A decade later, these cinematic masterpieces continue to define how Indian audiences experience film music and emotional storytelling.

Just a while back we brought to you a list of fantastic soul-stirring soundtracks which over time have become masterpieces in their own right. Don’t believe us? If YouTube views are any count, each of them ( playlists included ) have about 1 million each. Now as it were, we decided that we needed to extend the next by another ten. After all, there’ve been numerous masterstrokes which command to be captured. Music cannot thus be defined by numerals. So, let’s dive into our part 2 of the top ten movie soundtracks of the last decade, again in no particular order :

The Danish Girl (2015) : Alexandre Desplat

The Danish Girl is a 2015 British-American pseudo-biographical drama film directed by Tom Hooper and starring Eddie Redmayne, Alicia Vikander, and Matthias Schoenaerts. The film is based on the 2000 novel of the same name by David Ebershoff. Copenhagen, the early 1920s. With such intricately woven plotline and an oscar-nominated performance by Eddie Redmayne, it was up to Alexandre Desplat to deliver. And deliver he did with his striking piano orchestration right from the word go, captures the emotional turmoil of the leads without ever being overt. Subtlety is the name of the game.

Track You Can’t Miss : Lili’s Dream, The Mirror, Gerda in the Rain

The Dark Knight 2008: Hans Zimmer

The first comic book-based film to touch a 1 billion dollar mark, The Dark Knight became an ingenious hit worldwide within days. Christopher Nolan’s vision for a placating city was captured as much by the menacing scarred smile of Heath Ledger’s Joker, as it was by Hans Zimmer & James Newton Howards pseudo electrical eerie soundtrack. Creating very distinct naturals for Joker and Batman, Zimmer & Newton established an ethos which by the end of the movie, was very hard to shake off. Atmospheric involvement here was too damn high.

Tracks You Can’t Miss : Why So Serious?, Like a Dog Chasing Cars, Agent of Chaos, A Dark Knight

How To Train Your Dragon 2010 : John Powell

After years of churning out animated “comedies” full of pop culture references and not aiming particularly high, Dreamworks Animation surprised pretty much everyone in 2010 with their Pixar-esque How to Train Your Dragon, following the adventures of the young Viking Hiccup and his fire-breathing new friend. This was John Powell’s eleventh score for an animated film but, somewhat surprisingly, the first he wrote solo for Dreamworks. His rousing music quickly turned out to be one of his most popular efforts to date and even snagged him an Oscar nomination (no mean feat for a film like this that isn’t made by Disney); and it’s very easy to see why.

Tracks You Can’t Miss : This Is Berk, Dragon Training, Focus-Hiccup, Romantic Flight

https://youtu.be/5gpHueOZDW4

Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows 2 ( 2011 ): Alexandre Desplat

After ten years and billions of dollars, the franchise of “Harry Potter” films finally concluded in 2011 with Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2. Produced in conjunction with the adaptation of the first half of J. K. Rowling’s final book, the cinematic climax of the concept returns most of the characters from throughout the history of the “Harry Potter” universe for a decisive battle of magic at Hogwarts castle. French composer Alexandre Desplat continued the musical direction from the previous film. Desplat succeeds in living up to the high expectations for this assignment proving that his style can transcend his obvious technical mastery of an orchestra and reach levels of tonal majesty that can be summed up in a single word: epic.

Tracks You Can’t Miss : Statues, Lily’s Theme, A New Beginning, Gringotts, Hedwigs Theme ( Additional )

Life Of Pi (2012): Mychael Danna

In a new-age, meditation sort of way, Mychael Danna’s score is a lovely piece of music, combining traditional Indian culture – as is the ethnicity of the film – with thunder-rousing movie music, complete with full angelic vocal choir. A simple minor piano chord serves as the theme obliging the oceanic orchestra and Indian indigenous instruments (mandolin, sitar, and a host of other Indian percussion instruments). The album is full of sounds and passages that are both peaceful and disarming, as is the nature of the film. As a single piece of music, it is a bit abrupt. For serious students of music who love the film, it is likely essential for listening.

Tracks You Can’t Miss : Pi’s Lullaby, Richard Parker, The Whale, Orphans

Inherent Vice ( 2014 ): Jonny Greenwood

The soundtrack for Paul Thomas Anderson’s Inherent Vice, a film based on Thomas Pynchon’s 2009 novel, gives composer and Radiohead guitarist Jonny Greenwood a chance to indulge his inner Hollywood romantic. There’s a laid-back amiability and almost a humility to this seemingly haphazard selection of 1960s surf rock tunes and classic soul tracks from Sam Cooke and Anderson’s late mother-in-law Minnie Riperton, among others. The soundtrack, which crab hops from psych-rock to Minnie Riperton to Disney orchestral interludes, faithfully recreates this sensation of dislocation and head-scratching befuddlement.

Tracks You Can’t Miss : Shasta, Spooks, Journey Through The Past, Any Day Now

Slumdog Millionaire (2008) : A.R.Rahman, M.I.A :

The smash Mumbai-set Danny Boyle film is propelled as much by its soundtrack as it is by its fantasy plot, as demonstrated by A.R. Rahman’s propulsive M.I.A.-assisted score. Slumdog Millionaire soundtrack consists of Rahman’s evocative score, which meshes pounding technoid percussive-heavy pieces and slightly less forceful cues some of which seem designed to bring to mind specific moments in the film, some to evoke more general emotions. All these tracks are steps along the way to the show-stopping “Jai Ho”. The sequence marks the film’s most triumphant moment and serves a similar purpose punctuating the soundtrack.

Tracks You Can’t Miss : O Saya, Dreams On Fire, Mausam And Escape, Ringa Ringa, Gangsta Blues, Jai Ho

BoyHood (2014) : Various Artists

Boyhood’s brilliance does not lie in its script. It exists in its heart. Shot for about one week a year for 12 consecutive years, this film tells a coming of age story like never before in the history of cinema.  Every few scenes the story jumps a year. The accompanying soundtrack helps mark the time. We see the boy and his sister (along with their father, played by Ethan Hawke, and their mother, played by Patricia Arquette) age. The boy grows into a man – with accompanying facial hair, piercings, and girlfriends. The girl grows into a woman. And the soundtrack is the time here. Need we say more?

Tracks You Can’t Miss : Yellow by Coldplay, Beyond The Horizon by Bob Dylan, Deep Blue By Arcade Fire

Blue Valentine (2010 ): Various

Director Derek Cianfrance had originally wanted film score extraordinaire Vangelis to provide the background for his tale of heartbreak, but while completing final edits on the script he begins to fall for the work of Brooklyn’s Grizzly Bear. The band agreed to work on the film and what was born was a score that conveys the sense of weight that hung over the relationship of the characters played by Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams.

Tracks You Can’t Miss : I Live With You, You Always Hurt the Ones You Love, Granny Diner

Upstream Color (2013): Shane Carruth

When Shane Carruth’s film Upstream Color was released in 2013, critics described it in various ways—as a body horror film, a sci-fi thriller, a love story, and an art-house head-scratcher—but they all agreed that it was a film “not quite like any other”. Such an interpretation owes as much to the film’s disregard for the rules of classical storytelling as it does to a formally innovative soundtrack, one that uses musicality as an overarching organizing principle. The fact that Carruth wrote the score and script simultaneously indicates the extent to which music was from the beginning considered an integral part of the film’s expressive language.

Tracks You Can’t Miss : The Finest Qualities Of Our Nature, The Sun Is But A Morning Star, I Love To Be Alone

That’s all for now folks….Until next time. Happy Listening.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who composed the soundtrack for The Danish Girl?

Alexandre Desplat composed the soundtrack for The Danish Girl (2015). His piano-driven orchestration captures the emotional complexity of the protagonist’s journey with remarkable subtlety, earning him international recognition for this particularly moving work.

What makes The Dark Knight 2008 soundtrack iconic?

Hans Zimmer’s The Dark Knight score revolutionized superhero film music through its use of innovative sound design and thematic depth. The soundtrack complements Christopher Nolan’s vision of a realistic Gotham City, becoming as essential to the film’s success as its visual narrative.

Are these movie soundtracks available on Indian music streaming platforms?

Yes, most soundtracks featured in this list are available on major Indian streaming platforms including Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube Music, and Wynk Music. Many have dedicated playlists with millions of views from Indian listeners appreciating these cinematic compositions.

How do international film scores compare to Indian film music?

International film scores and Indian film music serve different purposes within their respective industries. While Indian film music emphasizes melodic hooks and playback singing, international soundtracks often prioritize orchestral depth and emotional storytelling through instrumental composition alone.

Why should Indian music lovers listen to these soundtracks?

These soundtracks offer Indian audiences exposure to diverse compositional techniques and orchestral arrangements. They demonstrate how music enhances narrative tension and emotional depth, providing valuable context for understanding global cinema and expanding musical appreciation beyond regional film traditions.