Movies Like Kanaka Purandara

If you liked Kanaka Purandara (1988), a history and documentary movie directed by Girish Karnad, here are 20 movies with a similar feel, based on TMDB's recommendations. Each one links to its cast, trailer and where it's streaming.

1
Oasis: Don't Look Back in Anger (2026)
★ 6.9/10Also documentary and music
Experience the meteoric rise of Oasis through rare footage and untold stories as the band reunites for Oasis Live '25, chronicling their journey from Manchester streets to global rock stardom.
2
Whitney (2018)
★ 7.3/10Also music and documentary
Examines the life and career of singer Whitney Houston. Features never-before-seen archival footage, exclusive recordings, rare performances and interviews with the people who knew her best.
3
Western Stars (2019)
★ 7/10Also music and documentary
The incomparable Bruce Springsteen performs his critically acclaimed latest album and muses on life, rock, and the American dream, in this intimate and personal concert film co-directed by Thom Zimny and Springsteen…
4
Selena Gomez: My Mind & Me (2022)
★ 8.4/10Also documentary and music
After years in the limelight, Selena Gomez achieves unimaginable stardom. But just as she reaches a new peak, an unexpected turn pulls her into darkness. This uniquely raw and intimate documentary spans her six-year…
5
Supersonic (2016)
★ 7.4/10Also music and documentary
Supersonic charts the meteoric rise of Oasis from the council estates of Manchester to some of the biggest concerts of all time in just three short years. This palpable, raw and moving film shines a light on one of the…
6
David Byrne's American Utopia (2020)
★ 7.5/10Also music and documentary
A filmed version of David Byrne's Broadway show, a unifying musical celebration that inspires audiences to connect to each other and to the global community.
7
The Beatles: Eight Days a Week - The Touring Years (2016)
★ 7.5/10Also documentary and music
The Beatles stormed through Europe's music scene in 1963, and, in 1964, they conquered America. Their groundbreaking world tours changed global youth culture forever and, arguably, invented mass entertainment as we…
8
The Beach Boys (2024)
★ 6.7/10Also documentary and music
A celebration of the legendary band that revolutionized pop music, and the iconic, harmonious sound they created that personified the California dream, captivating fans for generations and generations to come.
9
Iron Maiden: Burning Ambition (2026)
★ 8.5/10Also documentary and music
With unprecedented access to the official archives and intimate recollections from the band, both current and past, Iron Maiden: Burning Ambition invites fans to experience one of the most iconic journeys in music…
10
The Last Repair Shop (2024)
★ 7.5/10Also documentary and music
In a warehouse in the heart of Los Angeles, a dwindling handful of devoted craftspeople maintain more than 80,000 student musical instruments, the largest remaining workshop in America of its kind. Meet four…
11
Billie Eilish - Hit Me Hard and Soft: The Tour (Live in 3D) (2026)
★ 8.4/10Also music and documentary
Captured during Billie Eilish's sold-out world tour, a concert experience from one of the most celebrated and successful artists of her generation, presented in immersive 3D.
12
The Show Must Go On: The Queen + Adam Lambert Story (2019)
★ 7.3/10Also music and documentary
A documentary chronicling Queen and Lambert's incredible journey since they first shared the stage together on "American Idol" in 2009.
13
The Last Waltz (1978)
★ 7.7/10Also documentary and music
Martin Scorsese's documentary intertwines footage from The Band's incredible farewell tour with probing backstage interviews and featured performances by Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Van Morrison, Eric Clapton, and other…
14
Zappa (2020)
★ 7.2/10Also music and documentary
With the help of more than 10,000 dedicated Zappa fans, this is the long-awaited definitive documentary project of Alex Winter documenting the life and career of enigmatic groundbreaking rock star Frank Zappa. Alex…
15
Junun (2015)
★ 7.2/10Also music and documentary
A documentary capturing the creation of the album Junun inside Rajasthan’s 15th-century Mehrangarh Fort. Paul Thomas Anderson follows Jonny Greenwood, Shye Ben Tzur, Nigel Godrich, and the Rajasthan Express as they…
16
OLIVIA RODRIGO: driving home 2 u (a SOUR film) (2022)
★ 7.8/10Also music and documentary
Grammy® winner singer-songwriter Olivia Rodrigo takes a familiar road trip from Salt Lake City, where she began writing her debut album “SOUR,” to Los Angeles. Along the way, Rodrigo recounts the memories of writing…
17
Matangi / Maya / M.I.A. (2018)
★ 7.5/10Also music and documentary
Drawn from a never before seen cache of personal footage spanning decades, this is an intimate portrait of the Sri Lankan artist and musician who continues to shatter conventions.
18
Rolling Thunder Revue: A Bob Dylan Story by Martin Scorsese (2019)
★ 7/10Also documentary and music
Part documentary, part concert film, part fever dream, this film captures the troubled spirit of America in 1975 and the joyous music that Dylan performed during the fall of that year.
19
Biggie & Tupac (2002)
★ 6.4/10Also music and documentary
In 1997, rap superstars Tupac Shakur and Christopher Wallace (aka Biggie Smalls, The Notorious B.I.G.) were gunned down in separate incidents, the apparent victims of hip hop's infamous east-west rivalry. Nick…
20
Bad 25 (2012)
★ 7.3/10Also documentary and music
Spike Lee pays tribute to Michael Jackson's Bad on the twenty-fifth anniversary of the epochal album, offering behind-the-scenes footage of Jackson recording the album and interviews with confidants, musicians…