Bollywood Movies With Unresolved Endings: 6 Films We Still Want Closure From

This approach isn't merely a storytelling shortcut. Film theorists Bordwell and Thompson explain in their studies that directors strategically control audience knowledge by withholding either causes or effects, creating suspense and engagement. Open-ended narratives take this technique further by deliberately avoiding complete resolution of the plot's cause-and-effect relationships.

Such narrative strategies transform passive viewers into active participants who debate possibilities and construct their conclusions. This deeper engagement often makes these films more immersive and intellectually stimulating than those with neatly packaged endings. Let's examine six Bollywood films or movies that masterfully employ this technique, leaving audiences still searching for closure years after their release.

Bollywood Movies With Unresolved Endings

Andhadhun (2018)

Sriram Raghavan's neo-noir thriller presents perhaps one of Bollywood's most debated endings. The final scenes leave viewers wondering: Did Akash actually take Simi's corneas? Was the rabbit story real or fabricated to convince Sophie of his innocence?

The film's concluding moments raise perplexing questions that challenge our understanding of the entire narrative. If Akash remained blind, how did he know Simi turned the car around to kill him? And that memorable final scene where he kicks a soda can on the road—was it proof he could see all along? As the character Manohar might say, ‘Naina da kya kasoor’ (what fault of the eyes) if audiences are left puzzled after watching this masterpiece of misdirection.

The Lunchbox (2013)

Ritesh Batra's delicate exploration of loneliness and connection through mistaken lunchbox deliveries concludes with profound ambiguity. As Saajan steps off the train searching for Ila, she simultaneously prepares to leave for Bhutan with her daughter.

The film refuses to show whether they finally meet or remain ships passing in the night. Does Ila follow through with her plan to build a new life in Bhutan alone with her daughter? Or does she create a future with Saajan in Nasik? The bittersweet ending invites viewers to contemplate whether love conquers timing or if timing ultimately dictates our possibilities for connection.

Talvar (2015)

Based on the notorious 2008 Noida double murder case, Meghna Gulzar's crime drama deliberately avoids providing definitive answers. Was justice truly served, or did the system fundamentally fail?

Using the ‘Rashomon effect’—presenting multiple perspectives of the same events through different characters' viewpoints—the film forces viewers to confront their own biases about truth and justice. As the investigation unfolds through competing narratives, the film suggests that the real tragedy extends beyond the crimes themselves to include the unsettling ambiguity that persists even after the verdict, leaving audiences to question what really happened that fateful night.

Badlapur (2015)

Sriram Raghavan's revenge thriller concludes not with triumph but with disquieting questions about the cost of retribution. After dedicating years to avenging his family's murder, Raghu faces a moral abyss when Liak's confession rewrites everything he believed about the past.

Yet Raghu remains trapped in his grief, unable to find peace. As Liak dies taking blame for Raghu's crimes, the final rain-soaked shot offers no catharsis, only the unsettling suggestion that vengeance, even when achieved, may hollow out the avenger rather than heal them. The film leaves viewers pondering whether Raghu's revenge was worth the price he paid.

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No Smoking (2007)

Anurag Kashyap's surrealist psychological thriller defies conventional interpretation, blurring the boundaries between reality and hallucination. While the director once revealed that everything after protagonist K's fall is a dream, this explanation offers little clarity since the dream sequence remains as bizarre as the preceding events.

By the conclusion, K awakens without his fingers, but viewers are left wondering whether he truly escaped the rehabilitation centre's clutches or remains trapped in its nightmarish grip. The film refuses to differentiate between reality and delusion, creating a disorienting experience that mirrors K's own confusion about what constitutes his actual reality.

Udta Punjab (2016)

Abhishek Chaubey's gritty drama about Punjab's drug crisis ends on an enigmatic note that balances hope with uncertainty. When Tommy Singh calls the newly freed Bauria to ask her real name, she playfully responds ‘Mary Jane’ (a slang term for marijuana) before heading toward the sea.

This seemingly hopeful conclusion raises questions. Does her walk into the ocean represent a fresh beginning or foreshadow a tragic end? Meanwhile, other storylines remain equally unresolved. Was justice truly served for Dr Preet's murder? Will Sartaj continue his fight against the region's drug epidemic, or will he be consumed by his brother's guilt? The film presents no easy answers about redemption or resolution.

By refusing to provide neat resolutions, these filmmakers invite audiences to become co-creators of meaning, ensuring their stories continue to provoke discussion and debate long after the theatre lights come up.

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