SPOTLIGHT: 10 Must Watch Bollywood Movies Of The 80’s

'MAINE PYAR KIYA' (1989)

'Maine Pyar Kiya' features a sweet and romantic love story between a couple who focus on the importance of friendship prior to pursuing a romantic relationship. When economic status and ego come between their love, a spoiled young man has to earn his place in the world, to prove that his love is pure.

The film features powerful performances by everyone involved, and helped establish the Sooraj Barjatya brand of wholesome entertaining films, one that's been majorly successful over the years, most recently with 'Prem Ratan Dhan Payo'.

Before he was a shirtless, hulking, epitome of machismo for the common working man of India, Salman Khan was a scrawny pretty boy who woo'd with his unabashed eye-flirting, more so than his muscles. The debut of Salman Khan the hero, sees him as the romantic lead in a movie that he had to be convinced to do.

Writer - Director Sooraj Barjatya had to convince Khan, who wanted to follow in his father's footsteps more as a writer within Bollywood than actor. Khan finally agreed, hoping that getting his foot in the door as an actor will help his screenwriting career. Salman Khan was finally given a story credit for his film 'Veer' in 2010.

Why you should watch it: See Salman Khan as a fresh faced newbie, before the controversies, questionable film choices and before he pigeon holed himself as a brand instead of a credible actor. Experience the beginning of the Khan-Barjatya relationship that spanned for decades resulting in many family friendly super successful films. The movie also marks the beginning in the new era of romantic films that the 1990s become synonymous within a few years of the release of this film.