Oct 022017
 

Bollywood movies are often criticised for not being realistic and glamorizing the truth. But there are rare times when the glamour oozing, box office obsessed Bollywood decides to tell a real story. We took it upon ourselves to bring you this list, including the old, new and yet to be released movies based on real life characters or incidents. Assuming that you know about the common ones like Dangal, Bhaag Milkha Bhaag, No one killed Jessica, Dirty Picture, Woh Lamhe, Chak De! India, The Attacks of 26/11 (2013), Shootout at Wadala, Special 26, Mary Kom, Guru and Shootout at Lokhandwala, we will mention everything else. 

Padman

Here Are 7 Bollywood Movies That Were Based On Based On Real Stories© Eros International

Let us start with an upcoming movie. Since we are not so low-key excited about it. In Padman, Akshay Kumar is playing the role of an Indian entrepreneur Arunachalam Muruganantham, who invented cheap yet sanitary pads for the women of his village. After addressing a social issue through Toilet ek prem katha, he is all set to shed light on another. Arunachalam Muruganantham is definitely a determined man who fought all the entire society including his wife to provide women with sanitary methods of menstruation.

Talvar (2015)

Here Are 7 Bollywood Movies That Were Based On Based On Real Stories© Junglee Pictures

This 2015 released drama film directed by Meghna Gulzar and written by Vishal Bharadwaj is based on a 2008 murder case of Aarushi Talwar. Since the case was always in the public eye, it benefitted the movie. The movie had a box office earning of ₹471.7 million. 

Shahid (2013)

Here Are 7 Bollywood Movies That Were Based On Based On Real Stories© UTV Motion Pictures

Directed by Hansal Mehta and produced by Anurag Kashyap this movie surprisingly hit the box office charts hard with a whooping ₹400 million. It is based on the life of lawyer and human rights activist Shahid Azmi, who was assassinated in 2010 in Mumbai.

Bawandar (2000)

Here Are 7 Bollywood Movies That Were Based On Based On Real Stories© Gaurang Doshi

It is without doubt listed as one of the most powerful movies ever made by Bollywood ever. It is based on a story of Bhanwari Devi, a rape victim from Rajasthan. This is a story of how one case reformed the rape laws, got Prime minister involved and managed to set history. 

Sardar (1993)

Here Are 7 Bollywood Movies That Were Based On Based On Real Stories© H.M. Patel

This classic biopic on Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel directed by Ketan Mehta talks about how he had a change of heart because of Gandhi’s speech and became one of the most influential names in the fight for freedom. The film was screened retrospective on August 12, 2016 at the Independence Day Film Festival jointly presented by the Indian Directorate of Film Festivals and Ministry of Defense, commemorating 70th Indian Independence Day

Madaari (2016)

Here Are 7 Bollywood Movies That Were Based On Based On Real Stories© Pooja Entertainment & Films

Madaari by Nishikant Kamat stars Irrfan Khan as a man, who seeks non-legal redress for a Metro bridge which trembles down in a busy part of Mumbai. Kamat later admitted that the movie is based on the collapse of an under-construction Metro bridge in Andheri, in the western suburb of Mumbai, which happened on September 4, 2012.

Madras Cafe (2013)

Here Are 7 Bollywood Movies That Were Based On Based On Real Stories© Viacom18 Motion Pictures

Madras Cafe directed by Shoojit Sircar is based on true events with a fictional story of the Indian spy to gel the entire story of how India allegedly supported the LTTE and retracted later when the situation worsened. John Abraham will now be starring and producing Parmanu which is also based on a true story.

Gangs of Wasseypur (2012)

Here Are 7 Bollywood Movies That Were Based On Based On Real Stories© Viacom 18 Motion Pictures

The second part of this epic movie, if believed by the local residents is a true story of ugly spats that have happened between the 2 rival gangs here in Dhanbad. The movie directed by Anurag Kashyap is based on coal mafia and features actors like Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Manoj Bajpai, Richa Chadda, Piyush Mishra and Tigmasnhu Dhulia. 

Disclaimer: Satyagraha – Democracy Under Fire, is till date considered by most to be based on Anna Hazare. But Prakash Jha has set the records straight multiple times that the story of the movie has no relationship with Anna Hazare at all.

Jun 302017
 

We look up to leaders for sanity. The lack of it only empowers the wrongdoerWe look up to leaders for sanity. The lack of it only empowers the wrongdoer

Here’s the thing with protests. It’s not that people don’t. They do. Very often. And that’s the hallmark of a democracy anyway. But if you look closely, on a more regular basis, whenever there is a ‘dharna’ or protest march, the faces that show up, are the usual suspects — who either have an agenda (legit or otherwise). Or are more specifically inclined towards issues being raised on a public platform.

What was incredibly heartening for me about the nationwide series of peaceful public protests that took place across India and outside, on June 28, was that it wasn’t about people from a certain religion, caste, economic strata, or community, hitting the street, to make their voices heard, and simply say #NotInMyName. It was a spontaneous call. It echoed absolutely everyone’s sentiment. I wish I could’ve been there. I was travelling, unfortunately.

Sure, every democracy has its issues. But there comes a moment — as it happened with Anna Hazare’s anti-corruption rally in 2010, or ‘Nirbhaya’ in 2012 — when everyone feels that their backs are against the wall and things have genuinely spun out of control. That they must speak up. It’s at a time like this when the political classes at the upper echelons, usually silent, are forced to take notice. As did the Prime Minister, who made it clear that a lynch-mob, or vigilante justice, is not Mahatma Gandhi’s chosen path or method. And it certainly does not signify a Hindu way of life.

We look up to leaders for voice of sanity. The lack of it only empowers the wrongdoer. But even beyond that, we look up to this nation’s judiciary that somehow ought to cease power from vigilantes. We can’t have laws slipping into the hands of a retributive mob, or self-styled ‘gau rakshaks’, simply because our criminal-justice system is long and unwieldy.

For a second, just imagine that beef is found on a person. Forget that there are rumours that he may be carrying some. He has it. So what? We will kill him? No sane person will think so. Most regular humans understand that a plural, multi-cultural, diverse society is beneficial for everyone. But there are some who are brainwashed to think differently from the rest — from a very early age. They may never understand rational arguments. It’s hard to reason with them.

How does the society respond to them? What happens to a boy who’s killed as a result? Who’s answerable for the death of the innocent? What action does the state take against that killer? These are equally if not more important questions.

For long, everyone kept quiet assuming beef to be such a sensitive issue. But people are dying –being killed. There is systematic targeting that’s tearing up the basic fabric of this country. The prospects are frightening. As a commentator I recently pointed out, it takes just one twisted mind from the other end of the spectrum to take advantage of a ripe situation like this, and retaliate. It would be labeled as terrorism. Who wants that? Where do we go from there?

It’s a shame that things have come to this. But heartening still that people from all walks of life chose to step out of their homes on June 28, stand up together in public, raise their voice, and say that this is not what my nation, or my religion, teaches me. Silence, at a time like this, only benefits those who perpetrate crimes under a community’s name. Nope, #NotInMyName. Not anymore.

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