Movies like Appu (1990)
The best movies like Appu (1990) are The Truth About Emanuel (2013), The Color of Friendship (2000) and Hungry Hearts (2015). If Appu hooked you with its drama, these 30 similar films are what to watch next, and every pick says why it matches.
Quick picks
- Highest ratedLittle Lord Fauntleroy (1980)7.3/10 from 326 votes
- NewestEleanor the Great (2025)Released 2025
- In MalayalamRDX: Robert Dony Xavier (2023)Also in Malayalam
The 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 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 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 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 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 thisHeidi (2005)
Swiss girl Adelheid 'Heidi' is orphaned young. Aunt Detie brings her to grandpa Alp and his wife, who live isolated in the Alps since his murder charge. Heidi soon takes to the wild country, especially accompanying young goatherd Peter. Grandpa refuses to send her to school in the city, but aunt Detie returns and forces him to give in. She's sent to a posh lady in Frankfurt, where she'll be a companion for crippled daughter Clara after school hours.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama
Worth the HypeMovies 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 thisRDX: Robert Dony Xavier (2023)
Once-menacing, anger fueled, trained martial arts fighters Robert, Dony and Xavier settle down to peaceful lives, after a significant event prompts them. Fate orchestrates their reunion and return from exile to their fighting ways, when their history linger ominously and one of them faces a violent attack.
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 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 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 thisLast Ride (2009)
A young boy travels across Australia with his father, who's wanted by the law.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama
Popcorn FlickMovies 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 thisI Believe (2019)
A 9 year old boy experiences God's power in a supernatural way.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama
Worth the HypeMovies like thisSeeds of Yesterday (2015)
The Sheffield family reveal and go through some home truths as their middle child inherits the Foxworth mansion. The family's ghosts looming over, and more tragedies are in store as the curse lives on.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama
Popcorn FlickMovies 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 thisMansfield Park (2007)
Fanny Price is sent to live with her wealthy relatives, the Bertrams, where she is treated poorly by most except her cousin Edmund. Her life is complicated by the arrival of the worldly Mary and Henry Crawford
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThe 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 thisThe Keys of the Kingdom (1944)
A young priest, Father Chisholm is sent to China to establish a Catholic parish among the non-Christian Chinese. While his boyhood friend, also a priest, flourishes in his calling as a priest in a more Christian area of the world, Father Chisholm struggles. He encounters hostility, isolation, disease, poverty and a variety of set backs which humble him, but make him more determined than ever to succeed.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama
Worth the HypeMovies like thisNational Theatre Live: Hamlet (2015)
As a country arms itself for war, a family tears itself apart. Forced to avenge his father's death but paralyzed by the task ahead, Hamlet rages against the impossibility of his predicament, threatening both his sanity and the security of the state.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama
Worth the HypeMovies like thisAnantaram (1987)
A young man narrates two conflicting accounts of his life, changing the details and incidents in both, as he slowly approaches madness.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both drama
Mangana Kaiyalli Manikya (2013)
Mangana Kaiyalli Manikya is a complete comedy entertainer. Harshika Poonachha will be seen in the role of an assistant director in the film. Rangayana Raghu, Ravishankar Gowda and Sonia Gowda are in the important roles.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both drama
Rangappa Hogbittana (2011)
Rangappa Hogbitna movie is all about a dying old man, who refuses to die, but a bunch of selfish relatives and his son caught in the mess. In short, it is a simple no-frills fun movie.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both drama
Crazy Kutumba (2010)
Crazy Kutumba is the story of a dysfunctional family bonding during a journey from Bijapur to Bangalore to participate in a TV reality show. A drunkard angry-old man, an aspiring inventor, a fitness freak-fatso, an ideal wife, a cute little dancer girl and a kleptomaniac guy all from the same family fight, scream, laugh, tease, sing, dance and generally have a fun-filled yet highly emotional journey from their small rural hometown to big city in a hope of making all their dreams come true.It’s the journey of discovery of all their strengths and weaknesses. With every new obstacle on the way, the family becomes stronger and realizes the potential of their unity. The film is about dreams of everyone and giving hope that dreams, however big, do come true.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both drama
Naanu Nanna Kanasu (2010)
Naanu Nanna Kanasu is the depiction of a father’s narration of his own coming-of-age, with the birth and growth of his daughter. It is a remake of tamil movie, “Abhiyum Naanum”.Uthappa (Prakash Raj), who encounters a chance to meet a young father Jayanth (Ramesh Aravind) and his daughter, on his morning walk. As they introduce themselves to each other, going past the hilarity of the nature of their rendezvous Uthappa begins to narrate to Jayanth how it was to bring up his own daughter, Kanasu (Amoolya).Sharing the better half of this journey of Uthappa’s, is his wife and soulmate Kalpana (Sithara) who is seen to be the saner voice in the Uthappa household. Being quite literally, a letter from a father to a daughter, the story stands testament to the oft-quoted
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both drama
Accident (2008)
Accident is all about the repercussion and aftermath of a fatal and gruesome incident.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both drama
Soundarya (2007)
Soundarya film is the upper middle class family story who is an industrialist, his wife and daughter are dragged in the mafia land dealings.But he want to lead a peaceful life.mafia threaten the life.Finally, he involves in a criminal action innocently.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both drama
Sathyavan Savithri (2007)
Sathyavan Savithri is a 2007 Kannada film directed by Ramesh Aravind and produced by Ajay Chandani. The film stars Ramesh Aravind, Jennifer Kotwal, Mohan Shankar, and Aniruddh in lead roles. Gurukiran composed the Music. Sathyavan, a dentist, flirts with women and does not believe in marriage. But when his grandfather decides to donate their ancestral property, Sathyavan reconsiders his decision to get married.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both drama
Ekadanta (2007)
Ekadhantha revolves around a couple and they don't have child.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both drama
A Aa E Ee (2006)
A Aa E Ee is a 2006 Kannada film directed by N R Nanjunde Gowda and produced by Nagaraj. The film stars Ramesh Aravind and Prema in lead roles.Music was composed by V Manohar.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both drama
Like Appu and something else?
Blend two favourites and we’ll find the films in between.
Frequently asked questions
What are the best movies like Appu?
The closest matches to Appu are The Truth About Emanuel (2013), The Color of Friendship (2000) and Hungry Hearts (2015). Below are 27 more, each with the reason it matches.
What should I watch after Appu?
Start with The Truth About Emanuel (2013), the closest match to Appu.
What is the highest-rated movie like Appu?
Little Lord Fauntleroy (1980), rated 7.3/10 by 326 TMDB users.
What is the newest movie like Appu?
Eleanor the Great (2025) is the most recent release on this list.
Are there Malayalam movies like Appu?
Yes: RDX: Robert Dony Xavier (2023) and Anantaram (1987).
How are movies similar to Appu chosen?
First come films that Trakt’s viewers watch alongside Appu, then TMDB’s recommendations and films it rates as similar in story and genre. Each pick says which signal put it there.