Here is the article

http://specials.rediff.com/movies/2005/jun/13list.htm

A very intersting list - I am yet to see ( hopefully i will one day) Bhavni Bhavai , Ek Din Pratidin, Samskara, Thai Saheba, Maya Mrigaya - any chance they can be seen on english friendly VHS/VCD/DVD with subtitles in US ?? . Funny thing is that i am yet to see any of Adoor's films ( a big shame )



Pather Panchali

I choose this film for being India's first and the only accomplished Indian film by a very major artist. And that's its real importance.

Director: Satyajit Ray


Bhavni Bhavai

This is Ketan Mehta's very best film (in Gujarati). It was very fresh in the way he used folklore.

Director: Ketan Mehta


Aparajito

I like Aparajito for other reasons, for its very special feel, keen observation of human relationships, etc.

Director: Satyajit Ray


Meghe Dekhe Tara

It is a very innovative film. It also depicts Ghatak's passion for cinema and theatre. Ghatak's is a different voice from Ray's in terms of sound and visuals. It is a very significant film in the history of Indian cinema.

Director: Ritwick Ghatak


Ek Din Pratidin

I feel this is Mrinal Sen's best film. There are some other favourites too but I prefer Ek Din Pratidin to his other films. It is very different from Ray's or Ghatak's films. And, the film asks a very important question about life.

Director: Mrinal Sen


Ankur

It heralded a new voice in Hindi cinema because Hindi is otherwise associated with out and out commercial films. This was an Ankur in Hindi cinema's new wave movement.

Director: Shyam Benegal


Samskara

Samskara is the first and the most important film made in Kannada. This film is not selected based on the director; it is the story that is the most important element in the film. It is said there were more than one person behind the making of this film, and that it was a group activity. I have no way of verifying it but I see it as a very, very significant film. Basically, it is U R Ananthamurthy's story that is the most interesting aspect of the film.

Director: Pattabhirama Reddy



Madhumati

Madumati, made in the commercial genre, really haunts. Even after several years, I can still watch and enjoy it. That's the most important quality of the film.

Director: Bimal Roy



Thai Saheba

Girish Kasaravalli is a very important filmmaker. What I liked about this Kannada film was the way it talked about the transition in Indian society. It's very well made.

Director: Girish Kasaravalli



Maya Mrigaya

Nirad Mahapatra has made only this one feature film (in Oriya) but it's a very outstanding work.

Director: Nirad Mahapatra



Garam Hawa

I have to add this in the list, as the 11th film, because Sathyu is a very important filmmaker in the history of Indian films. And Garam Hawa is his best.

Director: M S Sathyu

Garam Hawa is an excellent film..I am glad some one brought it up!!
Only to be watched to be appreciated!! Highly recomended! 4 thumbs up!

Here... here... great film indeed? Wasn't Garam Hawa also Balraj Sahani's last film?

For those intersted - here is some nice infor i found about Adoor ( offical website ?)

http://www.kagw.com/adoor/Adoor_index.htm

I cant understand...when we have such masters of the art and their choices of films, how come we have duffers like Subhash Ghai and the "tattoo's" with their film choices ? I mean come on ..look at what Amol Palekar said
"..to be objective I will exclude the films I have directed"...

For Subhash Ghai and Pradeep Sarkar its quite the opposite...I mean TAAL with the classics Adoor Gopalakrishnan has listed..doesnt make any sense... as for Pradeep Sarkar...Munnabhai MBBS and Parineeta ( to keep his boss happy !)