Recently, Time magazine announced its list of the 100 greatest films of all time, and the eclectic selection includes five Indian films.

While none would have the gall to question the brilliance of the selected Indian classics like Satyajit Ray's Apu Trilogy, Guru Dutt's Pyaasa and Mani Ratnam's Nayakan, rediff.com decided to ask some Indian filmmakers and critics what they felt were the best Indian films of all time.

This is a special month-long feature.

Appropriately, we start the ball rolling with Bollywood's Showman, Subhash Ghai [Images].

Speaking to Raja Sen, Ghai launched into his list of the finest Indian cinema has ever had to offer.

(1957)

Director: Mehboob Khan
Cast: Nargis [Images], Sunil Dutt, Rajendra Kumar, Raj Kumar

(1957)

Director: Guru Dutt
Cast: Guru Dutt, Waheeda Rehman [Images], Mala Sinha

(1964)

Director: Satyen Bose
Cast: Sudhir Kumar, Sushil Kumar, Sanjay Khan, Leela Mishra

(1959)

Director: Guru Dutt
Cast: Waheeda Rehman, Guru Dutt

(1961)

Director: Nitin Bose
Cast: Dilip Kumar [Images], Vyajayantimala

(1975)

Director: Ramesh Sippy
Cast: Dharmendra [Images], Amitabh Bachchan [Images], Sanjeev Kumar, Amjad Khan, Hema Malini [Images]

(1975)

(1994)

Director: Sooraj Barjatya
Cast: Madhuri Dixit [Images], Salman Khan [Images], Mohnish Behl, Renuka Shahane

(1998)

Director: Karan Johar [Images]
Cast: Shah Rukh Khan [Images], Kajol [Images], Rani Mukerji [Images]

(1999)

Director: Subhash Ghai
Cast: Akshaye Khanna [Images], Aishwarya Rai [Images], Anil Kapoor [Images]