ...
Plot:
ethical dilemma, moral ambiguity, revenge, vengeance, forgiveness, social commentary, trauma, self harm, quarantine, pandemic, violent, gangster ...
Similarity:
47%
Genre: Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 96 min.
Story:
Two teenage girls are locked up for a minor offence by a harsh judge who thinks a night in jail will do them good. It's a traumatizing experience that includes an assault. Afterwards, one of the girls and her family seek justice against an ...
Style:
dark, emotional, intense, realistic, bleak ...
Plot:
teenage girl, trauma, assault, abuse of power, social injustice, female protagonist, women's rights, family drama, juvenile detention, courtroom, mother daughter relationship, corrupt judge ...
Time:
80s
Similarity:
47%
Genre: Drama
Country: Canada
Duration: 85 min.
Story:
Looking for Angelina is based on one of the most important murder trials in Canada. Angelina Napolitano murdered her husband with an axe and was sentenced to be executed...
Style:
bleak, historical drama, period piece, emotional, melancholic ...
Plot:
courtroom drama, domestic violence, murder trial, marital abuse, true crime, death sentence, biopic, family drama, empathy, social realism, moral ambiguity, poverty ...
Place:
canada, ontario canada
Similarity:
46%
Genre: Drama, Romance
Country: UK
Duration: 180 min.
Story:
The year is 1675. England is threatened by religious and political rivalries. King Charles II's Catholic brother, James, is next in line for the throne, but many Protestants put their faith in Charles' illegitimate son, The Duke of ...
Style:
realistic, emotional, serious, captivating, stylized ...
Audience:
girls' night, date night
Plot:
forbidden love, countryside, revenge, love, state affairs, love and romance, uninhibited rivalry, vengeance, political unrest, rivalry, politics, historical event ...
Time:
17th century
Place:
england, scotland, europe
Similarity:
45%
2K
Genre: Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 85 min.
Story:
This is a story of a young man named Kenny Stanford who had dreams of being an Successful artist in the music industry, but these dreams were cut short due to senseless street violence. His older brother Libaraiers Stanford lived by the laws of ...
Style:
emotional, realistic, independent film
Plot:
urban, hip hop, brotherhood, family tragedy, grief, music industry, mourning, loss, aspiration, identity, trauma, revenge ...
Similarity:
44%
Genre: Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 108 min.
Story:
On the eve of her 16th birthday, Allison Riley disappears. When the police refuse their requests, her parents, Joanna and Case, reluctantly hire John Belton, a private investigator with a reputation for questionable procedures and a dark past. ...
Style:
suspense, tense, disturbing, psychological, thought provoking ...
Plot:
human trafficking, kidnapping, abduction, sex slavery, sex trafficking, sexploitation, exploitation, kidnapped child, slavery, slave girl, predator, social issues ...
Similarity:
42%
978
Genre: Drama, Romance, Thriller
Country: India
Duration: 120 min.
Story:
A middle-aged, narcissistic, angry, rich man is abusive to the young girl he has married, who is half his age, but then the tables turn when he is incapacitated by an accident.
Style:
psychological, thrilling, captivating, tense, realistic ...
Plot:
female protagonist, domestic abuse, abusive relationship, emotional abuse, social problems, social issues, life is a bitch, relationship problems, society, resilience, manipulation, empowerment ...
Place:
india
Similarity:
40%
118
Genre: Drama
Country: South Africa
Duration: 115 min.
Story:
After the South African Defense Force wrongfully declares young Recce Henk Viljoen dead behind enemy lines, it’s up to him alone to use every skill and tool in his arsenal to make it back to his grieving wife.
Style:
suspenseful, tense, intense, emotional, realistic ...
Plot:
survival, resilience, reconnaissance, sole survivor, soldier, man versus nature, abandonment, guerilla warfare, isolation, pursuit, endurance, ruse ...
Time:
80s
Place:
south africa, angola, cape town south africa
Similarity:
39%
Movie in collections
Genre: Drama, Romance
Country: India
Duration: 175 min.
Story:
Shanker Choudhury's (Tarun Bose) mother (Pratima Devi), at the pleas of her dying husband, marries off his (Shanker's) daughter to a youth. Both the children are under-age and do not know nor understand that they have been married.
Style:
romantic drama, emotional, sentimental, melancholic, period piece
Plot:
love story, child marriage, family drama, arranged marriage, family honor, cultural conflict, women's rights, strong female lead, moral dilemma, wedding ceremony, forbidden love, matchmaking ...
Time:
60s
Similarity:
39%
Genre: Drama, Romance
Country: UK
Duration: 100 min.
Story:
TV-movie version of the Victor Hugo novel.
Style:
historical drama, dark, melancholic, bleak, period piece ...
Plot:
notre dame cathedral, literary, unrequited love, deformity, tragedy, hunchback, social injustice, empathy, forbidden love, character study, prejudice, disability ...
Time:
19th century
Place:
paris france
Similarity:
38%
Genre: Action, Drama, Romance
Country: India
Duration: 151 min.
Story:
Vennela has fallen for Aranya aka Ravanna’s poetry and the man both. What happens when she sets out on an arduous journey to be with him?
Style:
disturbing, captivating, psychological, period piece, historical drama ...
Plot:
battles, love and romance, love affair, love story, love interest, fight, underground movement, character study, class struggle, forbidden love, social realism, social injustice ...
Time:
90s
Place:
india
Similarity:
38%
Genre: Drama
Country: Italy, Belgium
Duration: 108 min.
Story:
In 2005, Italian journalist Giuliana Sgrena was kidnapped in Iraq by a group of terrorists. Nicola Calipari, a SISMI agent, is tasked with rescuing her, but interference from US forces in Iraq compromises the operation. Despite the difficulties, and ...
Style:
tense, suspenseful, bleak, historical drama, emotional ...
Plot:
terrorism, sacrifice, kidnapping, heroism, rescue mission, espionage, journalism, middle east conflict, betrayal, moral ambiguity, biopic, ethical dilemma ...
Time:
2000s
Place:
iraq, italy
Similarity:
38%
Genre: Musical, Drama, Romance
Country: India
Duration: 180 min.
Story:
Mr. Sekhri is the Indian Ambassador in Russia, and his Chief Assistant is Mr. Negi. Sekhri is widowed with a son named Aditya, while Negi is married and has brought his wife, Anjali, and two daughters, Lucky and Dhara, with him to Russia. One day ...
Style:
romantic, romantic drama, suspense, tense, emotional ...
Plot:
terrorist, terrorism, danger, young love, threat, teenage protagonist, female victim, rescue mission, family drama, family values, survival, isolation ...
Time:
year 2005
Place:
st. petersburg russia, russia
Similarity:
37%
Movie in collections
113
Genre: Drama, Romance
Country: India
Duration: 135 min.
Story:
Family drama from India starring Dharmendra, Tanuja and Jayalalitha J
Style:
poignant, emotional, romantic drama, period drama
Audience:
adult
Plot:
mistaken identity, honor, family drama, class conflict, social injustice, identity, betrayal, revenge, race, forbidden love, shame, illegitimacy ...
Time:
60s
Similarity:
36%
Genre: Drama, Romance
Country: USA
Duration: 92 min.
Story:
A doctor and a photo-journalist try to help famine victims in Africa.
Style:
heartbreaking, serious, emotional, educational, intercultural ...
Plot:
hunger, doctor, humanitarian, starvation, compassion, suffering, social issues, poverty, village, trauma, survival, realism ...
Time:
80s
Place:
africa, ethiopia
Similarity:
36%
Genre: Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 97 min.
Story:
Television drama in which miners spend their Christmas Eve in a collapsed mine.
Style:
realistic, emotional, period piece, historical drama, poignant ...
Plot:
christmas, christmas eve, danger, disaster, coal mine, rescue attempt, mining town, small town, survival, blue collar, family drama, resilience ...
Time:
1950s, 50s, 20th century, year 1951
Place:
appalachia
Similarity:
35%
Genre: Drama, Romance
Country: Turkey
Duration: 108 min.
Story:
In the 80s, Turkey is in the middle of a politically turbulent period. Yusuf, who lives with a disability, doesn't get involved in politics, and prefers to work to support his mum. After the revolution, nothing will be the same for him.
Style:
psychological, thought provoking, captivating, disturbing, realistic ...
Plot:
disability, drastic change of life, political intrigue, relationships, male female relationship, life is a bitch, social relations, handicapped, revolution, changing lives, society, physical disability ...
Time:
80s
Place:
turkey
Similarity:
35%
Genre: Drama
Country: UK, Mexico
Duration: 87 min.
Story:
Anthony Hopkins plays an English medical doctor living with his family in Paraguay and treating the poor people from the surroundings, who has his life turned upside down when his son was mysteriously murdered in what could have been an attack to ...
Style:
tension, emotional, suspense, bleak, political thriller ...
Plot:
justice, corruption, human rights, oppression, revenge, social injustice, authoritarianism, repression, dictatorship, family tragedy, courage, family drama ...
Place:
paraguay, latin america
Similarity:
35%
Genre: Drama
Country: Serbia
Duration: 98 min.
Story:
Black Horses is a film about the destiny of Serbian people who are forced to endure the "rule from the North" against their will. The empress Maria Theresia has designated their region of Banat to be the dungeon for insubordinate citizens ...
Style:
historical drama, bleak, period piece, dramatic, melancholic ...
Plot:
national identity, social injustice, identity crisis, moral dilemma, oppression, occupation, nationalism, ethnic conflict, class conflict, resistance, betrayal, revenge
Similarity:
34%
Genre: Action, Drama, Romance
Country: Germany
Duration: 182 min.
Story:
Susanne, a meteorologist Hamburg, has detected signs of an incipient sea storm that could devastate the city. Although given the alarm, local authorities do not listen to their warnings. To ensure the magnitude of the tsunami, Susanne decided to ...
Style:
tense, dramatic, realistic, suspenseful, emotional ...
Plot:
disaster, flood, storm at sea, storm, survival, weatherman, north sea, tsunami, family crisis, german history, love, wedding ...
Time:
60s, year 1962
Place:
hamburg germany
Similarity:
33%
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