12 Bollywood movies about growing up

Trust Hrishikesh Mukherjee to break conventions with this heroine centric film. A delightful peach of a film with fantastic performances by a teenage Jaya Bachchan and Utpal Dutt, Guddi is a fanboy look at the Bollywood industry of the 70s. We travel with Guddi as she journeys behind the scenes of the film industry and discovers the truth of life. Enhanced by the delicate touch and understanding of a master filmmaker, Guddi is an all time watch for any Bollywood fan. Keep an eye out for the movie references within the movie, fanboys!

The film that made Rishi Kapoor and Dimple Kapadia into teenage hearthrobs, Bobby was another gem from the stable of Raj Kapoor. The story of star crossed lovers from different classes and religions, Bobby was the archetypal tale on first love and its rebellious nature in the face of opposition. Beautifully shot and performed, the film stood out for its music with songs like 'Hum tum ek kamre me band ho' and 'Na maangu sona chandi'. It also launched the second generation of the famous Kapoors into the Indian film industry.

The sight of Aamir Khan in a red jumper swinging on tea leaves was the image of love in the 90's. For the next decade, lovelorn teenagers hung around wearing red sweaters and singing Pehla Nasha. Directed by Mansoor Khan, who also brought us the unforgettable 'Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak', the story of Sanjay Lal Sharma and his life in college was an Indianised version of the 'Archie' comic. The movie saw Sanjay (Aamir Khan) go from being a loser to becoming a champion cyclist. The film was one of the major reasons for the rise of cycle sales in India during the 90s.

This 1999 cult hit by Nagesh Kukunoor took viewers back to the days of boarding schools and hostels. Set in a boarding school for boys, the movie was a take on Nagesh Kukunoor's recollections of life in a boys' school. From first love to friendship and the discovery of sex, the movie makes you laugh at the endearing attempts of young boys coping with their lives in a strict hostel. The soundtrack of the movie garnered attention, with 'Yaaron' by KK becoming the 'farewell' song of the Y2K generation.

Farhan Akhtar's debut film started a trend for films based on the 'yuppie' . In Sid, Aakash and Sameer, audiences found friends they recognised and identified. Every youngster in college wanted to be them or hang out with them. With snazzy music by Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy and brilliant direction from Farhan Akhtar, the film went on to become the definitive film about friendship and growing up in post millenium India.

Farhan Akhtar followed up the story of Dil Chahta Hai with another coming-of-age story in Lakshya. The story of a wayward Karan Shergil who discovers his inner strength and focus during the most troubling time of war was inspirational as much as it was charming. Hrithik Roshan played the part of a reckless, carefree young man with great pizzaz. Some high tempo, funky music by Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy added to the youthful flavour of the movie. When Hrithik made his rubbery moves to the track 'Main aisa kyun hu', he defined every confused young man just out of college.

This fiery tale of the political awakening of lost young men took the nation by a storm. Every movement in history is the product of sacrifices made by the young. Fuelled by powerful performances by Aamir Khan, Siddharth, Waheeda Rehman and Atul Kulkarni, the movie went on to inspire a few movements of its own. Peppered with brilliant music by AR Rehman and handled by a masterful Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra, the movie is a must watch for anyone in need of inspiration.

Long haired young men toting guitars morphed into business executives and henpecked husbands. In Rock On, director Abhishek Kapoor teamed up with Farhan Akhtar to create a story about unhappily ever afters. The tale followed the lives of members of an erstwhile rock band 'Magik' who end up struggling to cope with life outside music. Farhan Akhtar as the sobered rockstar and Arjun Rampal as the rebel without a cause stand out. The film's standard is raised by the rocking music by Vishal-Shekhar, who were themselves members of rock bands in the past. Rock, anger, and listlessness – if that is not growing up, we don't know what is.

Though it is not, technically, a Bollywood film, it would be hard to leave this Oscar winner out. Danny Boyle's magnum opus was shot in the streets of Mumbai in the haphazard manner that becomes him. A gritty, no holds barred take on the life of a young boy making his way out of the slums, Slumdog Millionaire saw Dev Patel grow into a household name with his performance as the protagonist. Gulzar's lyrics add poignancy to the tale of the eternal underdog. But it is AR Rahman's soundtrack that had the world singing 'Jai Ho' to India.

Aamir Khan is the Peter Pan of Indian cinema. No other actor in Hindi cinema has played a leading role as a college student well into his 40s. This delightful comedy by Rajkumar Hirani leads the viewers through a charming tale of growing up under the threat of failure. The story follows three indifferent students in an engineering college as they struggle to keep pace with the growing burdens of their parents expectations. Tinged with a healthy dose of satire that has become the hallmark of Raju Hirani's movies, it is a blockbuster with a heart of gold.

The first movie by Ayan Mukherji was a topic close to his heart. Starring Ranbir Kapoor in the role of the boy who does not want to grow up, the film portrayed the carefree and joie de vivre life of a young man. Anupam Kher throws in a stellar performance as the worried, strict father who wants his son to make something of himself. With some fresh tunes by Amit Trivedi, the movie is definitely a must watch for any kid looking to learn about life.

In his debut venture, Vikramaditya Motwane tackled the issue of teenage angst and an identity crisis with elan. The story of a 17- year old Rohan battled his demons and an abusive father to pursue the dream of being a poet touched the hearts of audiences of all ages. This radically different take on the theme of growing up signalled a milestone in the changing perceptions of Bollywood. The music by Amit Trivedi fuelled by the soulful lyrics of Amitabh Bhattacharya is not to be missed either.