My top 10 films by Amrit Maghera

Freida: I love this film and used to watch it a lot when I first moved to Mumbai by myself as a 23-year-old who felt quite overwhelmed and sometimes lacking in courage and confidence. Every time I watch it, Salma Hayek’s performance and the story fills me with strength and admi­ration, and completely inspires me. Know­ing she was the reason why this true story was made into a film in the first place and what she had to endure from Harvey Weinstein while making it just makes me respect and admire her even more. Frieda Khalo’s style, which I love, has become so iconic too. I love so many of the lines from the film, like: ‘Take a lover who looks at you like maybe you are magic’.

Monster: As you can see from this choice, I like films that aren’t necessarily ‘feel-go-od’ films. I like things that do something to me and leave me in a different state to when I first began watching. I was scared by Charlize Theron’s performance of Ai­leen Wuornos because it was so amazingly convincing and she completely trans­formed. I have only seen this once and probably wouldn’t be able to watch many times, but it’s definitely a film I remem­ber and was transfixed by.

Brave: This film just warms my heart and makes me so happy. Having Scottish roots myself, I just love the fact that this film is set in Scotland and how ballsy and tomboyish Merida is with her beautiful, fiery, wild hair. It’s so refreshing to see not your typical princess and one that oozes personality. The relationship being mother and daughter is also just so touching and beautiful.

Mullholand Drive: David Lynch is one of my favourite directors and I just love the characters he introduces and the world he takes us into. I’m also a big fan of Nao­mi Watts and think she is brilliant in this. The eeriness and quirkiness is something that really appeals to me somehow. I also love his films Blue Velvet, Lost Highway and of course Twin Peaks.

The Goonies: This film reminds me of my childhood. It is the perfect ensemble and a feel-good movie. The director creates this unpatronising sense of childhood and I still absolutely love it now. Both my brother and I would watch it so many times as children and we can still recite lines from this film. I recently bought it for him on DVD as a Christmas present.

E.T.: As well as The Goonies, this film just utterly encapsulates my childhood. It’s such an all-time classic. The part where E.T. says goodbye to Elliot would break me every time and does even now. It’s such a magical, feel-good, imaginative film and I could watch it repeatedly.

The Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind: This film just blew my mind. It’s wacky, eccentric, idiosyncratic and ex­pands your mind, but on a very human, guttural level. It asks the question: What would you do if you could choose to erase your memories, would you do it? Would you want to? In this film, Jim Car­ey also shows a completely different side as he is not comical but more serious, and for me, relatable. I loved his perfor­mance as I did Kate Winslet’s. After the film ended, it left me thinking for ages.

Dancer In The Dark: This film was shocking, disturbing and made me feel uncomfortable, but I have never forgot­ten it. Bjork is absolutely amazing and I just couldn’t believe it was her. I saw it as part of an acting course I was doing in Mumbai, as every week we had to watch films that pushed the envelope some­how. I thought it was bonkers, utterly brilliant and traumatic.

The Black Swan: I have an artistic inter­pretation of the poster of this film in my flat. I love this film and the fact that it’s centred on a ballerina, her ambition and the darkness that comes with it. I was captivated from start to end! Natalie Port­man is also one of my favourite actresses and I just didn’t want this to end.

What’s Eating Gilbert Grape?: Two words – Leonardo DiCaprio! He is every­thing in this movie. I saw it as a teenager. His performance got me to the point that I can’t forget it because I was so moved at his portrayal of an autistic boy. Maybe the movie was supposed to be about Johnny Depp’s character, i.e Gilbert, but it was him who got to me.

• Amrit Maghera is a British actress. Visit Instagram: @amrit.maghera, Twitter: @ amrit_maghera and www.amritmaghera. com for more.