Family Movies on Netflix

Picture this.

It’s Sunday afternoon.

Everyone is home, and the dog is pleased with all the compensatory cuddles he missed out on during the workweek, but as lunchtime rolls around, you want the fun indulgence of pizza or butter chicken to be accompanied by an entertaining movie, too. Whether that movie is an SRK-led entertainer, something more intense, or a fun travel movie that will inspire you to make travel plans, we got you.

Here are five family movies on Netflix that are bound to give you complete control of movie-picking privileges from now on: 

Main Hoon Na (2004)

We bet your family has already watched this movie, or maybe you are introducing it to your younger relatives. Either way, since this movie has been around for 20 years, here are a few reasons why it’s still a family entertainer and worth a rewatch for family movie night.

The film is all heart. Major Ram (Shah Rukh Khan) is an army officer who is undercover at a college at the request of his superior, General Bakshi (Kabir Bedi), to protect his daughter Sanjana (Amrita Rao).

Meanwhile, peace talks are on between India and Pakistan around Project Milaap, which will allow for the release of prisoners of war from both sides. Major Raghavan (Suniel Shetty) is a bitter patriot who doesn’t want this to happen.

Ram’s stepbrother Laxman (Zayed Khan), who is also a student at the same college, and stepmother (Kirron Kher) don’t know who he is. After the demise of their father, Brigadier Shekhar Sharma (Naseeruddin Shah), Ram is on a personal mission to reunite his family. It’s a lot to take in, but Main Hoon Na makes it work.

Despite these two heavy themes, Farah Khan managed to amp up the playfulness to the max. With its peppy songs, fun college romances, comedy thanks to the ever-so-funny Boman Irani, who plays the role of the college principal, spoofy action scenes and the final intense showdown, and the best entry scene in a movie, thanks to Chandni (Sushmita Sen), the movie fires at all ends and is perfect if you want to revisit the classic 2000s vibe.

Raajneeti (2010)

If your family loves political thrillers, this is the one family movie on Netflix you have to watch. The story is a captivating representation of how clandestine relationships, familial betrayal, power struggles, and political intrigue all come together to transform the lives of Prithviraj (Arjun Rampal) and Samar (Ranbir Kapoor), two brothers whose approach to politics is different at best and antithetical at worst.

Love is lost, people are assassinated, and family members are betrayed—the web of personal and professional entanglements leads to chaos that reverberates across multiple lives, including Indu’s (Katrina Kaif), whose soft lover girl era goes through some unfortunate transformations, as she goes from being doe-eyed, pliable and in love to tenacious in the face of grief, and utterly protective of the family’s legacy.

The stunning cast, the meaty narrative, and the thrilling twists make Rajneeti a fun family watch.

Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara (2011)

Why is a road trip movie about three friends a family movie? Well, apart from the visuals of the vibrant flamenco show on the streets of Andalusia, the playful red ambience of the Tomatina festival, and the gorgeous hills on the way to each of their destinations, all of which could lead to a conversation about a potential trip, there’s so much to appreciate.

The songs are like a bear hug and a refreshing drink on a scorching summer day. The poetry is moving, and the performances are stellar across the board in Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara.

Kabir (Abhay Deol), Arjun (Hrithik Roshan) and Imraan (Farhan Akhtar) are on Kabir’s bachelor trip, an adventure across Spain with fun activities like scuba diving and skydiving. Kabir’s fiancée Natasha (Kalki Koechlin) is not a fan of this boys’ trip, which leads to a lot of fights and disagreements between the couple.

Then there’s Laila (Katrina Kaif), their free-spirited scuba driving instructor who is the calm in the storm brewing between Arjun, a tightly wound finance bro and Imraan, who is also on a secret mission to find his biological father, Salman (Naseeruddin Shah) in Spain.

The interplay between the themes of childhood friendship, family, marriage, and growing up and the reflections it leads to is delightful and discomforting all at once, and watching it with your family will just add to the warmth of it all.

Enola Holmes (2020)

A movie about a sibling duo of sleuths in Eighties England has to be on this list. Enola (Millie Bobby Brown) is Sherlock’s (Henry Cavill) teenage sister, and she’s right on the case when their mother, Eudoria (Helena Bonham Carter), goes missing.

If your family likes the mystery genre, this will be a fun watch. Mothers and daughters will bond over this movie, for Eudoria has strived to make Enola an independent woman.

Enola is quite bold about questioning social norms meant for women of the time. The movie is empowering for daughters and a powerful commentary on feminism and independence. Also, if your family grew up reading Sherlock Holmes, you are bound to enjoy it.

The charming cast, the nuanced exploration of family dynamics, and the seamless portrayal of the intricacies of the Victorian period make this a must-watch.

Miss Shetty Mr. Polishetty (2023)

This is a Telugu rom-com that explores an unconventional take on pregnancy, specifically the IUI (intrauterine insemination) process. Anvitha Shetty (Anushka Shetty) is a 30-year-old woman living with her mother in the UK.

Anvitha's mother had a failed marriage. And because of terminal cancer, the mother doesn’t have that much time left. She pressures Anvitha to get married before but Anvitha wants to stay single forever. When her mother passes away, Anvitha toys with the idea of motherhood and needing someone to support her when she’s old and alone, like her mother.

That’s when Anvitha decides to experiment with fertilisation. When she meets Siddhu Polishetty (Naveen Polishetty), a comedian, she decides she wants him to be the donor rather than an unknown man. She gets to know him, and well—sparks fly. Will Siddhu be okay with her suggestion of using him as a donor, and will he be disciplined enough to follow the required guidelines?

The movie is hilarious, and the protagonists have excellent chemistry. The writing is full of witty dialogues and punchy jokes, and there’s not one dull moment in this film. Engaging from start to end, Miss Shetty Mr. Polishetty needs to be on your family watch-list.