Biopics have recently become the new favorites of Bollywood. While most of the biopics were about sports persons in the beginning, now the trend is diversifying!
Jay Joshi
Bollywood has been witnessing a rising trend of biopics across various spectrums in recent days. Recently, actor Akshay Kumar stated that he would be a fool to make a biopic on himself. He has instead proposed to make one on Assamese sprinter Hima Das. If made, this would be another addition to a long line to biopics on sports persons.
All things said and done, biopics have had a deep impact on the industry as well as the audience. From memorable masterpieces such as Bhaag Milkha Bhaag and Mary Kom, to the controversial ones such as Haseena Parkar and more recently, Sanju, biopics have given people inspiration, or raised question as to the kind of people Bollywood movies have sought to idolise through the biopics. Most biopics though, are on sportspersons or on gangsters. One wonders if this is because both these genres promise lots of action. But a host of new biopics on people from diverse films should make things interesting in the near future.
First off, there is Manikarnika, where Kangana Ranaut will essay the role of Rani Lakshmibai, the queen of Jhansi. Then, there is Super 30 which stars actor Hrithik Roshan as mathematician Anand Kumar, the founder of the initiative Super 30, who selects 30 talented candidates each year from economically backward sections of society and trains them for the IIT-JEE entrance exam. These films should generate lots of positive vibes.
Another, most awaited biopic which is expected to create a stir which would be created by 2019 film Thackeray, which chronicles the rise of Balasaheb Thackeray; or by Accidental Prime Minister -the story of UPA 2 government under then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. Be that as it may, it is welcome news that Bollywood is diversifying from just sports or gangsters into history, politics, and society. Actor Rishi Kapoor has stated that he has been approached with a planned biopic on writer Khushwant Singh. Set in early years of independence, the film would albeit be a great story. Last but not the least, reports also suggest that another biopic is in planning- this one is on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and actor Paresh Rawal will be portraying Modi in the said film.
Benjamin Franklin once said, “Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing” Going by the latest trend in Bollywood, we could now say “either do something worth making a biopic, or make a biopic that does something; though some exceptions aside, all Bollywood biopics do is make money or make controversy.
