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Reading is an important skill. It not only helps you gather knowledge but can also be therapeutic. May it be novels, short stories or news columns— there’s something for everyone! Well, books hold a special place in the Hindi film industry’s heart. Some filmmakers love books so much that they take it upon themselves to adapt the stories into films. Today on National Reading Day 2024, which is a tribute to Father of the Library Movement Puthuvayil Narayana Panicker, let’s take a look at books that inspired Bollywood blockbuster hits:
Gangubai Kathiawadi (2022)
Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Gangubai Kathiawadi, starring Alia Bhatt in the lead, is a National Award-winning film that follows the story of a simple girl sold into prostitution. She goes on to embrace her destiny and emerges as the queen of Kamathipura. This biographical crime drama was adapted from a story on Gangubai Kothewali in S. Hussain Zaidi’s 2011 book Mafia Queens of Mumbai
The White Tiger (2021)
Starring Adarsh Gourav alongside Rajkummar Rao and Priyanka Chopra Jonas, The White Tiger took a direct-to-digital route in 2021. The film received positive reviews from critics and audiences alike. It was an adaptation of Indian writer Aravind Adiga’s 2008 book of the same name
Detective Byomkesh Bakshy! (2015)
Sushant Singh Rajput was a versatile actor, and Byomkesh Bakshi was one of the most memorable characters he ever portrayed. While the film didn’t do wonders at the box office, it did receive critical acclaim and won several hearts. The Dibakar Banerjee directorial was inspired by the many stories about the fictional detective written by Sharadindu Bandyopadhyay
Bajirao Mastani (2015)
In 2015, Sanjay Leela Bhansali left us swooning over Ranveer Singh and Deepika Padukone’s sizzling chemistry when they shared the screen as Peshwa Bajirao and his second wife Mastani. Also starring Priyanka Chopra Jonas as Bajirao’s first wife Kashibai, the film was an adaptation of N S Inamdar’s Marathi fictional novel Rau
2 States (2014), Kai Po Che! (2013), 3 Idiots (2009)
Many Bollywood films have been inspired by Chetan Bhagat’s novels. In this list, let’s talk about the top 3— 2 States, Kai Po Che! and 3 Idiots. Starring Alia Bhatt with Arjun Kapoor, 2 States was adapted from Chetan’s 2009 novel of the same name. Kai Po Che, which marked Sushant Singh Rajput’s Bollywood debut film, was inspired by the 2008 novel titled The 3 Mistakes of My Life. And 3 Idiots, which won 3 National Awards and featured Aamir Khan, R Madhavan and Sharman Joshi in their best form, was based on the 2004 novel Five Point Someone
Parineeta (2005)
Audiences found themselves lost in erstwhile Calcutta with Saif Ali Khan, Vidya Balan and Sanjay Dutt’s musical romance film Parineeta. It was a poetic story that had overwhelming as well as heartbreaking moments. This movie was adapted from the Bengali novel of the same name, written by Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay
Devdas (2002)
Another Sanjay Leela Bhansali masterpiece was Devdas, which gave us iconic characters and memorable performances. While Shah Rukh Khan was epic as Devdas Mukherjee, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Madhuri Dixit made a permanent place in our hearts as Paro and Chandramukhi. Well, this iconic gem of Bollywood was based on Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay’s 1927 Bengali novel of the same name
Guide (1966)
Dev Anand and Waheeda Rehman’s 1966 film Guide not only shattered the box office on release, but also emerged as a cult classic over the years. Adapted from R. K. Narayan’s 1958 novel The Guide, this movie follows the story of a tourist guide and the wife of an archaeologist
Whether you are an avid reader or a movie buff, we have given you a worthy list of content to consume today. Enjoy!
