10 best historical films made in Bollywood
Last updated on - Oct 30, 2017, 14:52 ISTShare fbsharetwsharepinshare
01/1110 best historical films made in Bollywood
The Bollywood film industry is famously known for its grandness when it comes to portraying historical films. When making a film, part of the enduring power of the film is the ability to give viewers a history lesson along with a dose of songs, dance, and famous faces. These historical Bollywood films have brought to life the stories of some of the most powerful heroes in our history. Here are the best historical Bollywood films that have ever been made.
02/11'Mughal-E-Azam'
The first on the list is this epic historical drama film which was directed by K Asif. It narrates the immortal love story between Prince Salim (who went on to rule as Emperor Jahangir) and Anarkali, a court dancer. It highlights the differences between a father and a son, duty to the public over family, and the trials of women, particularly of courtesans. This magnum opus almost took a decade in the making and became a phenomenal box-office success, earning more than Rs 4 crore, which when adjusted for inflation today is equivalent to more than Rs 1,000 crore.
03/11'Jodhaa Akbar'
This Ashutosh Gowarikar’s classic turned the pages of time and gave us a sneak peek of Mughal Emperor Akbar’s love story with Jodhabai, making us mindful of Akbar as a lover. Hrithik Roshan (Akbar) and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan (Jodhabai) shone beautifully together. Many protesters argued over the story but the intensity of the characters and melody of A.R Rahman made the film a grand success.
04/11‘Aśoka’
‘Aśoka’ is a 2001 Indian epic historical drama film directed and co-written by Santosh Sivan. It is a dramatised version of the early life of Emperor Asoka, of the Maurya dynasty, who ruled most of the Indian subcontinent in the 3rd century BCE. The film starred Shah Rukh Khan and Kareena Kapoor Khan in lead roles and both actors played their characters to perfection. The film also went on to receive high praises from critics and audiences alike.
05/11‘Mangal Pandey: The Rising’
This Aamir Khan starrer is an epic tale of friendship, love, loss, and betrayal set against the backdrop of the Indian Sepoy Mutiny of 1857. The story revolves around Mangal Pandey, a sepoy of Indian origin, who fights against British rule and saves the life of his British commanding officer, leading to a strong friendship between the two. Needless to say, Aamir Khan was brilliant in the film. And for all those history lovers out there, this one needs to be on your must-watch list.
06/11‘Bajirao Mastani’
This cinematic brilliance of Sanjay Leela Bhansali is crafted to portray the deepest emotions of love in their purest form. The depth and rhythm of lost love in his soul-stirring dialogues will engulf your heart. Ranveer Singh and Deepika Padukone's poetic chemistry will dissolve you in its warmth till the very end. This epic historical romantic drama, unfazed by the practicalities of love, illuminates us with its beautiful story.
07/11‘Mohenjo Daro’
‘Mohenjo Daro’ is a 2016 Indian epic romantic adventure film, written and directed by Ashutosh Gowariker. The film features Hrithik Roshan and Pooja Hegde in the lead roles. It is a cinematic presentation referencing the ancient Indus Valley civilization and its city, Mohenjo-Daro. Set in 2016 BC at the height of Indus Valley Civilization, the story follows a farmer (Hrithik) who travels to the city of Mohenjo Daro and falls in love with a high-status woman (Pooja), and who must then challenge the city's elite, and fight against overwhelming odds to save their civilization. Ashutosh took over three years to research and develop the script, working closely with archaeologists to ensure authenticity in the representation of his fictional story.
08/11‘Anarkali’
Another rendition of the story of Salim and Anarkali, this film has Bina Rai playing the role of the infamous courtesan. Her dialogues were delivered with perfection and she played her role with grace. The film was highly praised for its beautiful ghazals and apt representation of the Urdu language. The performances of Bina Rai and Pradeep Kumar cannot go without praise either. Their chemistry on screen was beautifully shown.
09/11‘The Legend of Bhagat Singh’
"Sarfaroshi ki tamanna ab hamaare dil mein hai, Dekhna hai zor kitna baazu-e-qaatil mein hai". Who could possibly forget this song? This film is undoubtedly one of the best films ever made on the life of martyr Bhagat Singh. Ajay Devgan’s soul-stirring performance won him a National Award. This movie acutely portrayed India’s freedom struggle and ignited courage among the youth to stand for the change they want to see.
10/11‘Pakeezah’
Taking nearly 14 years to complete, ‘Pakeezah’ is considered to be one of Meena Kumari’s best performances in her lifetime. This film had some truly beautiful sceneries and dialogues. The ghazals were very well-written by legends such as Kaifi Azmi, Majrooh Sultanpuri, Kaif Bhopali, and Kamal Amrohi. This film has to be one of the best historical films to be made in the Bollywood film industry.
