Biopics Of Bollywood Celebs Who Braved Difficulties To Achieve Success
Posted On: 19 Dec 2022 | Last Updated : 19 Jan 2023 | Views : 1.2k
Biopics have been a rage in Bollywood ever since they came into existence a couple of decades back. Though biopics are the current flavour of Bollywood with a majority of them being made either on popular sports personalities, war heroes, or criminals but is not easy to portray something that’s unique to a real person’s life in a dramatized manner. We all love watching biographical movies that not just entertain us but also have the ability to inspire and educate us as well. All that our filmmakers look at before making a biopic on a celebrity is whether he/she was famous, inspirational, or controversial enough that will hold the audience’s attention together for more than two hours. This time we go a step further and try to bring to you a list of some amazing Bollywood celeb biopics based on the inspiring lives of Bollywood celebrities who braved great difficulties to achieve their dreams.
1. Amar Saigal - The Immortal Singer (1955) - K.L. Saigal
Amar Saigal directed by Nitin Bose was probably the first Bollywood biopic on an actor, star, or celebrity. The earlier biopics made in Bollywood were that of historical, mythological, or political / freedom fighters. Amar Saigal was a biopic made on the famous Indian singer and actor Kundan Lal Saigal, often abbreviated as K.L. Saigal. Starring Akhtar Jahan, Padmadevi, Pahadi Sanyal, and G. Mungeri in the main lead, the film portrayed the life and times of the legendary singer and actor since he was a child and how he went on to become the first superstar singer of the silver screen. Some of his notable works were in films such as Devdas (1935), President (1937), Street Singer (1938), Tansen (1943), Shahjehan (1946), and Parwana (1947).
2. Bhumika (1977) - Hansa Wadkar
Shyam Benegal’s Bhumika also makes it to the list of biopics on Bollywood celebs. Released in 1977, Bhumika was based on the memoir, ‘Sangte Aika’ of the well-known Marathi stage and screen actress of the ’40s - Hansa Wadkar. The film had Smita Patil playing the role of the flamboyant and unconventional life of the actress where the story moved back and forth across flashbacks to her early life. Also starring Amol Palekar, Anant Nag, Naseeruddin Shah, and Amrish Puri, the film won two National Film Awards which included ‘Best Actress’ and ‘Best Screenplay’. The film was lauded by the critics and is regarded as one of Smita Patil’s best performances ever.
3. Woh Lamhe… (2006) - Parveen Babi
Mohit Suri’s romantic drama Woh Lamhe…, starring Kangana Ranaut and Shiney Ahuja in the lead roles was supposedly based on the life of Parveen Babi. Parveen Babi was one of the most popular and highest-paid actresses of the 70s and 80s who worked with some of the top lead actors and directors of her time. Mahesh Bhatt who was closely associated with the film paid a tribute to the actress through it as he had spent a lot of time with her in real life too. Parveen Babi's character played by Kangana Ranaut in the film showcased her rise to popularity as a heroine, her battle with schizophrenia, and her relationship with Mahesh Bhatt to whom she was a lover as well as a mentor in his struggling days. Though the film didn’t rake in the expected moolah at the box office but received critical acclaim for its screenplay, direction, and Kangana Ranaut’s performance which is considered one of her best to date.
4. The Dirty Picture (2011) - Silk Smitha
Directed by Milan Luthria’s The Dirty Picture was reportedly based on the life of South Indian and Bollywood film actress Silk Smitha who was known for her seductive roles and raunchy numbers. The film depicted her life from that being an extra to becoming one of the most popular actresses down south. Silk Smitha’s role portrayed by Vidya Balan took everyone by surprise and appealed to the masses as well as the critics. The film which also starred Naseeruddin Shah, Tusshar Kapoor, and Emraan Hashmi ran to packed houses fetching Vidya Balan her second Filmfare Award for ‘Best Actress’ that year.
5. Sanju (2018) - Sanjay Dutt
Topping the list of biopics based on Bollywood actors is Rajkumar Hirani's Sanju. Sanju was the biopic of actor Sanjay Dutt that had Ranbir Kapoor playing the titular role. The movie was based on anecdotes narrated by Sanjay Dutt himself that dealt with his various affairs, controversies, drug addiction phase, his obsession with guns, and involvement in the infamous arms case that led him to jail. Ranbir Kapoor lived the role of Sanjay Dutt and made the audiences believe that it was actually Sanjay Dutt himself playing the role. The film not just went on to become a blockbuster but also helped Ranbir Kapoor bag that year's Filmfare award for ‘Best Actor’.
6. Manto (2018) - Saadat Hasan Manto
Nandita Das’s Manto was a biopic on the legendary writer Saadat Hasan Manto who was well-known for his short stories and screenwriting works in the glittering world of the Bombay film industry. Manto played by Nawazuddin Siddiqui in the film showcased his emergence as a scriptwriter amidst the freedom struggle against the British Empire and tenuous relationship with the Progressive Writers’ Association. His survival as a writer post-partition in Pakistan led to his death at the age of 42. Some of his notable works in Bollywood pre- and post-partition were as a screenwriter for 8 Days, Chal Chal Re Naujawan, and Mirza Ghalib in 1954. He also wrote Shikari and Kaali Shalwar (1941), and Dhuan (1941).
7. Mahanati (2018) – Savitri
Directed by Nag Ashwin, Mahanati was a biopic made and released in the Telugu language that was based on the life of actress Savitri. It may not qualify as a Bollywood biopic on an actress but it was dubbed in Hindi as Savitri was also well-known in Hindi cinema. Known as celluloid's first female superstar of the Indian film industry, Savitri was also a playback singer, dancer, director, and producer who worked in multiple language films like Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Hindi, and Malayalam. She starred in over 250 films from the 1950s, 60s, and 70s. Keerthy Suresh who portrayed Savitri in Mahanati brought to life the title character and was aptly supported by Dulquer Salmaan, Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Vijay Deverakonda, and Akkineni Naga Chaitanya, etc. Some of Savitri’s popular Bollywood movies included Bahut Din Huye (1954), Ganga Ki Lahren (1964), Balram Shri Krishna (1968), Amar Deep (1979), etc.
8. Thalaivii (2021) - J. Jayalalithaa
If we talk about biopics based on Bollywood actresses then who can forget Thalaivii, a biographical drama film based on the life of Indian actress turned-politician J. Jayalalithaa? The biopic which was released in Tamil and Hindi languages was directed by A. L. Vijay and starred Kangana Ranaut as Jayalalithaa, while Arvind Swamy played M. G. Ramachandran. The film portrayed the real-life story and events which took place during J. Jayalalithaa’s initial acting days and how the queen of romance left stardom at her peak to rise as a powerful leader. The film also showcases how she made a name for herself after fighting against all odds to float her own political party, and how she was given the title of ‘Thalaivii’. The only two Hindi movies she featured were in Man-Mauji (1962) and Izzat (1968) besides acting in over 140 Tamil, Telugu and Kannada films.
9. Nache Mayuri (1986) – Sudha Chandran
Nache Mayuri was a dance biopic on the classical dancer turned-actress, Sudha Chandran. The film was the real-life story of the Bharatanatyam dancer who unfortunately lost her leg in an accident while traveling from Trichy to Chennai in 1981. All of just 16 years, it felt as if she would never be able to dance again but received an artificial Jaipur foot that eventually made her dance again. Sudha Chandran played herself in the biopic that was directed by T. Rama Rao which showcased how a person who is passionate about his/her dream can overcome all odds to become triumphant in life. The film was originally made in Telugu as Mayuri and later remade in Tamil, Malayalam, and Hindi languages.
10. Zubeidaa (2001) - Zubeida Begum
Zubeida Begum or Zubeida was an actress and singer who was believed to have the potential to become a superstar while Bollywood was trying to become a powerful source of entertainment. While still trying to get a foothold in Bollywood after doing films like Aurat Ki Zindagi (1937) & Kiski Pyari (1937), Zubeida was married off to Hanuwant Singh, the young Maharaja of Jodhpur, at an early age after which she was rechristened as Vidya Rani. Her life inspired director Shyam Benegal to make Zubeidaa in 2001 which had Karisma Kapoor playing the titular role while Manoj Bajpayee, Rekha, Rahul Singh, Surekha Sikri, Amrish Puri, and Shakti Kapoor formed the remaining star cast. Though Zubeida Begum died at the young age of 26 her portrayal in the movie was said to be far from the true events that took place in her tragic life.
