Anjali (1990)

Chitra was told her third child died at birth. Years later she discovers that her husband Shekar kept a painful secret: the girl, Anjali, survived, but was born with a severe disability and a fragile body, and has been cared for away from home. When Shekar brings her back, their two older children and the gang of kids in the apartment complex react with embarrassment and cruelty, until Anjali's innocence slowly wins them over and turns the colony into a family. Mani Ratnam tells the story largely through the children, with Ilaiyaraaja's songs carrying much of the feeling. Anjali was India's official entry for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, and won the National Film Award for Best Tamil Feature, with Shamili, Tarun and Shruti sharing the award for Best Child Artist. It is still one of the most loved Indian films about childhood.