Movies for Thinking about Indian History
My purpose here is to create a list of movies that would help to give a gist of some Indian history. I do not recommend that you rely on these movies for absolute accuracy, though some are better than others. (Gandhi for instance, is much more closely documented than Ashoka the Great, which is a song and dance extravaganza that loosely relates to the life of the subject).
I do believe that these movies are useful for introductory purposes. Before accepting anything in these sorts of movies as fact, I recommend doing some background checking. But these movies might motivate you (as over the years they have motivated me) to care enough to do some serious research and reading.
I do believe that these movies are useful for introductory purposes. Before accepting anything in these sorts of movies as fact, I recommend doing some background checking. But these movies might motivate you (as over the years they have motivated me) to care enough to do some serious research and reading.
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- DirectorSantosh SivanStarsShah Rukh KhanKareena KapoorDanny DenzongpaThe epic tale of King Asoka's life is recounted.A grand scale epic movie about one of India's early great emperors. Historical accuracy was not one of the movie-makers prime concerns (and many details are not available). But it works as an introduction to the broad outlines of the story.
- DirectorAshutosh GowarikerStarsHrithik RoshanAishwarya Rai BachchanSonu SoodA sixteenth century love story about a marriage of alliance that gave birth to true love between a great Mughal emperor, Akbar, and a Rajput princess, Jodha.There are problems with historicity on this one, but the broad outlines that there was this guy named Akbar who cared about religious tolerance at some level are valid.
- DirectorK. AsifStarsPrithviraj KapoorMadhubalaDilip KumarA 16th century prince falls in love with a court dancer and battles with his emperor father.Romance of one of the early Mughal emperors.
- DirectorHarsukh Jagneshwar BhattBhalchandra ShuklaStarsMahipalShyamaRaj KumarSage Tulsidas faces challenges when he attempts to translate the Holy Ramayan.This is an old black and white movie that tells the story of Tulsidas, who wrote the Awadhi (accessible to Hindi speakers) version of the Ramayana.
- DirectorKetan MehtaStarsAamir KhanRani MukerjiToby StephensThis is a film about the leader of the 1857 mutiny and his fight against the British rule.Very nice epic historical romance.
- DirectorAshutosh GowarikerStarsAbhishek BachchanDeepika PadukoneSikandar KherChildren who are not allowed by the oppressive British colonists to play football decide to join a group of freedom fighters.About the Chitagong Rebellion in 1930. A patriotic look at a violent part of the Indian struggle for independence. A well-done and thoughtful movie, though it was a box office flop.
- DirectorRajkumar SantoshiStarsAjay DevgnSushant SinghD. SantoshThe story of a young revolutionary who raised an armed resistance against the British rule in India.Of the three recent movies that deal with this, this one is the best.
- DirectorRichard AttenboroughStarsBen KingsleyJohn GielgudRohini HattangadiThe life of the lawyer who became the famed leader of the Indian revolts against the British rule through his philosophy of nonviolent protest.This one is obvious. If you will only watch one movie on Indian history, this is the one to see.
- DirectorDeepa MehtaStarsLisa RayJohn AbrahamSeema BiswasSet in colonial India against Gandhi's rise to power, it's the story of 8-year-old Chuyia, who is widowed and sent to a home to live in penitence; once there, Chuyia's feisty presence deeply affects the lives of the other residents.Widows in Varanasi during the time of Gandhi.
- DirectorKetan MehtaStarsParesh RawalTom AlterDeepika AminAn account of Vallbhbhai Patel's political life while India was taking first steps as an independent country.Sardar Patel, focusing on 1945-1950.
- DirectorFeroz Abbas KhanStarsAkshaye KhannaDarshan JariwalaShefali ShahThe account of troubled relationship between Mahatma Gandhi and his eldest son.About Gandhi's oldest son.
- DirectorDeepa MehtaStarsAamir KhanNandita DasRahul KhannaIt's 1947 and the borderlines between India and Pakistan are being drawn. A young girl witnesses tragedy as her ayah (nanny) is caught between the love of two men and the rising tide of political and religious violence.Set in Lahore at the time of Partition.
- DirectorChandra Prakash DwivediStarsUrmila MatondkarManoj BajpayeeSanjay SuriIn the days leading up to Partition, a Hindu woman is abducted by a Muslim man. Soon, she finds herself not only forced into marriage, but living in a new country as the borders between India and Pakistan are drawn.A movie about partition, but particularly about the women who got trapped on one side or the other of the border and the difficulties and issues of repatriation.
- DirectorGovind NihalaniStarsJaya BachchanAnupam KherSeema BiswasDibyanath Chatterji, his bank-employed wife, Sujata, and only child, a son, Brati, live a middle-class existence in Calcutta, West Bengal, India, circa early 1970s. Sujata is a quiet, devout Hindu, religious, and compassionate woman, and Brati has finished his school and is now attending college. His parents are proud of him, and keep track of his progress. Then their world is shattered during the early hours, when they are informed by the police that Brati has been killed. Dibyanath and Sujata go to identify Brati's body, mourn, lament inconsolably. They know now that their lives will never be the same again - for by the police they will be called the mother and father corpse No. 1084. Sujata struggles to understand Brati's passing, meets his friends one by one, comes to know that Brati had a girlfriend, Nandini Mitra, and that's when she finds out that Brati was part of a rebel group often referred to as "Naxalbari", a militant leftist group. As she delves deeper and deeper into Brati's former life, she begins to understand her son's struggle, and decides to continue to further this. What Sujata does not know is her and Dibyanath's lives are in danger, and they well turn up dead and end up as numbered corpses in a police morgue.A mother learns about her son's involvement with the Naxalites.
- DirectorSudhir MishraStarsKay Kay MenonShiney AhujaChitrangda SinghSet in the backdrop of Indian Emergency 1975, the story revolves around 3 friends whose lives changes drastically after the turn of events.Powerful story set against political activism (including Naxalites) of the 1970's.
- DirectorShonali BoseStarsKonkona Sen SharmaYashpal SharmaBrinda KaratAmu is the story of an Indian American woman who returns to India. The film takes a dark turn as Kaju learns that a horrifying genocide that took place twenty years ago turns out to hold the key to her mysterious origins.A college-aged girl returns to India, where she was born, to reconnect with her roots. In the process, she learns history about Delhi that she never knew. (The Sikh Massacres)
- DirectorNandita DasStarsInaamulhaqNassarShahana GoswamiChronicles the devastating impact on vulnerable Muslims in Gujarat after riots.Focuses on the aftermath of the Gujarati Riots.