Movies like Puli Bebbuli (1983)
The best movies like Puli Bebbuli (1983) are The Christmas Shoes (2002), Hungry Hearts (2015) and All Together Now (2020). If Puli Bebbuli hooked you with its drama, these 30 similar films are what to watch next, and every pick says why it matches.
Quick picks
- Highest ratedWhere Hope Grows (2014)7.9/10 from 232 votes
- NewestEleanor the Great (2025)Released 2025
- In TeluguRangasthalam (2018)Also in Telugu
The Christmas Shoes (2002)
Two separate stories mesh - in the first, a young music teacher, Maggie Andrews, begins dying of a heart condition and her son Nathan tries to get a pair of Christmas shoes for her before she dies. In the second, lawyer Robert Layton and his wife Kate are slowly drifting apart and the matter comes to a head during Christmas when Kate takes over for Maggie for the school choir.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama
Popcorn FlickMovies 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 thisAll Together Now (2020)
An optimistic, talented teen clings to a huge secret: she's homeless and living on a school bus. When tragedy strikes, can she learn to accept a helping hand?
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisHurry Sundown (1967)
A ruthless Southern opportunist tries to buy his cousin's land, and when thwarted, brings several tragedies to the lives of his loved ones.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisRangasthalam (2018)
Chitti Babu begins to suspect his elder brother's life is in danger after they team up to lock horns with their village president and overthrow his unlawful 30 year old regime.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama
Worth the HypeMovies like thisReturn (2011)
Back from a tour of duty, Kelli struggles to find her place in her family and the rust-belt town she no longer recognizes.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisChatrapathi (2005)
Sivaji and his family are uprooted from their community in Sri Lanka and wind up as bonded labourers in Vishakhapatnam. Like his legendary namesake, he rises up to become the saviour of the oppressed.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama
Worth the HypeMovies like thisThe Truth About Emanuel (2013)
A troubled young woman becomes obsessed with her mysterious new neighbor, who bears a striking resemblance to the girl's dead mother.
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 thisWon't Back Down (2012)
Jamie Fitzpatrick and Nona Alberts are two women from opposites sides of the social and economic track, but they have one thing in common: a mission to fix their community's broken school and ensure a bright future for their children. The two women refuse to let any obstacles stand in their way as they battle a bureaucracy that's hopelessly mired in traditional thinking, and they seek to re-energize a faculty that has lost its passion for teaching.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisAravinda Sametha... Veera Raghava (2018)
A young scion of a powerful family with a long history of violence decides to put an end to the bloodshed which leads him to a path of self discovery.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama
Worth the HypeMovies like thisWhere Hope Grows (2014)
Calvin Campbell is a former professional baseball player sent to an early retirement due to his panic attacks at the plate. Even though he had all the talent for the big leagues, he struggles with the curveballs life has thrown him. Today, he mindlessly sleepwalks through his days and the challenge of raising his teenager daughter. His life is in a slow downward spiral when it is suddenly awakened and invigorated by the most unlikely person – Produce, a young-man with Down syndrome who works at the local grocery store.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama
Absolute CinemaMovies 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 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 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 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 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 thisAn American Girl: Chrissa Stands Strong (2009)
A fourth grader and her friends deal with bullying from a more popular girl in their class.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisInside 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 thisFast Girls (2012)
A street smart runner develops an intense rivalry with an equally ambitious wealthy young athlete.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisSesham Kazhchayil (1983)
Sankar Mohan (Master Sujith) is a spoilt child of a wealthy widower Mr. Varma (Ummer). Fed up about having to change schools multiple times due to his behaviour, Mr. Varma appoints a teacher Lathika (Menaka) to homeschool Sankar. The duo get along well; but eventually the child starts getting possessive about Lathika. Meanwhile Lathika starts falling for Sankar's swimming coach (Mammootty) who is a playboy much to the chagrin of Shankar.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both drama
Maniyara (1983)
Noorjahan and Sabna get married into the same family. While Sabna brings good dowry with her, poor Noorjahan is treated like a servant by her mother-in-law.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both drama
Naanayam (1983)
Two stepbrothers take over their parents' business after their demise. They face many problems when their father's enemies plot against them.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both drama
Chakravalam Chuvannappol (1983)
Blind Vasu's sister Prabha commits suicide as her lover ditched her. Vasu wants to restore his eyesight to recognise the person and kill him.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both drama
Oru Mukham Pala Mukham (1983)
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both drama
Koodevide? (1983)
Alice is a teacher at a boarding school in Ooty. A prodigal and unruly son of a Member of Parliament Xavier Puthooran, Ravi Puthooran joins the school in Alice's class. Alice manages to mentor him into a good student.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both drama
Aa Raathri (1983)
Ravi and Indu are a happily married couple who live in Trivandrum. On a train journey back from Ernakulam they meet a girl Radha. She ran away from home to escape from her abusive stepfather and her only hope is to find her cousin Venu in Trivandrum, but is unaware of his wherabouts. Ravi and Indu take her in to their house and decides to help her find Venu.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both drama
Pinnilavu (1983)
Kesava Panickar is an honest government engineer. His only son Govindanunni is getting admission in a medical college. However, he gets into bad company and he indulges in vices. Will his love, Parvathi be able to bring him back on the right path?
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both drama
Like Puli Bebbuli and something else?
Blend two favourites and we’ll find the films in between.
Frequently asked questions
What are the best movies like Puli Bebbuli?
The closest matches to Puli Bebbuli are The Christmas Shoes (2002), Hungry Hearts (2015) and All Together Now (2020). Below are 27 more, each with the reason it matches.
What should I watch after Puli Bebbuli?
Start with The Christmas Shoes (2002), the closest match to Puli Bebbuli.
What is the highest-rated movie like Puli Bebbuli?
Where Hope Grows (2014), rated 7.9/10 by 232 TMDB users.
What is the newest movie like Puli Bebbuli?
Eleanor the Great (2025) is the most recent release on this list.
Are there Telugu movies like Puli Bebbuli?
Yes: Rangasthalam (2018), Chatrapathi (2005) and Aravinda Sametha... Veera Raghava (2018).
How are movies similar to Puli Bebbuli chosen?
First come films that Trakt’s viewers watch alongside Puli Bebbuli, then TMDB’s recommendations and films it rates as similar in story and genre. Each pick says which signal put it there.