Movies like Madadayo: 20 to watch next
If you loved Madadayo (1993) — a drama and comedy film directed by Akira Kurosawa — these 20 movies are the closest matches.
The first picks are what fans of Madadayo most often go on to watch; the rest share its genres and themes like based on novel or book, retirement and birthday party. 7 of them are streaming in India right now — each entry shows where.
Where to watch Madadayo →·Get picks for your whole taste →
- 1
From Up on Poppy Hill 2011★ 7.5
Shares: Drama
Yokohama, 1963. Japan is picking itself up from the devastation of World War II and preparing to host the 1964 Olympics—and the mood is one of both optimism and conflict as the young generation struggles to throw off the shackles of a troubled past. Against this backdrop of hope and change, a friendship begins to blossom between high school students Umi and Shun—but a buried secret from their past emerges to cast a shadow on the future and pull them apart.
Stream in India on Netflix
- 2
Tokyo Story 1953★ 8.1
Shares: Drama
The elderly Shukishi and his wife, Tomi, take the long journey from their small seaside village to visit their adult children in Tokyo. Their elder son, Koichi, a doctor, and their daughter, Shige, a hairdresser, don't have much time to spend with their aged parents, and so it falls to Noriko, the widow of their younger son who was killed in the war, to keep her in-laws company.
Stream in India on Tubi TV, Plex
- 3
Monster 2023★ 7.9
Shares: Drama
After an outburst at school involving her son, a concerned single mother demands answers, triggering a sequence of deepening suspicion and turmoil.
Stream in India on Amazon Prime Video, MUBI, MUBI Amazon Channel
- 4
Mr. Morgan's Last Love 2013★ 6.6
Shares: Drama, Comedy
A widowed professor living in Paris develops a special relationship with a younger French woman.
Not on subscription streaming in India right now
- 5
Detachment 2011★ 7.6
Shares: Drama
A chronicle of three weeks in the lives of several high school teachers, administrators and students through the eyes of substitute teacher Henry Barthes. Henry roams from school to school, imparting modes of knowledge, but never staying long enough to form any semblance of sentient attachment.
Not on subscription streaming in India right now
- 6
Dead Poets Society 1989★ 8.3
Shares: Drama
At an elite, old-fashioned boarding school in New England, a passionate English teacher inspires his students to rebel against convention and seize the potential of every day, courting the disdain of the stern headmaster.
Stream in India on JioHotstar, VI movies and tv
- 7
Maborosi 1995★ 7.5
Shares: Drama
A tragedy strikes a young woman's life without warning or reason. She continues living while searching for meaning in a lonely world.
Not on subscription streaming in India right now
- 8
Matilda 1996★ 7.2
Shares: Comedy
Matilda Wormwood is an brilliant and intelligent little girl. Unfortunately, her parents, Harry and Zinnia, fail to see that fact. As time passes, she finally starts school and has a kind teacher, loyal friends, and a terrifying, sadistic headmistress. As she becomes fed up with the constant cruelty, she discovers she has a special gift that she just might be able to use to outwit the unruly adults around her.
Not on subscription streaming in India right now
- 9
Look Back 2024★ 8.2
Shares: Drama
Popular, outgoing Fujino is celebrated by her classmates for her funny comics in the class newspaper. One day, her teacher asks her to share the space with Kyomoto, a truant recluse whose beautiful artwork sparks a competitive fervor in Fujino. What starts as jealousy transforms when Fujino realizes their shared passion for drawing.
Stream in India on Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads
- 10
The Case of Hana & Alice 2015★ 7.3
Shares: Comedy
After transferring to Ishinomori Middle School, Tetsuko "Alice" Arisugawa overhears her classmates discussing a strange rumor. The previous occupant of her seat, a nondescript "Judas," is missing and presumed murdered. Amidst dealing with her mother's undesired meddling in her affairs and warding off her classmates' bullying, the troubled Alice starts to investigate the mystery surrounding Judas' disappearance. The trail of clues leads her to the house of her next-door neighbor, the quirky and reclusive Hana Arai.
Not on subscription streaming in India right now
- 11
Leo 2023★ 7.3
Shares: Comedy
Jaded 74-year-old reptile Leo has been stuck in the same Florida classroom for decades with his terrarium-mate turtle. When he learns he only has one year left to live, he plans to escape to experience life on the outside but instead gets caught up in the problems of his anxious students — including an impossibly mean substitute teacher.
Stream in India on Netflix
- 12
Wood Job! 2014★ 7.4
Shares: Drama, Comedy
After failing his university entrance exam, Yuki Hirano sets his eyes on the role of a forestry trainee. Setting off for training he doubts his decision many times, but eventually after passing the training course, he is sent to Kamusari Village for a year of work experience - where he becomes assimilated with the beauty of nature and the warm-hearted people of the village.
Not on subscription streaming in India right now
- 13
Recess: Taking the Fifth Grade 2003★ 6.6
Shares: Comedy
Everyone's favorite fourth graders have graduated! It's an all-new school year for the kids — and the gang hits the fifth grade running! But they're stopped in their tracks when they discover some unwelcome changes — no pizza, no playground... no lockers! And to make things worse, their teacher turns out to be the cantankerous Miss Finster! It's all too much for T.J., who is determined to find a way to stand up for what the gang believes in and improve the school they love! The fifth grade brings out the best in everyone... even Miss Finster and Principal Prickly!
Not on subscription streaming in India right now
- 14
Kensuke's Kingdom 2024★ 7.1
Shares: Drama
A young boy and his family set off on a sailing trip of a lifetime until a violent storm erupts, sweeping Michael and his dog overboard. After washing up on a remote island, terrified, they struggle to survive and adjust to life alone, One day, Michael discovers he is not alone when he is confronted by a mysterious Japanese man who has lived there secretly since World War II, angry that Michael has arrived. However, as dangerous invaders threaten their fragile island paradise, Michael and the old man, Kensuke, join forces to save their secret world.
Not on subscription streaming in India right now
- 15
Kids Return 1996★ 6.9
Shares: Drama
Shinji and Masaru spend most of their school days harassing fellow classmates and playing pranks. They drop out and Shinji becomes a small-time boxer, while Masaru joins up with a local yakuza gang. However, the world is a tough place.
Not on subscription streaming in India right now
- 16
Miss Stevens 2016★ 6.5
Shares: Comedy, Drama
Stuck at a crossroads in her personal life, it falls on high school English teacher Miss Stevens to chaperone three of her students — Billy, Margot and Sam — on a weekend trip to a drama competition.
Not on subscription streaming in India right now
- 17
Late Autumn 1960★ 7.7
Shares: Drama, Comedy
A woman and her daughter are each forced to contend with an increasing pressure to marry, particularly from three men who knew her late husband.
Not on subscription streaming in India right now
- 18
The Miracle Worker 2000★ 7.3
Shares: Drama
Devoted teacher Anne Sullivan leads deaf, blind and mute Helen Keller out of solitude and helps integrate her into the world.
Not on subscription streaming in India right now
- 19
Barefoot Gen 2 1986★ 6.9
Shares: Drama
Three years after the Hiroshima bombing, a teenager helps a group of orphans to survive and find their new life.
Not on subscription streaming in India right now
- 20
No Regrets for Our Youth 1946★ 6.9
Shares: Drama
After her anti-fascist professor father is dismissed, Yukie navigates love, political repression, and wartime upheaval—ultimately forging her own path in pre- and post-WWII Japan.
Stream in India on Plex