The Best Family Movies on Streaming in India [April 2020]

From The Lion King to Spirited Away.

By Akhil Arora | Updated: 10 April 2020 12:31 IST

The Best Family Movies on Streaming in India [April 2020]

Highlights

Disney+ Hotstar has the most — 40+ — entries
82 years between oldest, newest film on the list
Mr. Disney (11), Mr. Miyazaki (10) most involved

With everyone stuck at home as the pandemic rages across the country, working parents can use all the distraction in the world for their kids, who might be busy now for a few hours in virtual classrooms, but are headed straight for summer holidays with nothing to fill up their calendar. Add to that the fact parents have nothing to do on weekends too, which means more movie-watching together. That's why we've compiled this list, to give you the best kids & family movies for all that free time, across Disney+ Hotstar, Netflix, and Amazon Prime Video.

To pick the best kids & family movies on streaming in India, we relied on Rotten Tomatoes, Metacritic, and IMDb ratings to create a shortlist. Additionally, we used our own editorial judgement to add or remove a few. This list will be updated once every few months if there are any worthy additions or if some movies are removed from the service, so bookmark this page and keep checking in. Here are the best kids & family films currently available on Disney+ Hotstar, Netflix, and Amazon Prime Video in India, sorted alphabetically and divided by platform.

The Best Movies on Hotstar in India

Best family movies on Disney+ Hotstar

Aladdin (1992)
Disney puts its animation flavour onto the famous folk tale of a street urchin who disguises himself as a wealthy prince after finding a genie in a magic lamp, in an attempt to impress the Sultan's daughter. Don't bother with the 2019 live-action remake, also on Disney+ Hotstar.
Alice in Wonderland (1951)
Lewis Carroll's classic tale, about the titular young girl who falls down and enters the alternate world of Wonderland, where she encounters the strangest individuals, gets the Disney musical treatment. Ignore the 2010 Tim Burton live-action remake, also on Disney+ Hotstar.
Bambi (1942)
A young mule deer comes of age in the forest with the help of his parents and friends: his pink-nosed rabbit, a skunk, and his childhood friend and future mate. Based on Felix Salten's 1923 eponymous book.
Beauty and the Beast (1991)
Largely based on Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont's eponymous fairy tale, a prince transformed into a monster must earn the love of a young woman who's imprisoned in his castle, before the last petal falls off an enchanted rose. The Emma Watson-starrer live-action remake is also on Disney+ Hotstar, but it's not as good.
Big Hero 6 (2014)
A 14-year-old robotics prodigy teams up with his closest companion, a robot called Baymax, and his friends — a comic-book fan, an adrenaline junkie, a laser-expert neatnik, and a chemistry whiz — to form a superhero team to take down a masked villain.
A Bug's Life (1998)
In the search for “tough warriors” to protect his colony from greedy grasshoppers, a misfit ant hires a group of insects for the job, only to realise they are a down-on-their-luck traveling circus. Kevin Spacey, who voices the lead grasshopper, stands accused in the #MeToo movement. From Pixar.
Cinderella (1950)
Based on Charles Perrault's eponymous fairytale — though it's much sweeter and simpler than on the page — a good-hearted, downtrodden young woman is helped by her fairy godmother after her abusive stepmother and stepsisters prevent her from going to a royal ball.
Coco (2017)
A young Mexican boy's pursuit of music, in defiance of a family ban, transports him to the literal Land of the Dead, where he seeks his great-great-grandfather, a legendary singer, to return home to the living. From Pixar.
Dumbo (1941)
Mocked and ridiculed for his ears are too big, a circus baby elephant gets an unlikely friend in a small mouse, who encourages him to prove a point to everyone. Don't bother with the 2019 live-action remake, also on Disney+ Hotstar.
The Emperor's New Groove (2000)
Transformed into a llama by his manipulative, diabolical and self-serving ex-advisor and stranded in the jungle, a selfish, arrogant and young Incan emperor must become friends with a kind and caring village leader (John Goodman) if he wants to survive and turn back into a human.
Fantasia (1940)
There's no overarching plot to this experimental feature that consists of eight segments, all animated to pieces of classical music. Features Mickey Mouse, dinosaurs, water sprites, dancing mushrooms, ballet-dancing ostriches, hippopotamuses, and alligators. A landmark of its time.
Finding Nemo (2003)
After his son gets abducted in the Great Barrier Reef, a meek overprotective clownfish sets out to rescue him from Sydney, learning to take risks along the way with the help of a regal blue tang named Dory. From Pixar.
Finding Dory (2016)
In this follow-up to the preceding entry, the titular regal blue tang, who suffers from short-term memory loss, sets out in search for her long-lost parents with the help of Nemo and his dad, Marlin. From Pixar.
Frozen (2013)
In this deconstruction of fairytale tropes from the home of fairytale movies that's inspired by Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tale “The Snow Queen”, a fearless optimist princess sets off with a rugged iceman, his loyal reindeer, and a naïve talking snowman to find her aloof sister queen who's accidentally trapped the kingdom in eternal winter. The 2019 sequel isn't as good.
Hercules (1997)
Stripped of his immortality and left on the human world of Earth, the titular son of the Greek god Zeus must prove himself as a true hero to return to his home on Mount Olympus. Has many parallels to Superman.
Home Alone (1990)
An eight-year-old boy must keep a pair of burglars at bay after he is mistakenly left behind at home during Christmas by his family, who take off for France on a holiday.
The Incredibles (2004) & Incredibles 2 (2018)
With a government ban on superheroes, a heavyweight father of three itches to get back to his crime-fighting ways in the Pixar original, which forces the family into action. The ultra-flexible mother is the focus of the sequel as she sets out to restore faith in superheroes, while the father must take care of the kids.
Inside Out (2015)
Set largely inside the mind of an 11-year-old girl, her five personified emotions — Joy, Sadness, Anger, Fear, and Disgust — try to cope with a new life after the family moves thousands of miles west to San Francisco in this excellent Pixar film. Swept awards for best animated movie.
The Jungle Book (2016)
Inspired by the 1967 animated musical and based on Rudyard Kipling's works, an orphan boy called Mowgli, brought up by wolves in the jungle, confronts the Bengal tiger Shere Khan, with the help of his black panther mentor, Bagheera, and the brown bear friend, Baloo. One of the rare live-action Disney remakes that improved on the original.
Lady and the Tramp (1955)
Falsely blamed and muzzled, a female American Cocker Spaniel who lives with an upper middle-class family runs from home and falls in love with her rescuer, a street-wise stray mutt. Ignore the live-action remake, also on Disney+ Hotstar.
The Lego Batman Movie (2017)
Batman must work together with a teenage orphan Robin he accidentally adopted and the new police commissioner, Barbara Gordon, in this frenetic animated comedy, to stop the Joker from taking over Gotham City.
Lilo & Stitch (2002)
An extraterrestrial genetic experiment runs away to Earth, is adopted by a Hawaiian girl after it disguises itself as a dog, and learns about ‘ohana — the Hawaiian concept of extended family — as it wreaks havoc and destruction on the island.
The Lion King (1994)
Tricked into thinking he caused his father's death, a lion cub runs away from home and grows up with a pair of carefree wastrels, only to be reminded of his rightful place later in life and why he must return. Don't bother with the 2019 live-action remake, also on Disney+ Hotstar.
The Little Mermaid (1989)
Hans Christian Andersen's 19th-century tale about a young mermaid Ariel who makes a bargain with the sea witch Ursula and gives up her life in the sea to meet a human prince got the Disney animation treatment, which signalled the studio's return to form.
Mary Poppins (1964)
Based on P.L. Travers' book series of the same name, a disciplined father hires a loving woman (Julie Andrews) — who he doesn't know is capable of magic — to be the nanny for his two mischievous children. Won five Oscars, including best actress for the debutant Andrews.
Moana (2016)
After a curse incurred by a legendary demigod (Dwayne Johnson) reaches her home-island, the titular daughter of a Polynesian village chief sets out to find him and a mystical relic that will make things right.
Monsters, Inc. (2001)
In a world where monsters must scare children they believe to be toxic to power their city, a very unafraid human girl upends the life of two such monsters — a giant furry one and his tiny one-eyed best friend — who must do their best to get her back without anyone noticing. From Pixar.
Mulan (1998)
To save her weak father from conscription and death in a war, a young Chinese maiden disguises herself as a man in this Disney animated musical, with comedic relief provided by a small dragon.
The Muppets (2011)
A Muppet fanatic, his human brother Gary, and Gary's girlfriend (Amy Adams) help Kermit the Frog to reunite the disbanded Muppets and save the Muppet Theater from a businessman who plans to demolish and drill for oil.
Onward (2020)
After a magic spell brings back half of their father for 24 hours, two teenage elf brothers (voiced by Chris Pratt and Tom Holland) set off on a Dungeons & Dragons-style quest in search of an artefact to restore the rest of him before time runs out. From Pixar.
Pinocchio (1940)
Made by a wood-carver and brought to life by a fairy, the titular wooden puppet must prove himself as “brave, truthful, and unselfish” to be a real boy, with the help of a cricket who serves as his conscience.
The Princess and the Frog (2009)
A hardworking waitress, who dreams of having her own restaurant, is roped into kissing a frog prince to make him human again but ends up becoming a frog herself. Now, she must find a way to return to her body before it's too late.
Ralph Breaks the Internet (2018)
In this sequel to the original, also on the list, the titular video game villain and his princess racer best friend (Sarah Silverman) end up in the crazy world of the Internet, while trying to save the latter's game.
Ratatouille (2007)
An anthropomorphic rat (Patton Oswalt) who longs to be a chef tries to achieve his dream by making an alliance with a young garbage boy at a Parisian restaurant. From Pixar.
Sleeping Beauty (1959)
Cursed by a witch to die on her sixteenth birthday, a princess is taken under the care of three fairies, who weaken the curse to let her fall into a long sleep, which can only be broken by the kiss of a true love.
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937)
Forced into exile by her evil stepmother, the titular princess is rescued by seven dwarf miners in Disney's oldest animated feature film. Includes a controversial kiss that involves a lack of consent, which parents might wish to talk about with their kids.
Tangled (2010)
Locked up by her overly protective mother, a young long-haired girl finally gets her wish to escape into the world outside thanks to a good-hearted thief, and discovers her true self.
Togo (2019)
Based on a true story from 1925, the titular Siberian Husky dog is the star of this heart-warming drama as he, despite being considered small and weak, helps his musher-owner Leonhard Seppala (Willem Dafoe) deliver an antitoxin serum through a thousand kilometres of harsh winter.
Toy Story tetralogy (1995-2019)
Some of Pixar's best work is set in a world where anthropomorphic toys pretend to be lifeless around humans, and follows a group of toys as they are faced by challenges on their unexpected adventures. Gave birth to “To infinity and beyond!” From Pixar.
Up (2009)
To keep a promise to his late wife, an elderly widower ties thousands of balloons to his house to carry him to the wilds of South America, unknowingly taking a young and earnest stowaway. From Pixar.
WALL·E (2008)
In a far-off future where humans have long abandoned Earth and reside on starliners, a small trash compactor robot living on the surface falls in love with a visiting probe, and embarks on a space journey that will determine the fate of mankind. From Pixar.
Winnie the Pooh (2011)
Though it leaves you wanting more due to its short runtime, Disney's latest hand-drawn animated tale offers plenty of charm, as the titular bear searches for honey, while he and his friends set out to save his seven-year-old human best friend from an imaginary threat.
Wreck-It Ralph (2012)
In this predecessor to Ralph Breaks the Internet, also on the list, a video game villain sets out to fulfil his dream of becoming a hero but ends up bringing havoc to the entire arcade where he lives.
Zootopia (2016)
Set in the titular city filled with anthropomorphic animals, a newly-minted bunny cop (Ginnifer Goodwin) and a cynical fox con artist (Jason Bateman) must work together to unravel a conspiracy that threatens the peace. Praised for its message of tolerance and diversity.

The Best Movies on Netflix in India

Best family movies on Netflix

Arrietty (2010)
Based on Mary Norton's 1952 book The Borrowers, the life of a four-inch-tall family, who live in secret in the walls and floors of a human household, changes after their titular teenage daughter is discovered by a new 12-year-old boy who moves in. Co-written by Hayao Miyazaki.
The Blue Umbrella (2005)
Based on Ruskin Bond's 1980 eponymous novella, the story of a young girl in rural Himachal Pradesh whose blue umbrella becomes the object of fascination for the entire village, driving a shopkeeper (Pankaj Kapur) to desperation. A National Award winner directed by Vishal Bhardwaj.
Castle in the Sky (1986)
In the first film officially under the Studio Ghibli banner, a young boy and a girl protect a magic crystal from pirates and military agents, while on the search for a legendary floating castle. Hayao Miyazaki writes and directs.
The Cat Returns (2002)
After a quiet schoolgirl ends up married to a cat prince she saved from accident and begins to grow feline features, she must get out in time with the help of two statuettes come to life. A spin-off of Whisper of the Heart, also on the list.
The Emperor's New Groove (2000)
Transformed into a llama by his manipulative, diabolical and self-serving ex-advisor and stranded in the jungle, a selfish, arrogant and young Incan emperor must become friends with a kind and caring village leader (John Goodman) if he wants to survive and turn back into a human.
From Up on Poppy Hill (2011)
Set in 1963 Yokohama, a budding romance develops between a high school girl and the school newspaper president as they join forces to save the school's ramshackle clubhouse from demolition, in preparation for the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. Co-written by Hayao Miyazaki.
How to Train Your Dragon (2010)
Brought up in a world where Vikings have a tradition of being dragon slayers, a young teenager becomes an unlikely friend with a young dragon and learns there may be more to the creatures than everyone thinks.
Howl's Moving Castle (2004)
After a witch curses an unconfident young woman called Sophie with an old body owing to her growing friendship with a flamboyant wizard called Howl, she attempts to discover a cure while she takes shelter in the boy's large home that can move itself, and is caught in Howl's resistance against a warring kingdom. Hayao Miyazaki writes and directs.
Hugo (2011)
In 1930s Paris, a boy who lives alone in the walls of a train station tries to figure out the mystery involving his late father and his most treasured possession, an automaton, that needs a key to function. Martin Scorsese directs.
I Am Kalam (2010)
Nila Madhab Panda's feature directorial debut is the story of an intelligent and impoverished boy (Harsh Mayar), who befriends the son of a once noble family, and is inspired by the life of India's late President A. P. J. Abdul Kalam — whose family was also poor in his childhood — to pursue an education. Mayar won a National Award.
The Karate Kid (1984)
Bullied by boys at school in a new town, a teenager decides to learn karate from martial arts master Mr. Miyagi and learns there's more to the art from than just fighting.
Kiki's Delivery Service (1989)
A coming-of-age story of the young titular witch, who opens an air delivery business, helps a bakery's pregnant owner in exchange for accommodation, and befriends a geeky boy during her year of self-discovery. Hayao Miyazaki writes and directs.
Klaus (2019)
Serving as an alternate origin story of Santa Claus, the lazy son of the postmaster general, who is dispatched to a frigid, remote island where no one talks to each other, enlists the help of a grieving toymaker to bring joy and cheer to the town.
Kung Fu Panda (2008)
After an obese kung fu enthusiast panda is supposedly mistakenly chosen as the Dragon Warrior to fight an impending threat, he is unwillingly taught by an elderly master and his students who have been training for years.
The Little Prince (2015)
Antoine de Saint-Exupery's 1943 novella is given the animation treatment, in which an elderly pilot (Jeff Bridges) recounts his encounters with a young boy who claimed to be an extra-terrestrial prince to his neighbour, a young girl. Rachel McAdams, James Franco, and Marion Cotillard also voice.
A Little Princess (1995)
Alfonso Cuarón directs this tale of a young girl who is forced to become a servant by the headmistress at her New York boarding school, after her wealthy aristocratic father is presumed dead in World War I.
My Neighbor Totoro (1988)
Set in post-war rural Japan, a heart-warming tale of a professor's two young daughters who have adventures with friendly forest sprits. Hayao Miyazaki writes and directs.
Paddington (2014)
Travelling from his jungle home in Peru to the cold streets of London, a marmalade-loving bear is taken in by a kindly family, before being spotted by a museum taxidermist (Nicole Kidman) who wants to add him to her collection.
Pom Poko (1994)
With their forest home under threat of being felled in the name of urban development, a group of magical shape-shifting raccoon dogs — tanuki in Japanese folklore — must make use of all their supernatural talents to put an end to it.
Ponyo (2008)
Inspired by Hans Christian Andersen's fairytale The Little Mermaid, writer-director Hayao Miyazaki gives us a friendship between a five-year-old boy and the titular goldfish princess who yearns to be human. Not his best work, but still very charming.
Porco Rosso (1992)
Transformed into an anthropomorphic pig by an unusual curse, an Italian World War I ace fighter veteran now works as a freelance bounty hunter in 1930s Adriatic Sea in the Mediterranean. Hayao Miyazaki writes and directs.
Ratatouille (2007)
An anthropomorphic rat (Patton Oswalt) who longs to be a chef tries to achieve his dream by making an alliance with a young garbage boy at a Parisian restaurant. From Pixar.
Shaun the Sheep Movie (2015)
This stop-motion feature film expansion of the eponymous cartoon finds the titular mischievous sheep & co. heading into the Big City to rescue their farmer, who's ended up amnesiac owing to the sheep's antics.
Spirited Away (2001)
The only non-English-language film to win the Oscar for best animated movie is about a 10-year-old girl called Chihiro who wanders into the spirit world with her parents, where the elders are turned into giant pigs. Chihiro then must work in a bathhouse to discover a way to return to the human world. Hayao Miyazaki writes and directs.
Taare Zameen Par (2007)
Sent to boarding school against his will, a dyslexic eight-year-old is helped by an unconventional art teacher (Aamir Khan) to overcome his disability and discover his true potential.
The Tale of The Princess Kaguya (2013)
In the most expensive Japanese movie ever made, which is based on a 10th-century folktale, a tiny girl, found inside a bamboo stalk, grows rapidly into an exquisite young woman and attracts many suitors. She sets out a series of impossible tasks for them, for which she will ultimately pay a price.
Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit (2005)
Cheese-loving, eccentric inventor Wallace and his intelligent, often perplexed dog Gromit, who run a humane pest relocation business, are employed by a woman hosting the annual gardening competition to take care of a tribe of rabbits. Won the Oscar for best animated movie.
When Marnie Was There (2014)
Introverted 12-year-old girl Anna is sent to a summer home in a sleepy, seaside town, where she befriends the mysterious, blonde-haired titular girl who lives in an abandoned mansion and asks Anna to keep their secrets from everyone. The final film for Studio Ghibli was based on Joan G. Robinson's 1967 eponymous novel.
Whisper of the Heart (1995)
14-year-old Shizuku, a bookworm who dreams of becoming a writer, discovers that all the library books she reads have also been read by one Seiji, a mysterious boy who is intent on pursuing his love for violin-making in Italy. Inspired by Seiji's drive and an antique item that catches her eye, Shizuku begins to pen her own story. Written by Miyazaki.
Wreck-It Ralph (2012)
In this predecessor to Ralph Breaks the Internet, available on Disney+ Hotstar, a video game villain who sets out to fulfil his dream of becoming a hero but ends up bringing havoc to the entire arcade where he lives.

The Best Movies on Amazon Prime Video in India

Best family movies on Amazon Prime Video

Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009)
Roald Dahl's children's novel about a fox who steals food from three mean and wealthy farmers gets the stop-motion treatment from Wes Anderson, featuring the voices of George Clooney, Meryl Streep, Bill Murray, Willem Dafoe, and Michael Gambon.
Harry Potter octalogy (2001–2011)
Based on J.K. Rowling's eponymous seven-book series, the titular boy wizard (Daniel Radcliffe) must battle the greatest wizard of all time, Lord Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes), who failed to kill him when he was an infant. Chapters three (Prisoner of Azkaban), four (Goblet of Fire), six (Half-Blood Prince), and eight (Deathly Hallows: Part 2) are generally considered the best.
How to Train Your Dragon (2010)
Brought up in a world where Vikings have a tradition of being dragon slayers, a young teenager becomes an unlikely friend with a young dragon and learns there may be more to the creatures than everyone thinks.
I Am Kalam (2010)
Nila Madhab Panda's feature directorial debut is the story of an intelligent and impoverished boy (Harsh Mayar), who befriends the son of a once noble family, and is inspired by the life of India's late President A. P. J. Abdul Kalam — whose family was also poor in his childhood — to pursue an education. Mayar won a National Award.
Kung Fu Panda (2008)
After an obese kung fu enthusiast panda is supposedly mistakenly chosen as the Dragon Warrior to fight an impending threat, he is unwillingly taught by an elderly master and his students who have been training for years.
The Lego Movie (2014)
An ordinary, rules-following Lego minifigure (Chris Pratt) is mistakenly identified as the most extraordinary person and the key to saving the world from an evil tyrant, for which he is hilariously underprepared. It spawned the hit single, “Everything Is Awesome”.
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018)
Drawn with a mix of computer-generated and hand-drawn art, Miles Morales is drawn into an inter-dimensional conflict soon after he's bit by a spider and gains superpowers, pushing him to team up to save the multiverse. Set for a 2022 sequel.

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Further reading: Disney Plus Hotstar, Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast, Coco, Frozen, Incredibles 2, The Jungle Book, The Lego Batman Movie, The Lion King, Mulan, Onward, Ralph Breaks the Internet, Toy Story, Up, WALL E, Wreck It Ralph, Zootopia, Studio Ghibli, Hayao Miyazaki, How to Train Your Dragon, Klaus, Harry Potter, Kung Fu Panda, The Lego Movie, Spider Man Into the Spider Verse