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Some of the most cherished novels have been translated into unforgettable movies in Bollywood. While most of these adaptations bring gripping tales from the book to the digital format, there is a subtle and innovative twist that we see, adding flavours of India that appeal to Bollywood filmmaking. These Bollywood adaptations allow bookworms who are also die-hard fans to transport into their favourite books.
So let’s take a look at 10 Bollywood movies based on books.
1: Devdas
Inspired by: Devdas of Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay
Devdas: Perhaps one of the most popular re-tellings, many versions of Devdas have been made with the 2002 rendition containing performances by Shah Rukh Khan being amongst some of its more noted ones. Devdas (2002)The film follows the disastrous narrative of Devdas, a man who destroyed himself after losing his love. One of the most iconic Bollywood movies based on a book, this film has remained close to our hearts forever, capturing the heartbreak and emotional depth while keeping it true to a literary classic that is also its foundation.
2: 3 Idiots
Inspired by: Five Point Someone by Chetan Bhagat
Based on an original story by Chetan Bhagat, Five Point Someone itself is quite different from 3 Idiots, but the film makes changes to serve the cinematic version more. Though the book delves into the lives of three friends living in an Indian Engineering college, the movie serves as a complete entertainment with humour and emotions making it one of the iconic movies.
3: Guide
Inspired by: The Guide by R.K. Narayan
It is the first non-mythological movie based on R.K. Narayan’s novel The Guide, also a classic in the world of Bollywood movies. The film follows Raju, a tourist guide, who becomes a spiritual guru and within that process goes from being a conman to being a saint. This film keeps the novel on a level field of philosophical depth, however, it adds Bollywood story-telling with its famous music and performance fashion. This is how you adapt literature into cinema.
4: Omkara
Inspired by: Othello: The Moor of Venice by William Shakespeare
Omkara is a superb interpretation that sets Shakespeare’s tragedy Othello in rural India, from visionary filmmaker Vishal Bharadwaj. It retains the intensity and drama of the original play but Bollywoodises it. Omkara Features outstanding performances by Ajay Devgn, Sajson (not a type mistake) by Saif Ali Khan and Kareena KapoorVeritably loyal yet refreshingly new adaption of one of literature’s biggest tragedies! Even through a Bollywood movie, Shakespeare proves to be timeless.
5: Parineeta
Inspired from: Parineeta (Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay)
Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay: ParineetaFIlm adaptation of Indian novels has been pretty perfunctory, stories quite often being butchered by filmmakers. But the Bollywood version (2005) of this simple tale spun off its 1942 original is probably an exception to that rule. Aasheem is a film critic, writer and filmmaker Lalbatti Missile boasts of a controlled vision that lent an emotional depth to the novel along with social commentary. The film recounts some of life’s little moments and that too quite beautifully in the unadulterated love-hate relationship between its leads Vidya Balan and Saif Ali Khan. Parineeta is a film that was born out of an inspired blend of the two.
6: Maqbool
Inspired from: Macbeth (Feat.
Maqbool — a gritty adaptation of Shakespeare’s Macbeth, directed by Vishal Bhardwaj who adapted the play in HindiENDIF This is a modern, Indian interpretation of the classic tale of crime through its feverish milieu in the city of Mumbai. Irfan Khan as the lead is brilliant and this movie shows how Bollywood films are adapting classics of literature to narrate contemporary stories and entrust those in them.
7: 2 States
Inspired by: 2 States by Chetan Bhagat
Based on a book by Chetan Bhagat, 2 States is an incredibly breezy rom-com about the cultural shock one has to overcome to be with someone from another corner of India conducted in Hindi. While the book was a semi-autobiographical affair following Bhagat un-gainfully employed as an engineer in London, the film relishes exuberant visuals, performances and Bollywood drama. If this is your type of show, you may as well have some fun with it.
8: Haider
Inspired by: Hamlet – William Shakespeare
Vishal Bhardwaj Haider: The man who brought Shakespeare to Bollywood — again! The film is a political thriller adapted from the play, which is set against the political background of the Kashmir conflict and it gives an interesting twist to the classic story of Hamlet It is the most powerful Bollywood adaptation of a literary work and its effectiveness in translating almost to the word was certainly helped by Shahid Kapoor who gave probably his strongest turn as conflicted Haider.
9: Kai Po Che!
Inspired by: The 3 Mistakes of My Life by Chetan Bhagat
Kai Po Che is yet another appearance of Chetan Bhagat!, coming from a novel by Chetan Bhagat The 3 Mistakes of My Life. An investigation of the lives of three companions in Gujarat, who are attempting to understand their fantasies, and overseeing battles among political agitation. The film beautifully projects friendship, ambitions and even commercial riots. It [] is an emotional film that serves its novel counterpart justice.
10: Lootera
Inspired by: The Last Leaf Story by O. Henry
The film was loosely got inspired by O. Henry’s short story The Last Leaf and starred Ranveer Singh and Sonakshi Sinha in the lead roles. It abstracts the primary colours of the narrative (sacrifice, love) into a bodice-ripper romance. Although the book is a short story, Khoya Khoya Chand has elaborated on the narrative by making a visually appealing and tear-jerking movie lootera. One of the Bollywood movies with a take that literature can influence epic romances.
