Politicians on the big screen: Bollywood films based on real-life stories of politicians in India

By Reya Mehrotra

Recently, the highly anticipated film about the life of late actor-politician Jayalalithaa Thalaivi starring Kangana Ranaut hit theaters with positive reviews, especially in the south of the country where Jayalalithaa was originally from. There is something with biographical films. The real stories of politicians, sportsmen or all those who have succeeded in their respective fields attract the public to the screens out of curiosity. We watch Bollywood movies based on real stories of politicians in India.

Thackeray
Abhijit Panse’s 2019 film Thackeray was based on the life of Balasaheb Thackeray. A cartoonist by profession, he founded the Shiv Sena party in 1966. Nawazuddin Siddiqui played the protagonist as Amrita Rao played his wife. The right-wing pro-Marathi and Hindu Nationalist Party remains active in Maharashtra and is currently in power. Thackeray had a strong influence on the Maharashtrians, especially in Mumbai, as he defended their rights. He first worked as a cartoonist with Free Press Journal and then started his own cartoon weekly Marmik with his brother. After Marmik’s success, he started his own party named Shiv Sena.

Sardar
Ketan Mehta’s 1994 film Sardar starring Paresh Rawal was based on the life of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. The film is a coming-of-age drama because it shows Patel ridiculing Gandhi’s fight for independence. But later, when he meets Gandhi, he joins the struggle for independence. Patel later became India’s first deputy prime minister. He was a senior Indian National Congress leader and lawyer. He was often called ‘Sardar’ or ‘Chief’. He was India’s interior minister during Indian political integration and the Indo-Pakistani war of 1947.

An insignificant man
The 2016 socio-political documentary is based on Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, leader of the Aam Aadmi party. It is the rise of anti-corruption protests in India that led to the formation of the AAP. The film received a standing ovation at the Toronto International Film Festival. A former bureaucrat, Kejriwal received the Ramon Magsaysay Award for Emerging Leadership for his campaign against government corruption. Prior to becoming a politician, Kejriwal worked in the Indian Tax Service as Co-Income Tax Commissioner in New Delhi.

Sarkar
The Sarkar film series – Sarkar, Sarkar Raj and Sarkar 3 – is said to be inspired by The Godfather and loosely based on the life of politician Balasaheb Thackeray. Amitabh Bachchan’s role as Sarkar is said to have several traits of Thackeray. Abhishek Bachchan plays Amitabh’s son in the film. Ram Gopal Varma’s film also stars Katrina Kaif, Kay Kay Menon, Tanisha Mukherjee, and Supriya Pathak in leading roles.

Aandhi
The 1975 political drama is said to be loosely based on the life of former Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. However, it was later stated that only the style of the character was inspired by Gandhi. Directed by Gulzar, the film stars Suchitra Sen and Sanjeev Kumar. The story is based on the chance meeting of a separated couple after several years. Aarti Devi, a successful politician, stays in a hotel run by her ex-husband during an election campaign. While there, the two remember their days gone by and how life evolved.

Thalaïvi
The 2021 Indian biographical drama stars Kangana Ranaut as the late actor-politician Jayalalithaa. It stars Arvind Swami as MG Ramachandran. The film was released in Tamil, Hindi and Telugu and was directed by AL Vijay. The film traces Jayalalithaa’s journey as an actor, politician and feminist figure in Indian politics. She became Tamil Nadu CM for six terms and served a total of 14 years.

Gandhi, my father
Feroz Abbas Khan’s 2007 film explores the troubled relationship between Mahatma Gandhi and his eldest of four sons, Harilal Gandhi. Akshaye Khanna portrayed the role of Gandhi’s eldest son. While Harilal wanted to go abroad and study to become a lawyer like his father, Gandhi wanted him to join him in his fight for causes in India. Harilal abandons his father’s visions and joins his wife Gulab and children, but fails to educate himself or earn any money, which leads to a life of poverty. His wife dies of illness and he turns to alcohol, converts to Islam, to later convert to another Hindu sect. He died shortly after Gandhi was shot.

Accidental prime minister
The 2019 film was based on the book The Accidental Prime Minister written by political analyst Sanjaya Baru. It starred Anupam Kher as Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. The film chronicles how Singh fell victim to the dynastic approach of Congress in promoting Rahul Gandhi. Akshaye Khanna played the role of Sanjaya Baru, Aahana Kumra played Priyanka Gandhi and Suzanne Bernert took on the character of Sonia Gandhi.