Movies like The Music Lovers: 20 to watch next
If you loved The Music Lovers (1971) — a drama and music film directed by Ken Russell — these 20 movies are the closest matches.
The first picks are what fans of The Music Lovers most often go on to watch; the rest share its genres and themes like composer, biography and historical figure. 5 of them are streaming in India right now — each entry shows where.
Where to watch The Music Lovers →·Get picks for your whole taste →
- 1
Wilde 1997★ 6.6
Shares: Drama
Oscar Wilde is a married playwright who has occasionally indulged his weakness for male suitors. After much toil, Wilde debuts 'The Importance of Being Earnest' in London, and a chat at the theatre with Lord Alfred 'Bosie' Douglas leads to a full-fledged romance. However, this affair leads to a legal dispute with Lord Alfred's oppressive father, the Marquess of Queensberry, and, given the local anti-gay laws, Wilde is jailed. Wilde's vast intellect helps him survive until he regains his freedom.
Not on subscription streaming in India right now
- 2
Rocketman 2019★ 7.3
Shares: Music, Drama
The story of Elton John's life, from his years as a prodigy at the Royal Academy of Music through his influential and enduring musical partnership with Bernie Taupin.
Not on subscription streaming in India right now
- 3
My Brother the Devil 2012★ 6.3
Shares: Drama
Fourteen-year-old Mo is a lonely, sensitive boy whose hunger for the rant and banter of buddies makes him prone to tread dangerous territories. He idolizes his handsome older brother, Rashid, a charismatic, well-respected member of a local gang, whose drug dealing enables “Rash” to provide for his family. Aching to be seen as a tough guy himself, Mo takes a job that unlocks a fateful turn of events and forces the brothers to confront their inner demons. It turns out that hate is easy. It is love and understanding that take real courage.
Not on subscription streaming in India right now
- 4
The Boys in the Band 1970★ 7.0
Shares: Drama
Harold is celebrating a birthday, and his friend Michael has drafted some other friends to help commemorate the event. As the evening progresses, an unexpected guest shows up, the alcohol flows, the knives come out, and dormant and unspoken emotions are unleashed.
Not on subscription streaming in India right now
- 5
De-Lovely 2004★ 6.1
Shares: Drama, Music
From Paris to Venice to Broadway to Hollywood, the lives of Cole Porter and his wife, Linda Lee Thomas were never less than glamorous and wildly unconventional. And though Cole's thirst for life strained their marriage, Linda never stopped being his muse, inspiring some of the greatest songs of the twentieth century.
Not on subscription streaming in India right now
- 6
Taurus 2022★ 5.8
Shares: Drama, Music
A rising but troubled musician searches for the inspiration to record one last song, pushing himself deep into the void.
Not on subscription streaming in India right now
- 7
The Boys in the Band 2020★ 6.8
Shares: Drama
At a birthday party in 1968 New York, a surprise guest and a drunken game leave seven gay friends reckoning with unspoken feelings and buried truths.
Stream in India on Netflix
- 8
Mo' Better Blues 1990★ 6.5
Shares: Drama, Music
Talented but self-centered trumpeter Bleek Gilliam is obsessed with his music and indecisiveness about his girlfriends Indigo and Clarke. But when he is forced to come to the aid of his manager and childhood friend, Bleek finds his world more fragile than he ever imagined.
Not on subscription streaming in India right now
- 9
The Testament of Ann Lee 2025★ 6.3
Shares: Drama, Music
The extraordinary true legend of Ann Lee, founder of the devotional sect known as the Shakers, who preached gender and social equality and was revered by her followers as the female Christ.
Not on subscription streaming in India right now
- 10
Chevalier 2023★ 6.4
Shares: Music, Drama
The illegitimate son of an African slave and a French plantation owner, Joseph Bologne rises to improbable heights in French society as a celebrated violinist-composer and fencer, complete with an ill-fated love affair and a falling out with Marie Antoinette and her court.
Not on subscription streaming in India right now
- 11
Velvet Goldmine 1998★ 6.9
Shares: Drama, Music
Almost a decade since larger-than-life glam-rock enigma Brian Slade disappeared from public eye, an investigative journalist is on assignment to uncover the truth behind his former idol.
Not on subscription streaming in India right now
- 12
Gods and Monsters 1998★ 6.9
Shares: Drama
It's 1957, and James Whale's heyday as the director of "Frankenstein," "Bride of Frankenstein" and "The Invisible Man" is long behind him. Retired and a semi-recluse, he lives his days accompanied only by images from his past. When his dour housekeeper, Hannah, hires a handsome young gardener, the flamboyant director and simple yard man develop an unlikely friendship, which will change them forever.
Not on subscription streaming in India right now
- 13
A Late Quartet 2012★ 6.7
Shares: Music, Drama
When the beloved cellist of a world-renowned string quartet is diagnosed with a life threatening illness, the group's future suddenly hangs in the balance as suppressed emotions, competing egos and uncontrollable passions threaten to derail years of friendship and collaboration. As they are about to play their 25th anniversary concert — quite possibly their last — only their intimate bond and the power of music can preserve their legacy.
Not on subscription streaming in India right now
- 14
Born to Be Blue 2015★ 6.5
Shares: Drama, Music
Jazz legend Chet Baker finds love and redemption when he stars in a movie about his own troubled life to mount a comeback.
Not on subscription streaming in India right now
- 15
J. Edgar 2011★ 6.2
Shares: Drama
As the face of law enforcement in the United States for almost 50 years, J. Edgar Hoover was feared and admired, reviled and revered. But behind closed doors, he held secrets that would have destroyed his image, his career, and his life.
Stream in India on JioHotstar
- 16
Valentino 1977★ 5.8
Shares: Drama
The untimely death of silent screen star Rudolph Valentino prompts the many women in his past to reminisce about his troubled rise to superstardom.
Not on subscription streaming in India right now
- 17
Love Is the Devil: Study for a Portrait of Francis Bacon 1998★ 6.1
Shares: Drama
In the 1960s, British painter Francis Bacon surprises a burglar and invites him to share his bed. The burglar, a working class man named George Dyer, accepts. After the unique beginning to their love affair, the well-connected and volatile artist assimilates Dyer into his circle of eccentric friends, as Dyer's struggle with addiction strains their bond.
Not on subscription streaming in India right now
- 18
Clika 2026★ 8.3
Shares: Music, Drama
Aspiring small-town musician Chito is determined to make it big. When a clip of him performing one of his songs goes viral, he seizes the opportunity and pushes to carve out a place for himself in the new wave of Mexican-American music... and ultimately gets caught in a game more dangerous than anticipated.
Stream in India on Netflix
- 19
Life 2015★ 6.0
Shares: Drama
In 1955, young photographer Dennis Stock develops a close bond with actor James Dean while shooting pictures of the rising Hollywood star.
Stream in India on Netflix
- 20
Ma Rainey's Black Bottom 2020★ 6.6
Shares: Drama, Music
Tensions rise when the trailblazing Mother of the Blues and her band gather at a Chicago recording studio in 1927. Adapted from August Wilson's play.
Stream in India on Netflix