Movies like Maniyara (1983)
The best movies like Maniyara (1983) are Inside I'm Dancing (2004), Bobby Jones: Stroke of Genius (2004) and Hungry Hearts (2015). If Maniyara hooked you with its drama, these 30 similar films are what to watch next, and every pick says why it matches.
Quick picks
- Highest ratedDoctor Who: A Christmas Carol (2010)8.0/10 from 251 votes
- NewestEleanor the Great (2025)Released 2025
- In MalayalamEnte Hridayathinte Udama (2002)Also in Malayalam
Inside I'm Dancing (2004)
Michael is a 24-year-old who has cerebral palsy and long-term resident of the Carrigmore Residential Home for the Disabled, run by the formidable Eileen. His life is transformed when the maverick Rory O'Shea moves in.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama
Worth the HypeMovies like thisBobby Jones: Stroke of Genius (2004)
The story of golf icon and legend, Bobby Jones, who retired from competition at the tender age of 28.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama
SnoozefestMovies like thisHungry Hearts (2015)
The relationship of a couple who meet by chance in New York City is put to the test when they encounter a life or death circumstance.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisEleanor the Great (2025)
94-year-old Eleanor Morgenstein tries to rebuild her life after the death of her best friend. As a result, she moves back to New York City after living in Florida for decades.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThe Color of Friendship (2000)
Mahree Bok lives on a farm in South Africa. Her father is a policeman who cannot hide his joy when activist Steve Biko is caught by the South African authorities. Piper Dellums is the daughter of a US congressman from California and who lives in a nice home in Washington DC. When Mahree is chosen to spend a semester at the Dellums' house, she doesn't expect that her host family would be black. Nor do her hosts suspect that she is not a black South African.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisA Question of Faith (2017)
When Tragedy Strikes three Families, their Destiny forces them on a coverging path and mercy as the challenges of their fate could also resurrect their beliefs
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama
Worth the HypeMovies like thisHere (2024)
An odyssey through time and memory, centered on a place in New Jersey where—from wilderness, and then, later, from a home—love, loss, struggle, hope and legacy play out between couples and families over generations.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThe Good Witch's Gift (2010)
Almost as soon as Jake and Cassie decide to get married on Christmas Eve, complications arise.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama
Worth the HypeMovies like thisLittle Lord Fauntleroy (1980)
Young Cedric Errol and his widowed mother live in genteel poverty in 1880s Brooklyn after the death of his father. Cedric's grandfather, the Earl of Dorincourt, has long ago disowned his son for marrying an American. But after the death of the Earl's remaining son, he decides to accept Cedric as his heir.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama
Worth the HypeMovies like thisWaiting for Anya (2020)
During the harrows of WWII, Jo, a young shepherd along with the help of the widow Horcada, helps to smuggle Jewish children across the border from southern France into Spain.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisWhere the Red Fern Grows (1974)
Billy Coleman works hard and saves his earnings for two years to achieve his dream of buying two red-bone coonhound pups. He develops a new trust in life as he faces overwhelming challenges in adventure and tragedy roaming the river bottoms of Cherokee country with his dogs, Old Dan and Little Ann.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisBlue Chips (1994)
Pete Bell, a college basketball coach is under a lot of pressure. His team isn't winning and he cannot attract new players. The stars of the future are secretly being paid by boosters. This practice is forbidden in the college game, but Pete is desperate and has pressures from all around.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisDoctor Who: A Christmas Carol (2010)
Amy Pond and Rory Williams are trapped on a crashing space liner, and the only way the Eleventh Doctor can rescue them is to save the soul of a lonely old miser. But is Kazran Sardick, the richest man in Sardicktown, beyond redemption? And what is lurking in the fogs of Christmas Eve?
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama
Absolute CinemaMovies like thisThe Locket (1946)
A dark personal secret drives a young woman to use every man she encounters.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisWhere the Red Fern Grows (2003)
Set in the Ozark Mountains during the Great Depression, Billy Coleman works hard and saves his earnings for 2 years to achieve his dream of buying two coonhound pups. He develops a new trust in God as he faces overwhelming challenges in adventure and tragedy roaming the river bottoms of Cherokee country with "Old Dan" and "Little Ann."
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisFlicka (2006)
Katy McLaughlin desires to work on her family's mountainside horse ranch, although her father insists she finish boarding school. Katy finds a mustang in the hills near her ranch. The headstrong 16 year old then sets her mind to tame a mustang and prove to her father she can run the ranch. But when tragedy happens, it will take all the love and strength the family can muster to restore hope.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisBattleground (1949)
Members of the U.S. Army's 101st Airborne Division are fighting for their country amidst the rugged terrain of Bastogne, Belgium, in December 1944. Holley and his American compatriots have already seen one of their own, Roderigues, perish under enemy fire. The men try to rebuff another series of Nazi attacks, but what they really need is a change in the weather. Without clear skies, they'll never get the air support they need.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThe Book of Daniel (2013)
Taken into slavery after the fall of Jerusalem in 605 B.C., Daniel is forced to serve the most powerful king in the world, King Nebuchadnezzar. Faced with imminent death, Daniel proves himself a trusted Advisor and is placed among the king's wise men. Threatened by death at every turn Daniel never ceases to serve the king until he is forced to choose between serving the king or honoring God. With his life at stake, Daniel has nothing but his faith to stand between him and the lions' den.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama
Worth the HypeMovies like thisKid Galahad (1962)
After completing military service, Walter Gulick takes a job as a sparring partner at a gym, the owner of which sees potential in Walter as a professional fighter—and takes him under his wing.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisSkater Girl (2021)
Prerna, a teenager growing up in rural India, comes of age when she’s introduced to the sport of skateboarding. As a result, she has to fight the odds to follow her dreams and compete in the national championship.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama
Worth the HypeMovies like thisEnte Hridayathinte Udama (2002)
Ente Hridayathinte Udama movie is about a lonely woman Uma who college teacher meets Pavitran who is a political activist. When he revolts against the practices of corruption within the party he is silenced. It is a murder ordered by the vested groups in the party.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both drama
Puzhayozhukum Vazhi (1985)
Puzhayozhukum Vazhi is a 1985 Indian Malayalam film, directed by M. Krishnan Nair and produced by Joly Paulson. The film stars Mammootty, Jagathy Sreekumar, Venu Nagavally and Prameela in lead roles. The film had a musical score by Raveendran.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both drama
Kathodu Kathoram (1985)
Marykutty, a single mother, lives alone with her child. However, her life changes when she crosses paths with Louis, a man with mild autism.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both drama
Idanilangal (1985)
A helpless lady, while trying to defend herself from being molested, commits a crime and loses her home and family. Later, she meets Balan, a wise man, who decides to help her.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both drama
Yathra (1985)
Based upon the human rights violations by the police and the prison authorities in India during the emergency of 1975–1977, the film tells the story of Unnikrishnan, an ex-convict. Recently released from prison, Unnikrishnan relays his life story to fellow passengers on a bus. He tells of his orphan upbringing, career as a forest official, and love for a young woman named Thulasi, whom he promised he'd marry, before he was erroneously arrested for a crime he did not commit.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both drama
Khaidi No.786 (1988)
Khaidi No.786 is action drama based movie in which, Gopi (Chiranjeevi) is a music master brought up by Satyanarayana and Nutan prasad in a village. He wants to become a police constable. Surya Chandra Rao (Kota Srinivasa Rao) is a rich man in the village with his daughter Radha (Bhanupriya) who is head strong and proud of her riches. In a brawl with Gopi, she seeks revenge and acts as his disciple wanting to learn music and later accuses him of attempting to rape her with the help of new SI of the village.Asirayya (Mohan Babu) but later realises her mistake and his good nature and falls in love with him. Though reluctant to marry her, Gopi is convinced to accept her into his life and they marry. Surya Chandra Rao is enraged by this and sends a goon to kill him and in a fight the goon loses and Gopi leaves him at Surya Chandra Rao
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both drama
Shivudu Shivudu Shivudu (1983)
Sivudu Sivudu Sivudu is action drama based movie in which, Chiranjeevi is a downtrodden villager named Sivudu who just wants to live along in his small world with his lady love (radhika) but falls as prey to the oppressors who are wealthy and powerful who beat him almost to death and kill his lover.He is rescued by a Guru (Jaggaiah) who trains him like a soldier and names him Shivudu to fight the Diwan ( RaoGopalrao) under the Jamindar (Gollapudi) and his tyrannic daughter (Radhika in dual role) who thinks she has Blue Blood.Sivudu’s aim is to rescue the villagers from a secret place where they all are help captive and also get rid of Diwan and restore peace.Radhika later learns that she is the daughter of a servant but not of Jamindar and falls for Sivudu.The rest of story is about how all ends well.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both drama
Simhapoori Simham (1983)
Simhapoori Simham is a 1983 Telugu film directed by . The film stars Chiranjeevi, Radhika Sarathkumar, Madhavi and Maruthirao Gollapudi in lead roles.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both drama
Like Maniyara and something else?
Blend two favourites and we’ll find the films in between.
Frequently asked questions
What are the best movies like Maniyara?
The closest matches to Maniyara are Inside I'm Dancing (2004), Bobby Jones: Stroke of Genius (2004) and Hungry Hearts (2015). Below are 27 more, each with the reason it matches.
What should I watch after Maniyara?
Start with Inside I'm Dancing (2004), the closest match to Maniyara.
What is the highest-rated movie like Maniyara?
Doctor Who: A Christmas Carol (2010), rated 8.0/10 by 251 TMDB users.
What is the newest movie like Maniyara?
Eleanor the Great (2025) is the most recent release on this list.
Are there Malayalam movies like Maniyara?
Yes: Ente Hridayathinte Udama (2002), Oru Sandesam Koodi (1985) and Puzhayozhukum Vazhi (1985).
How are movies similar to Maniyara chosen?
First come films that Trakt’s viewers watch alongside Maniyara, then TMDB’s recommendations and films it rates as similar in story and genre. Each pick says which signal put it there.