Ahead of Ohh My Dog, revisit 10 unforgettable Indian films where animals weren’t just companions but the true stars of the story.
IMAGE: A scene from Ohh My Dog.
Key Points
- A look at 10 memorable Indian films where animals played central roles in heartwarming, adventurous and emotional stories.
- From loyal dogs and majestic elephants to a revenge-seeking housefly and a deadly crocodile, these films showcase the many ways animals have enriched Indian cinema.
- Featuring classics like Haathi Mere Saathi alongside modern favourites such as 777 Charlie, Valatty and Neymar, these films prove that some of cinema’s biggest stars don’t need to be human.
After blending satire on sex education with mythological elements in the hit OMG 2, director Amit Rai is returning with his third film, whose title feels like a playful tribute to his previous outing.
Living up to that name, Ohh My Dog revolves around the friendship between a child and a street dog that takes an unexpected turn when the dog runs away from home. Interestingly, both the teaser and trailer feature the song Mere Paas Aao Mere Doston from the 1979 film Mr Natwarlal, which had Amitabh Bachchan and Rekha famously taking on a tiger.
Animals have carved out some memorable spaces in cinema. There have been many iconic films featuring animals in prominent roles.
They may not be central to the plot but are still memorable enough to leave a lasting impression, like the famous Tuffy the dog from Hum Aapke Hain Koun..!, Govinda and Chunky Pandey’s partner-in-crime chimpanzee in Aankhen, or the Mehras’ philosophical dog in Dil Dhadakne Do.
There are also times when the animals take centrestage, with the narratives revolving almost entirely around them. Just like Ohh My Dog.
Sreeju Sudhakaran, dedicating it to all animal lovers, picks 10 memorable movies from Indian Cinema that featured animal characters in more central roles.
Haathi Mere Saathi (1971)
Language: Hindi
Where To Watch: JioHotstar
IMAGE: Rajesh Khanna and Tanuja in Haathi Mere Saathi.
I have often read articles and features about how the death of the horse Artax in The Never Ending Story depressed an entire generation in America. Or, for that matter, the killing of Bambi’s mother in Bambi.
For those of us who grew up on Bollywood movies, that film was Haathi Mere Saathi. The sacrifice of Ramu the elephant in the climax still leaves many of us traumatised.
Scripted by Salim-Javed, Haathi Mere Saathi is an emotional exploration of the friendship between a young man (Rajesh Khanna) and his elephants, a bond that is tested after he gets married.
The relationship between the man and the animals is beautifully portrayed, leading to a devastating ending that broke many hearts. And still does.
Teri Meherbaniyan (1985)
Language: Hindi
Where To Watch: Zee5
IMAGE: Jackie Shroff in Teri Meherbaniyan.
Teri Meherbaniyan broke the rules of the revenge drama by featuring a dog on a vengeance spree after his master and his girlfriend are killed.
‘Good boy’ Moti not only brutally kills the three villains responsible for his master’s death, he also places a rose on his master’s grave after every killing. Awww!
Possibly remembering the iconic status of this film, Jackie Shroff starred in another movie, Izzat, a few years later, which also featured his friendship with a dog.
This time, however, Jackie himself is the one seeking revenge, though thankfully the dog isn’t the reason behind it.
Gajakesariyogam (1990)
Language: Malayalam
Where To Watch: YouTube
IMAGE: Sunitha, KPAC Lalitha and Innocent in Gajakesariyogam.
Considering the elephant is Kerala’s state animal and its significance in the state’s festivals and temple customs, it is no surprise that Malayalam cinema has made plenty of films featuring elephants.
A personal guilty pleasure favourite of mine is P G Viswambharan’s Gajakesariyogam, a heartwarming family entertainer that still holds up well.
Innocent plays a former mahout who, despite his poor financial condition, dreams of owning an elephant, much to the chagrin of his wife, brilliantly played by KPAC Lalitha. When he finally buys a circus elephant at a bargain price, the pachyderm, who understands only Hindi, gives him endless headaches.
Also starring Mukesh, Jagadish, Sunitha and Mammukoya, the film draws plenty of laughs from the elephant’s antics, who was controversially named ‘Sreevidya’, while also finding genuine warmth in the camaraderie that develops between the animal and its frustrated yet caring owner.
Delhi Safari (2012)
Language: Hindi
Where To Watch: YouTube
IMAGE: A scene from Delhi Safari.
Bollywood doesn’t make many animated films, and there is a reason for that. Most of them are utterly forgettable, while the rare good ones never make much money at the box office.
Nikkhil Advani‘s Delhi Safari belongs to the latter category. It is a sweet and funny film with an emotional core and a worthy social message, backed by a star-studded voice cast that includes Govinda, Suniel Shetty, Akshaye Khanna, Urmila Matondkar, Boman Irani and Sanjay Mishra, among others.
The story follows a group of assorted animals who leave their forest to travel to the capital and meet the Prime Minister to prevent the destruction of their home.
The most entertaining aspect of the film is the constant sparring between the monkey and the parrot, thanks to Govinda and Akshaye Khanna’s hilarious exchanges.
Eega (2012)
Language: Telugu
Where To Watch: Prime Video and JioHotstar
IMAGE: Kichcha Sudeepa in Eega.
There is a reason why S S Rajamouli is called a visionary filmmaker. He turned a bicycle into a comic character in Maryada Ramanna and then transformed a housefly into a revenge-seeking hero in Eega (released in Tamil as Naan Ee).
Yup, he made you root for and sympathise with the same annoying insect that sits on filth and refuses to leave you alone no matter how much you swat at it.
The film follows a young man (Nani) who is murdered and reincarnated as a housefly, doing everything he can to protect his girlfriend (Samantha Ruth Prabhu) from a besotted businessman (Kichcha Sudeepa).
The scenes of the fly tormenting the villain are outrageously inventive and hilarious, with much of the credit going to the Kannada superstar’s performance.
Kumki (2012)
Language: Tamil
Where To Watch: Prime Video, Z5 and SunNXT
IMAGE: Vikram Prabhu in Kumki.
As you can see from this list, dogs face stiff competition from elephants for the title of man’s most loyal friend, at least on screen.
Prabhu Solomon’s Kumki is a love story not just between two humans but also between a man and his beloved elephant. Vikram Prabhu made his debut as a leading man in the film, playing a mahout who uses his pet elephant to lure destructive wild elephants into captivity.
With a forbidden romance blooming alongside, the film turns dark and tragic when a wild elephant goes on a killing spree and the hero elephant can stop it only at the cost of his own life. Dammit, Indian cinema, why do you love killing elephants?
777 Charlie (2022)
Language: Kannada
Where To Watch: Prime Video and JioHotstar
IMAGE: Rakshit Shetty in 777 Charlie.
777 Charlie is one of the most heartbreaking films to come out of Kannada cinema this decade, and much of that comes from the touching relationship between a lonely man and a Labrador, both carrying emotional scars and slowly healing through each other’s companionship.
Starring Rakshit Shetty in the lead, the scenes between him and Charlie will melt your heart before breaking it into pieces.
A must-watch whether you are a dog lover or not. And if you are not, you would start looking at the species in a kinder manner, after watching the movie.
Neymar (2023)
Language: Malayalam
Where To Watch: JioHotstar
IMAGE: Mathew Thomas and Naslen in Neymar.
Mathew Thomas and Naslen’s pairing almost became a subgenre in Malayalam cinema, with Thanneer Mathan Dinangal and Premalu being the high points.
Neymar, while not quite reaching those heights, is another entertaining outing starring them as two best friends that also features a third hero, a mischievous dog named after the famous footballer.
What’s more, the film turns into a sports drama centred around its canine protagonist, who steals the show left, right and centre.
Valatty (2023)
Language: Malayalam
Where To Watch: JioHotstar
IMAGE: A scene from Valatty.
Valatty is an interesting and fun experiment from Malayalam cinema, a live-action film centred around dogs that also doubles as a tender star-crossed love story between Tomy, a Golden Retriever, and Amalu, a Cocker Spaniel.
The animals are voiced by popular actors like Roshan Mathew, Raveena Ravi, Naslen, Soubin Shahir, Aju Varghese, Sunny Wayne and Indrans.
Valatty may not appeal to everyone, but children are sure to love the animals’ antics, and there is genuine heart in the central love story. Not to mention, the song Shwanare became an enjoyable viral sensation.
Tu Yaa Main (2026)
Language: Hindi
Where To Watch: Netflix
IMAGE: Adarsh Gourav in Tu Yaa Main.
In all the films mentioned above, the animals are essentially the protagonists. But if you put a crocodile in a film featuring humans, there is very little chance it is going to see you as a friend, much less anything other than its next meal.
A remake of the Thai film The Pool, Bejoy Nambiar’s survival thriller sees a young influencer couple, played by Adarsh Gourav and Shanaya Kapoor, trapped inside an empty resort swimming pool with a pregnant, very hungry crocodile for company.
The croc certainly enjoys a few human snacks before the film is over, and makes for a very terrifying antagonist.
There is also a dog in the mix, but the less you know about what happens to it, the better.
Photographs curated by Satish Bodas/Rediff
