Back in the 80s, when theatres were the primary sites of cheap, legal entertainment, boisterous crowds clapped, hooted, shouted, danced, and sang their way through the latest Bollywood masala blockbusters.
In the 1980s, Bollywood movies were mostly formulaic, with action, drama, comedy, and romance merged into one long reel. Larger-than-life villains (portrayed mostly by Amrish Puri), righteous heroes who could throw casual death punches, and sirens who were forever being held hostage to lure the hero to a final confrontation, made up the simple plot lines of these potboilers. Those were the days when evil was evil and good was good, the lines seldom blurred, so audiences knew whom to root for.
Most of the classic Bollywood action movies of the 80s are still highly watchable in terms of action sequences, thrills, suspense, and gadget/vehicular explosions. Villains are stellar, borrowing mannerisms heavily from the James Bond series, and the good ‘uns were unapologetically macho. Dialogues are still repeated today by kids.
Here’s our round-up of the Top 10 Hindi Action Movies of the 80s. Agree or disagree? Express your opinion in the comments.
Top 10 Hindi Action Movies of the 80s
- Tezaab (1988)
Director: N Chandra
Cast: Anil Kapoor, Madhuri Dixit, Chunky Pandey, Anupam Kher, Kiran Kumar
Tezaab opens with the blatant tagline “A Violent Love Story.”
It starts off violently enough with grisly henchmen breathing murderous threats to a good-for-nothing drunk (Anupam Kher)—a bad Dad who lives off his daughter’s (Madhuri Dixit) income as a performer. Then, within 10 minutes of the movie’s opening credits, the now iconic chartbuster “Ek Do Teen” takes over, cementing Madhuri Dixit’s position as the nation’s darling of the 80s. Yep, that’s how quickly violent scenes transition into mush in Tezaab.
Tezaab may be your typical Bollywood masala love story all right, but it’s got plenty of twists and turns and complicated back stories to deserve a place on this list. The action is good old dhishoom-dhishoom, hand-to-hand combat and fisticuffs. Kickass dialogues are thrown around by Anil Kapoor and comic sidekick Babban.
Villain-in-Chief Kiran Kumar does a great job right up to the final confrontation. Chunky Pandey (better known as the father of Ananya Pandey) earned praise for his role as Babban, as did Suresh Oberoi, who plays Inspector Gagan Singh.
This is one of those timeless Anil Kapoor 80s action films that played for 50 weeks straight in theatres. See if you can spot Salman Khan in a small role. If you want vicarious release of your pent-up anger, Tezaab is the film to watch.
- Mr. India (1987)
Director: Shekhar Kapur
Cast: Anil Kapoor, Sridevi, Amrish Puri, Satish Kaushik, Aftab Shivdasani, Annu Kapoor
Before there was Tezaab, Anil Kapoor rose to prominence with Mr. India, playing the film’s titular character. Mr. India remains one of his more memorable epithets in mass media.
The film is culturally significant because it was the last time the dynamic duo Salim-Javed ever collaborated. Both Rajesh Khanna and Amitabh Bachchan were in talks to play the lead role, but destiny deemed otherwise.
Before we get to the ingenious invisibility device, Sridevi, the 10 rambunctious orphans, and a cook called Calendar, let’s talk about the action driver of the film: Mogambo.
Every Iconic 80s Hindi Action movie needs a decent evil representative, and with Amrish Puri in the cast, there’s no prizes for guessing who the Baddie is. Mogambo, with his slimy haircut and outlandish costumes, can still freak kids out today with that villainous laugh and those googly eyes. “Hail Mogambo!” and “Mogambo Kush Hua!” became popular catchphrases still used in today’s parlance.
While the action is a bit on the tamer side, Mr. India is a fun, family-friendly movie to watch on a rainy Sunday. It’s also the film that made Sridevi a household name. Her 7-minute Hawa Hawai sequence is referenced even today in cinema.
Strangely, Mr. India was conceptualised to be India’s first superhero movie, or does that status belong to SRK’s Ra.One? Watch this action-packed 80s action film before you decide.
- The Burning Train (1980)
Director: Ravi Chopra
Cast: Dharmendra, Vinod Khanna, Jeetendra, Hema Malini, Parveen Babi, Neetu Singh
Okay, so before we get to the story, guess who isn’t in the movie?!
Most of Bollywood’s top stars were roped in to play pivotal roles in this remake of The Towering Inferno (1974), and it is easily one of the best 80s Bollywood Action movies that is still watchable decades later.
This 1980 disaster-action epic throws you into chaos as India’s fastest train, which covers the distance from Delhi to Mumbai in 14 hours (we still need this made!), hurtles uncontrollably toward doom.
It’s not just the literal fire that keeps you hooked; it’s the layered chaos of sabotage, national pride, and split-second heroism. Action unfolds inside crammed compartments, on top of train coaches, and through explosive sequences that feel ahead of their time.
With Dharmendra and Vinod Khanna flexing brawn and brains, and Danny Denzongpa playing saboteur-in-chief, this fiery ride set the tone for ensemble action thrillers to follow. After Sholay, this is another Dharmendra action movie that remains a fan favourite today.
- Shahenshah (1988)
Director: Tinnu Anand
Cast: Amitabh Bachchan, Meenakshi Sheshadri, Kader Khan, Pran, Amrish Puri
Shahenshah should have gone down in history not as an action movie but as a psychological thriller. The story was the brainchild of Amitabh Bachchan’s wife, Jaya Bachchan, and helped to reinstate Bachchan’s position as a bankable star 3 years after his foray into Indian politics.
Shahenshah is the alter-ego of cowardly police officer Inspector Vijay, who seeks to avenge his wrongly disgraced father’s death. As Shahenshah, Vijay is able to execute swift and remorseless punishment on minor baddies until the trail leads him to the arch-nemesis who abetted his father’s suicide. Without the mask of Shahenshah, Vijay is a cowardly, corrupt, and oily policeman, but once he dons his costume, he takes the law into his own hands, acting as a self-proclaimed emperor of justice.
Shahenshah’s silvery cowlick, his metallic arm reminiscent of medieval European Knights, and his stance as society’s saviour appealed to Indian audiences of the 80s struggling with political corruption.
Guns, goons, blood, gore, and visceral fight scenes make up Shahenshah’s action quota, and it remains one of the last significant Amitabh Bachchan 80s action films. Check this out if you enjoy vigilante flicks.
- Aakhree Raasta (1986)
Director: K. Bhagyaraj
Cast: Amitabh Bachchan, Sridevi, Jaya Prada, Anupam Kher
Aakhree Raasta is Bollywood’s masaledar version of the Rustom-Sohrab trope. Amitabh Bachchan plays a dual role as Father and son who find themselves on opposite sides of the law.
Betrayal, revenge, and drama mark this dramatic movie, which was loved for the unique methods of retribution used by David D’Costa (Amitabh Bachchan) to get back at his wife’s murderers.
Aakhree Raasta was a remake of a Tamil film, proving the mass appeal of South Indian cinema even in the 80s. As an action film, there are some memorable scenes. The chase in the gutters and the cat and mouse game between David and his son, Inspector Vijay, is something that still manages to keep audiences hooked till today.
The riveting performance of Big B in a double role is the sole reason this movie makes it to any list of top 10 Hindi action movies of the 80s.
- Karma (1986)
Director: Subhash Ghai
Cast: Jackie Shroff, Anil Kapoor, Naseeruddin Shah, Anupam Kher, Dilip Kumar, Nutan, Sridevi
Karma isn’t just a gripping action drama, it stands tall as the only worthy remake of the gold standard of Indian action films, Sholay (1975). Like Sholay, Karma revolves around a veteran authority figure (Colonel Rana, played by Dilip Kumar) recruiting criminals to carry out a dangerous mission against a powerful enemy. But instead of dacoits in the ravines, Karma sets its action in the world of espionage, terrorism, and national duty, giving the revenge formula a fresh context.
Where Thakur sought personal revenge, Colonel Rana’s fight against Dr. Dang is steeped in a deeper sense of justice for the nation. The three convicts—Anil Kapoor, Jackie Shroff, and Naseeruddin Shah—echo the camaraderie and personal growth arcs of Jai and Veeru, but in a more ensemble-driven narrative.
Even the villain, Dr. Dang, with his chilling calm and diabolical vision, channels the unforgettable menace of Gabbar Singh in a more modern, calculated avatar. Anupam Kher’s performance as Dr. Dang is still one of Hindi cinema’s most memorable villains
- Tridev (1989)
Director: Rajiv Rai
Cast: Sunny Deol, Jackie Shroff, Naseeruddin Shah, Madhuri Dixit, Sonam Khan, Sangeeta Bijlani, Anupam Kher, Amrish Puri
Tridev is a movie about a dreaded villain (Amrish Puri, who else!) who lives in a massive, gadget-laden lair concocting badass rule-them-all plans. He’s surrounded by gun-toting henchmen and finally gets his comeuppance in arguably one of the best 80s Bollywood Action films.
The film pits three distinct heroes against this megalomaniacal crime lord: a rigid police officer (Sunny Deol), a flamboyant drifter (Jackie Shroff), and a rebel with his own moral compass (Naseeruddin Shah).
Their bromance is forged not in heart-to-heart talks, but in car chases, shootouts, and elaborate fight sequences that pepper the film at regular intervals. This was the era of sweaty fists, slow-motion punches, and bullets flying in all directions, and Tridev capitalised on it.
The ladies, Madhuri Dixit, Sonam, and Sangeeta Bijlani, mostly there for glamour and peril, inevitably tied up or trapped until the heroes crash in, guns blazing. Add to that a pumping soundtrack by Kalyanji-Anandji, and you’ve got a film that is about high-octane entertainment. Tridev is where you first hear the song “Oye Oye”, and we’ll have you know that the actor’s actor Naseeruddin Shah is the male lead featured in it. Yes, he said he did for the money.
- Janbaaz (1986)
Director: Feroz Khan
Cast: Feroz Khan, Anil Kapoor, Dimple Kapadia, Sridevi, Shakti Kapoor
Janbaaz isn’t just an action film; it’s Feroz Khan’s exhilarating take on crime, romance, and justice, draped in style and gloss.
Feroz Khan plays Rajesh, a morally driven police officer waging a personal and professional war against drug lords. Anil Kapoor plays his hot-headed, womanizing younger brother Amar, whose charm and recklessness lead him into a doomed love affair with Reshma (Dimple Kapadia).
Villains cross paths with the good guy, and the morally ambiguous Amar makes life miserable for his family. Horses, jeeps, guns, and goondas dominate the landscape of Janbaaz, often considered one among Feroz Khan’s top three films. And as the movie continues, bodies progressively pile up.
If you are into formulaic 80s action films, Janbaaz is that go-to movie for some big brother vs. baby brother drama.
- Qurbani (1980)
Director: Feroz Khan
Cast: Feroz Khan, Vinod Khanna, Zeenat Aman, Amjad Khan, Amrish Puri
Feroz Khan’s Qurbani was the highest-grossing film of 1980. It tells the story of two small-time criminals played by tough guys Vinod Khanna and Feroz Khan, who get embroiled with gangster Rakka (Amrish Puri, once again) while planning a heist of their own.
Car and bike chase sequences, guns, girls, misunderstandings, and chaos ensue. The movie is also famous for Pakistani popstar Nazia Hasan’s song Aap Jaisa Koi and the deliberate crash of a brand new Mercedes car by Feroz Khan for a scene.
Part of the film was shot in London with a foreign crew and stuntmen. This was way before the ’90s craze for foreign locales. Qurbaani is among those 80s hit movies from Bollywood that are still hugely enjoyable today.
And let’s not forget, there’s a very sultry Zeenat Aman flitting in and out of scenes in not-so-demure outfits.
- Arjun (1985)
Director: Rahul Rawail
Cast: Sunny Deol, Dimple Kapadia, Raj Kiran, Anupam Kher
Arjun marked a turning point in Hindi cinema’s portrayal of the urban youth and firmly established Sunny Deol as a top-tier action hero. He plays Arjun Malvankar, an idealistic and unemployed young man who refuses to stay silent in the face of injustice.
Arjun’s world changes when he thrashes a local goon connected to corrupt politician Deen Dayal Trivedi (Prem Chopra). This act of defiance is misunderstood as a move orchestrated by Trivedi’s rival, Shiv Kumar Chowgule (Anupam Kher), who then recruits Arjun to fight on his behalf.
What begins as a sincere rebellion against crime and corruption quickly spirals into political manipulation. Arjun, being used as a pawn in a larger game, begins to realise that Chowgule is just as morally bankrupt as Trivedi.
Betrayed by the very system he hoped to clean up, Arjun momentarily retreats from the fight. But his conscience won’t let him stay away for long. In true vigilante fashion, he returns, determined to take down both corrupt leaders.
Packed with intense action, street fights, and a razor-sharp social undercurrent, Arjun captured the angst of an entire generation and gave Bollywood one of its most powerful angry young men of the ’80s.
It’s A Wrap!
Some of the 80s Hindi action movies are just as rip-roaringly exciting as they were during their release. Action sequences are just as fresh, guns and punches are fired indiscriminately, and the tension mounts to a blazing finale. If you’re looking for classic, must-watch 80s action Bollywood flicks, we’re the database to check out. Head over to our Home Page to browse.
