This story was updated in January 2019.
Table of Contents
Did you know that the first few movies that were made around the world were only a few seconds long? It started when people experimenting with photos in 1878. We lacked sophisticated equipment back then and of course, it was unbelievably expensive to make a movie. Things have changed now – cinema has become a part of our culture, but the internet is changing the game again.
We’re Generation Internet and we munch on videos. From four-hour movies, we’ve come down to mini-series and short films that we can watch in five to 15 minutes. Snacking on them, I found out that there’s one thing that’s common between them all: they always catch you off-guard with their ending.
YouTube has a great collection of binge-watch worthy short films. So if you’re looking for a quick round of entertainment, check out this list of short films to watch on YouTube. But first, one of the shortest film from the 19th century, The Horse In Motion, because this will make you appreciate our cinema and its growth even more.
Let the binge-watching begin!
Comedy Short Films
Romantic-Drama Short Films
Family Short Films
Animated Short Films
Thriller Short Films
Comedy Short Films
Ouch
Directed by Neeraj Pandey, Ouch is a perfect tit-for-tat story. A married man (played by Manoj Bajpayee) is crazy in love, so much so that he’s ready to ditch his family for his girl (Pooja Chopra). But he has no idea about what a hotel visit has in store for him. Want to know more? Go ahead, start watching…You’ll love his priceless expressions, just saying!
Jai Mata Di
Unmarried couples who have spent months looking for a flat in Mumbai will relate to this masterpiece. Navjot Gulati’s Jai Mata Di gives you an epic solution for getting a flat in Mumbai’s posh societies.
Haircut
Anand Tiwari and Sumeet Vyas’s Haircut is the story of a man who was looking forward to a haircut from a fancy salon. Sounds like a simple storyline, right? Well, be ready to see the truth of our society, but with an unexpected perspective.
Fart
There are multiple ways of making someone’s first night memorable, but have you ever wondered what would happen if a couple starts talking about farts instead of romancing each other? Devesh Singh Bora’s Fart is a crazy ride and proves that every couple has its own definition of love.
Romantic-Drama Short Films
Kheer
Kher and his kheer will steal your heart in this one. But the main question is, how would you react if you found out your grandpa is dating someone? Whatever might be your reaction, you will relate to Anupam Kher’s Kheer and you might even crave some while watching. We have to say, Anupam Kher and Natasha Rastogi make one hell of a co
Interior Cafe Night
One year, five years, 20 years or a lifetime, how long can you wait for the love of your life? Adhiraj Bose’s Interior Cafe Night is delight for a lover’s soul. It weaves a tale of love, loss and reunion for different generations. Naseeruddin Shah is at his best in this one and he’s one of the reasons you should hit the play button.
Blindspot
What started from a happy marriage turned into a riot. A wife who discovered her husband’s extramarital affair took a friend’s help to deal with it. But do you think she made a right decision by trusting a friend or should she have just confronted her husband? Watch the film and you’ll have the answer.
White Shirt
How many times can you forget your man, especially, when he repeats the same mistake over and over? Sumit Aroraa’s White Shirt is about an imperfect couple and that makes it even more relatable. If you thought a shirt can’t do much, watch how two lovers can pull out a fortune from it.
Meera
How would you react if your partner told you he wants to leave you? Would you pack his bags and ask him to go and stay with the other woman? Well, Naina did it, and with a smile. Why? You’ll know when you watch the film. P.S. The story is inspired by Meera’s love for Krishna.
Best Girlfriend
If you think you know your partner, Navjot’s Best Girlfriend will make you rethink it. Starring Kritika Kamra and Vikrant Massey, this story is of a live-in couple who seem to think they know each other very well, but they have secrets. Watch to find out what makes her the best girlfriend even so.
Lift
Directed by Ida Ali, Lift is a sweet love story that begins, ends and begins again in a lift. Tanya and Arjun’s story will remind you for your first love. A girl, a guy, a lift and well, all the people who join them in the lift is just the love story you need to see to cheer yourself up.
Family Short Films
Peanut Butter
Imagine meeting your child before it’s born. Talk to it before you’ve even decided a name for it, taking advice from it and dancing with it and especially, the one you’re planning to abort. Would it be beautiful? Would it be terrifying? Well, Gauhar Khan will let you know.
Beti
Her in-laws and her husband desperately want to know if she’s giving birth to a girl or a boy, but her doctor saves the day. But after she gives birth to a beautiful baby girl, her in-laws are unhappy. What will this lead to?
Pure-Veg
Filmmaker Aman Dahiya knows how to create and maintain the right amount of suspense. A girl and a guy move from the beach to a bar and then to the girl’s house. They start living together, love each other, protect each other, but you have a surprise waiting for you at the end of the film.
Juice
While men wait for chai pakode on a comfy couch, women sweat it all out in the kitchen. Will there ever be a permanent solution to these gender roles and stereotyping? Well, Shefali Shah, in this highly expressive short film, has something to say about this.
School Bag
Get ready to shed some tears because this heartbreaking story belongs to a mother, her son and a school bag. What happens after a mother fulfils her son’s innocent wish, will leave your heart sobbing. The film stars Rasika Dugal and child prodigy Sartaaj RK. It’s directed by Dheeraj Jindal.
Nitishastra
Nitishastra has a brilliant take on the lessons taught in the Mahabharata. This short film starring Taapsee Pannu is about women empowerment. It’s a film about a sister who decides to do what’s right after her brother does something unacceptable.
Cheers
When did you last spend time with your mom? Cheers is the story of a son who abandoned his mother 10 years ago because she was an alcoholic and now he comes back to make merry with a liquor bottle but looks like his mother is not the same anymore. Watch the film to know what happens next.
Auntyji
A girl, who is also an acid attack survivor, is all set start her first day of the job. While everyone’s busy judging her, a lonely Parsi widow helps her. Later, the fate brings them together. Having a friend can do wonders and this short film is just another proof.
I Am Pregnant
After being married to Dev for five years, Anshika is unhappy about not having a baby. Her desire of saying ‘I am pregnant’ remains unfulfilled until she spends a day alone and discovers the next morning that she is pregnant, all of a sudden. Her baby has grown much faster than it should and her in-laws have some doubts. Why? Watch the film to know.
Naariyal Ke Laddoo
It’s the story of a husband who takes care of the house while his wife goes to work. The wife manages to combat the disagreements by lying to her in-laws about her husband’s job. Directed by Vivek Soni, Naariyal Ke Laddoo is a perfect love story of a contemporary couple who manage to deal with the ups and downs.
Animated Short Films
Alma
Who knew Pixar could bring something so creepy to the children’s table? A little girl who is surprised to see a doll exactly like her enters the shop. The curious child tries to grab the doll but what happens next is a surprise no one would ever like…
In A Heartbeat
A shy young boy falls in for another young boy and his vulnerable heart follows his love. But will the boy understand him? Let’s watch this short film on YouTube to find out!
Thriller Short Films
Khujli
What happens when a father finds a sex toy in his child’s room? You’re probably imagining a lot of drama and shouting in your head, but looks like father Girdharilal and mother Roopmati have other plans. Get ready from an emotional journey while watching this one.
Chutney
What will a housewife from Ghaziabad do when she finds out that a younger woman is trying to woo her husband? This short film by LargeShortFilms will leave you a little spooked. P.S. You’ll start watching everything you eat after watching Chutney.
Ahalya
Seduction, deceit and lust make for bad friends in this thriller by Sujoy Ghosh. A police officer enters an old man’s house, looking for information on a missing person. His wife, played by Radhika Apte, is almost half her husband’s age and is incredibly attractive. Things are nothing like they appear and he is about to discover just how complicated a situation he is stuck in.
Kriti
You know what you need today? A psychological thriller that’ll give you goosebumps. Manoj Bajpayee and Radhika Apte have never disappointed us, so it’s not a surprise that the script and the act in this masterpiece are brilliant. Sapan is in love with his new girlfriend Kriti but how real is his love? His psychiatrist can tell.
Nayantara’s Necklace
The lives of two women, very different from each other, intertwine in ways none of them could ever have predicted. Directed by Jaydeep Sarkar, this shot film star Konkona Sen and Tillotama Shome. They explore the fabric of the bustling metro cities, up close. This is a story that will send a chill down your spine by the time it ends.
Chhuri
Tisca Chopra’s method of dealing with her husband’s extramarital affair in Chhuri takes the cake, cake stand and the table. It’s a brilliant script and Tisca’s acting will leave an impression.
Uninvited
Ever got a feeling that someone is in your room? Someone is watching you, all the time? An ex-boyfriend forcefully enters his ex-girlfriend’s house and later, tricks her into going out with him, but why? Does he still love her or it’s about something else? Check out in the video below.
Teaspoon
Kavita has been sitting at home for as long as she can remember because her father-in-law is bedridden and sick. She cannot help but feel trapped. Her husband doesn’t seem to understand and then, her husband finds her crying and the reason will catch you off guard.
The Thought Of You
Four friends are having fun on a double dinner date and one of the couple decides to leave the party on not-a-very-happy note. The girl’s on the driver seat and the husband manages to convince her that he’s not having an affair but then, a shocking truth is revealed and the rest is history.
The Housemaid
An employer has been planning to assault his house-help and after he rapes her, she reveals a truth about herself and it freaks him out. Revenge or karma, call it whatever you like.
Anukul
Ever wondered what world will look like if robots started working for us or rather replaced us? Satyajit Ray and Sujoy Ghosh’s Anukul explores a world with lifelike robots. A man brings home an intelligent robot, a rather curious one. He reads and learns from his master, but was he a deal worth keeping? Watch to know.
Weren’t these some of the best short films you’ve seen so far? Wanna watch more? Don’t worry, we’ll keep it coming… Stay tuned!
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