A list of films produced by the Bollywood, film industry based in Mumbai in 1981.
1. Amitabh Bachchan- Bachchan went strength to strength with box office smashes like Naseeb, Laawaris, Kaalia and Yaarana.
2. Shatrughan Sinha- Sinha played second/third lead in the top two highest grossers Kranti and Naseeb.
3. Rishi Kapoor- Apart from featuring as lead in Naseeb with Bachchan and Sinha, Kapoor also starred in Katilon Ke Katil with Dharmendra.
4. Hema Malini- Malini starred as the female lead in the top three highest grossers Kranti, Naseeb and Meri Aawaz Suno.
5. Parveen Babi- Apart from playing second fiddle to Malini in Kranti and Meri Aawaz Suno, Babi also starred in Kaalia opposite Bachchan.
6. Zeenat Aman- Aman featured opposite Bachchan in Laawaris and Dharmendra in Katilon Ke Katil.
7. Reena Roy- Apart from starring alongside her boyfriend Sinha in Naseeb, Roy had a parallel lead role in Sanjay Dutt's debut film Rocky.
8. Tina Munim- Munim starred opposite Rishi Kapoor in Katilon Ke Katil and debutant Sanjay Dutt in Rocky.
The year was also notable for several actors like Sanjay Dutt, Kumar Gaurav, Kamal Haasan, Rati Agnihotri, Madhavi and Vijayta Pandit making successful debuts. Also Dilip Kumar made a blockbuster cimeback with Kranti.
The top ten grossing films at the Indian Box Office in 1981-
| Rank | Title | Cast | Box Office Collection |
| 1. | Kranti | 200 million | |
| 2. | Naseeb | 145 million | |
| 3. | Meri Aawaz Suno | Jeetendra, Hema Malini, Parveen Babi | 130 million |
| 4. | Laawaris | 120 million | |
| 5. | Love Story | Rajendra Kumar, Kumar Gaurav, Vijayta Pandit | 110 million |
| 6. | Ek Duuje Ke Liye | Kamal Haasan, Rati Agnihotri, Madhavi | 100 million |
| 7. | Katilon Ke Kaatil | 80 million | |
| 8. | Kaalia | Amitabh Bachchan, Parveen Babi, Amjad Khan, Kader Khan, Pran, Asha Parekh | 75 million |
| 9. | Yaarana | Amitabh Bachchan, Amjad Khan, Neetu Singh, Tanuja, Jeevan, Ranjeet | 70 million |
| 10. | Rocky | 60 million | |
| Title | Director | Cast | Genre | Sources | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aakhri Mujra | Drama | ||||
| Aankhon Ke Saamne | D. S. Azad | ||||
| Aapas Ki Baat | Action, Romance | ||||
| Aas Paas | Drama | ||||
| Agni Pareeksha | |||||
| Ahista Ahista | Drama | ||||
| Armaan | Drama | ||||
| Barsaat Ki Ek Raat | Action | ||||
| Baseraa | Drama | ||||
| Be-Shaque | Drama | ||||
| Biwi-O-Biwi | Comedy | ||||
| Bhula Na Dena | Harsh Kholi | Romance | |||
| Bulundi | Esmayeel Shroff | Raaj Kumar, Danny Denzongpa, Kim Yashpal | Crime Thriller | ||
| Chakra | Rabindra Dharmaraj | Smita Patil, Naseeruddin Shah, Kulbhushan Kharbanda | Drama | ||
| Chashme Buddoor | Drama | ||||
| Chehre Pe Chehra | Thriller | ||||
| Commander | Rakesh Kumar | Action Drama | |||
| Daasi | Drama | ||||
| Dahshat | Horror | ||||
| Dard | Ambrish Sangal | Crime Drama | |||
| Dhanwan | Surendra Mohan | Drama | |||
| Dhuan | Thriller | ||||
| Ek Aur Ek Gyarah | Comedy | ||||
| Ek Duuje Ke Liye | K. Balachander | Kamal Haasan, Rati Agnihotri | Drama | ||
| Ek Hi Bhool | Family, Drama | ||||
| Fiffty Fiffty | Drama | ||||
| Ganga Maang Rahi Balidan | Drama | ||||
| Gehra Zakhm | Romance | ||||
| Ghamandee | Action | ||||
| Ghungroo Ki Awaaz | Drama | ||||
| Gramayan | |||||
| Guru Suleman Chela Pahelwan | Comedy | ||||
| Haqdaar | S. K. Luthra | Rakesh Roshan, Suresh Oberoi, Yogeeta Bali | |||
| Harjaee | Ramesh Behl | Drama | |||
| Hotel | Syham Ramsey. Tulsi Ramsey | Mystery | |||
| Hum Se Badkar Kaun | Action | ||||
| Itni Si Baat | Madhu M | ||||
| Jail Yatra | |||||
| Jeene Ki Arzoo | Romance | ||||
| Jiyo To Aise Jiyo | Kanak Mishra | Action | |||
| Josh | Raj N. Sippy | ||||
| Jwala Daku | Drama | ||||
| Jyoti | Pramod Chakravarty | ||||
| Kaalia | Action | ||||
| Kaaran | Romance | ||||
| Kachche Heere | Action | ||||
| Kahan Kahan Se Guzar Gaya | Drama | ||||
| Kahani Ek Chor Ki | Drama | ||||
| Kal Hamara Hai | Drama | ||||
| Kalyug | Drama | ||||
| Kanhaiyaa | Action, Crime, Drama | ||||
| Kanoon Aur Mujrim | Sham Jethani | ||||
| Katilon Ke Kaatil | Romance | ||||
| Khara Khota | Raj Kiran, Sarika, Soma Anand | Drama | |||
| Khawaja Ki Diwani | Akbar Balam | ||||
| Khel Muqaddar Ka | Action, Family | ||||
| Khilte Suman | Anoop, Vadisha | ||||
| Khoon Aur Paani | Action | ||||
| Khoon Ka Rishta | Action | ||||
| Khoon Ki Takkar | Haresh Chawla | Action | |||
| Khuda Kasam | |||||
| Kranti | Action, Patriotic | ||||
| Krodhi | Action | ||||
| Kudrat | Drama | ||||
| Laawaris | Drama | ||||
| Ladaaku | Dinesh Ramanesh | ||||
| Ladies Tailor | Khalid Akthar | Sanjeev Kumar, Reena Roy, Pran, Amjad Khan, Aruna Irani | Comedy | ||
| Laparwah | Action | ||||
| Love Story | Romance | ||||
| Maan Gaye Ustaad | |||||
| Madhuman | Basu Battharcharya | ||||
| Mahabali Hanuman | Babbubhai Mistry | Rakesh Pandey, Kavitha Kiran, Hercules | Adventure | ||
| Mahfil | Amar Kumar | Ashok Kumar, Sadhana, Anil Dhawan | Action. Drama | ||
| Main Aur Mera Haathi | R. Thiagaraj | Action | |||
| Mangalsutra | Vijay. B | Rekha, Anant Nag, Jagdeep, Madan Puri, Rajendranath | Horror, Thriller | ||
| Meena Kumari Ki Amar Kahani | Sohrab Modi | Bharat Bhushan, Sona Mirza | Drama | ||
| Meri Aawaz Suno | Action | ||||
| Nai Imarat | Ram Pahlwa | Sarika, Ranjeeta, Amrish Puri, Madan Puri | Drama | ||
| Nakhuda | Dilip Naik | Drama | |||
| Naram Garam | Comedy | ||||
| Nari | Rakesh Roshan, Neeta Mehta, Madan Puri | Drama | |||
| Naseeb | Action, Comedy, Romance | ||||
| Paanch Qaidi | Action | ||||
| Pehla Adhyay | Drama | ||||
| Plot No. 5 | |||||
| Poonam | Harmesh Malhotra | Drama | |||
| Prem Geet | Sudesh Issar | Drama | |||
| Professor Pyarelal | |||||
| Pyaasa Sawan | Drama | ||||
| Raaz | Drama | ||||
| Roohi | S. U. Syed | Mazhar Khan, Zarina Wahab | Drama | ||
| Rocky | Romance, Action | ||||
| Saajan Ki Saheli | |||||
| Sadgati | Drama | ||||
| Sahhas | Action | ||||
| Sameera | Drama | ||||
| Sannata | Shyam Ramsay. Tulsi Ramsay | Vinod Mehra, Vijay Arora, Bindiya Goswami, Helen | Horror. Mystery | ||
| Irshad | Horror | ||||
| Sazaye Maut | Vidhu Vinod Chopra | Naseeruddin Shah, Dilip Dhawan | Drama | ||
| Shakka | Shyam Ralhan | Action | |||
| Shama | |||||
| Sharda | Lekh Tandon | Drama | |||
| Shikari | C. R. Simha | Srinath, Manjula, Akhila | |||
| Shradhanjali | Anil Sharma | Drama Family | |||
| Silsila | Romantic, Drama | ||||
| Tajurba | Nikhil Saini | Raj Babbar, Smita Patel, Nasruddin Sha | Action Adventure | ||
| Umrao Jaan | Drama | ||||
| Vasiqedars, The Pensioners of Avadh | |||||
| Waqt Ki Deewar | Action | ||||
| Wardat | Thriller | ||||
| Woh Phir Nahin Aaye | Joginder Shelley | Bhagwan Dada, Rita Baduri, Jalal Agha | |||
| Yaarana | Drama | ||||
| Yeh Rishta Na Tootay | K. Vijayan | Rajendra Kumar, Mala Sinha, Vinod Mehra, Bindiya Goswami | |||
| Zamane Ko Dikhana Hai | Romance, Thriller |