Biopics: When Real-Life Inspired Reel-Life!

Biopics have become quite popular in Bollywood, especially in the last couple of years. Be it freedom fighters, politicians, sports stars, businessmen, outlaws, underworld dons or those who's life stories have become a source of inspiration for countless, Bollywood certainly loves recounting tales of real-life people. Here are some interesting biopics that Bollywood has churned out and those that will be releasing soon: Dangal (Mahavir Singh Phogat) This much awaited film tells the story of the man from a village in Haryana that taught his daughters to wrestle, making them into medal-winning, pride-winning sportswomen. Aamir Khan plays Phogat and we sure can't wait for yet another stellar performance. Azhar (Mohammad Azharuddin) The story of the life and love of famed Indian cricketer Mohammad Azharuddin, brought us Emraan Hashmi in the titular role. And let's say at least he nailed the look. Neerja (Neerja Bhanot) One of the year's biggest hits so far, Sonam Kapoor as Neerja not only nailed the heroic flight attendant's look, but moved people throughout the country with her performance. Sarbjit (Sarabjit Singh) The story of Sarabjit was told by Randeep Hooda with a commitment to the character that was the talk of the town. It was heart-wrenching and credit has to be given to just how well the man was visualised. Aligarh (Dr. Shrinivas Ramchandra Siras) A Marathi professor who was sacked from the university on charges of homosexuality, Dr. Siras, was brought to life by Manoj Bajpayee in this highly acclaimed film. Mary Kom (Mary Kom) The film made big news primarily thanks to the kind of drive Priyanka Chopra showed in perfecting her body to play a world-class boxer - Mary Kom. And we all know how well it paid off. Manjhi: The Mountain Man (Dashrath Manjhi) This saga of a man literally going up against a mountain was told through Nawazuddin's enchanting performance. Dashrath Manjhi's struggle could not have had a truer portrayal. Bhaag Milkha Bhaag (Milkha Singh) This film made was a biopic of epic proportions and one wouldn't expect any less from the story of India's Flying Sikh. Farhan Akhtar's dedication to the character shows in just how easily the film transports its audience. Paan Singh Tomar (Paan Singh Tomar) The fascinating story of a soldier and a gold-winning athlete that turned into a notorious bandit, this film simply had to feature someone of Irrfan Khan's calibre. And no one can say that he disappointed. Shahid (Shahid Azmi) Shahid was based on the life of lawyer and human rights activist Shahid Azmi who was assassinated in 2010. Played by Rajkummar Rao, and in the hands of director Hansal Mehta, Azmi's painful story took on a life of its own. The Dirty Picture (Vijayalakshmi Vadlapati AKA Silk Smitha) This biographical drama was inspired by the story of South Indian raunch queen Silk Smitha and Vidya Balan sure made the news with her uninhibited portrayal of the actress. Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose: The Forgotten Hero (Subhas Chandra Bose) A historical figure of great importance, Subhas Chandra Bose's life's story was told in this war biopic and it left many of us filled with a sense of patriotism we hadn't felt in a while. All thanks to Sachin Khedekar's noteworthy performance. Gandhi (Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi) The Oscar winning film that got Ben Kinsley several accolades for his performance as India's leader to freedom simply has to be on this list. Gandhi was a film for the ages. Sardar (Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel) Yet another biopic telling the story of freedom fighter, Sardar had Paresh Rawal in the role of Patel and the man took us back to a time when the nation was in turmoil. Bandit Queen (Phoolan Devi) Phoolan Devi is a woman Indian pop culture will probably remember forever for all the suffering she endured and for the tenacity with which her fury took form. And this was all thanks to Seema Biswas's unforgettable portrayal of the unbreakable woman. Upcoming Biopics: Sachin: A Billion Dreams Based on MasterBlaster Sachin Tendulkar's cricket, personal life and some aspects of his life that have never been heard of before, the movie stars Sachin Tendulkar, Arjun Tendulkar and Mayuresh in the lead cast, thus, marking Tendulkar's Bollywood debut at the age of 42. The release date is yet to to announced. Watch the teaser here: https://youtu.be/TamUy_PZzBM M.S. Dhoni: The Untold Story The film is based on the life of Indian cricketer and the current ODI and T20 captain of the Indian National Cricket team, Mahendra Singh Dhoni. The film features Sushant Singh Rajput in the leading role as Dhoni. Kiara Advani and Anupam Kher play supporting roles. The film is scheduled for release on September 30, 2016. The teaser of this movie was released on March 15, 2016, the day 2016 ICC World Cup started. https://youtu.be/QgxvDORKzec Budhia Singh: Born To Run Based on the world’s youngest marathon runner of the same name who made headlines in 2006, the film directed by Soumendra Padhi, features Manoj Bajpayee and Mayur Patole in the lead role. The film has already won the National Film Award for Best Children’s Film in 2016 and is set to release in August. Watch the trailer here: https://youtu.be/YGft9XiX4bs

Zoya Ghosh

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