When it comes to entertainment, the year gone by has, by far, been one of the most memorable years of recent times. 

2018 saw the rise of the underdogs, getting their due recognition and appreciation, besides witnessing a fresh outpouring of newer themes and scripts that had us queueing up outside movie halls, with just as much gusto as with exclusive web releases.

That said, we must guide your attention to the alternate universe of indie films that saw a significant rise in popularity in 2018 with numerous titles successfully making their way to the screens and our hearts.

From Nandita Das' critically acclaimed 'Manto' to Vasan Bala's 'Mard Ko Dard Nahi Hota' and Netflix's most memorable 'Lust Stories', there is an endless number of other films that have graced the screens in 2018 and literally blew our minds with their content and talent.

This year holds a lot more promise in the indie film genre with themes ranging from action dramas to biopics and much more. 

Here below we list down 11 indie films that should be on your must-watch list this year:

1. Bombairiya

© TriStar Pictures

Directed by Pia Sukanya, and starring noted actors like Radhika Apte, Siddhanth Kapoor, Akshay Oberoi, Adil Hussain, Ravi Kishan, Amit Sial, Ajinkya Deo and Shilpa Shukla, 'Bombairiya' is a black comedy-drama. 

The story follows the life of a woman who finds herself in a series of events after her phone gets stolen.

2. Hamid

© Yoodlee Films

Set against the backdrop of unrest in the valleys of Kashmir, 'Hamid' narrates the story of a widowed mother and her son who has lost his father to the many battles in the Valley. 

8-year-old Hamid finds out that 786 is God's number and tries to reach out to him through this number. The film stars Rasika Dugal, Vikas Kumar and Talha Arshad Reshi, and has been directed by Aijaz Khan.

3. No Fathers In Kashmir

© Alipur Films

'No Fathers In Kashmir' has been directed by Oscar-nominee and National Award winner, Ashvin Kumar. This film revolves around the love story of two innocent 16-year-olds, whose fathers seem to have disappeared in Kashmir. 

In their search, the teenagers uncover the hidden secrets of the lost fathers. The film stars Zara Webb, Shivam Rana with prominent names such as Kulbhushan Kharbanda, Soni Razdan and Anshuman Jha.

4. Kaamyaab

© Eros International

A film starring Sanjay Mishra who plays the role of a retired character actor, and decides to come out of retirement in order to play the one role that he missed out on during his career. 

'Kaamyaab' also stars Deepak Dobriyal and Isha Talwar in pivotal roles and has been directed by National Award-winning filmmaker Hardik Mehta.

5. Pind Daan

© Poetic License Production

This film is set to be the directorial debut of Seema Pahwa who has been seen in films like 'Shubh Mangal Savdhan' and 'Bareilly Ki Barfi'. 

The cast of this family-drama includes popular faces such as Vikrant Massey, Naseeruddin Shah, Vinay Pathak, Manoj Pahwa, Konkana Sen, Deepika Amin and Ninad Kamat.

6. Tryst With Destiny

© Youtube, Twitter, BCCL

A compilation of four-part stories, the title is a reference to former PM Jawaharlal Nehru's speech on August 14, 1947. The stories in this flick revolve around social issues that have existed in India since our Independence. 

The cast comprises of Vineet Kumar Singh, Geetanjali Thapa, Amit Sial, Prakash Raj and Suhasini Maniratnam, while the film is being directed by Prashant Nair.

7. Pashmina

© Renzu Films

Narrated through the point of view of a young Kashmiri girl, 'Pashmina' is a tale of four different individuals whose lives get intertwined with one another's. 

Starring Aditi Rao Hydari, Shweta Tripathi, Dulquer Salmaan, Zaira Wasim, Ronit Roy, Soni Razdan, and Farida Jalal, the film has been directed by Danish Renzu.

8. The Storyteller

© Youtube, Twitter, BCCL

Satyajit Ray's 'The Storyteller' will be retold in Hindi under the direction of Ananth Mahadevan. The cast features Naseeruddin Shah, Paresh Rawal, Revathi and Tannishtha Chatterjee as its main actors. It is a story of an uncle who turns into a storyteller after he retires from his full-time job.

9. Yours Truly

© Platoon One Films

'Yours Truly' is a romantic drama which has been directed by National Award winner Sanjoy Nag. With a noted star cast that includes Soni Razdan, Pankaj Tripathi, Aahana Kumra and Mahesh Bhatt in a special appearance, it is being called the official film adaptation of one of the stories from the book 'Love Stories #1 To 14' by Annie Zaidi.

10. Albert Pinto Ko Gussa Kyun Aata Hai

© No Guts No Glory Films

'Albert Pinto Ko Gussa Kyun Aata Hai' is a modern take on Saeed Akhtar Mirza's 1980 classic starring Naseeruddin Shah and Smita Patil by the same name. Soumitra Ranade's retelling of the story with Manav Kaul in the lead, who attempts to avenge his father's death. 

The film also stars Nandita Das, Saurabh Shukla and Kishor Kadam. It is being reported that Nandita Das will be seen playing seven characters in the film.

11. Photograph

© Poetic License Production

After his successful debut with 'The Lunchbox' producer and director Ritesh Batra is all set to bring another masterpiece with this one. 

The film traces the life of struggling street photographer played by Nawazuddin Siddiqui, who persuades, a reclusive stranger played by Sanya Malhotra, to pose as his fiancée to escape the pressures of marriage from family.