Some of the world’s oldest religions, such as Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism, originated in India. And, like most religions, they have a rich mythology, which is known as Indian mythology.
It is deeply rooted in Indian culture and has been depicted in films, both Indian and foreign, to great effect. Here are nine films inspired by Indian mythology that everyone should see.
Adipurush
On the occasion of Ram Navami, Om Raut’s magnum opus Adipurush presented a new poster. The poster depicts Prabhas as Ram, Kriti Sanon as Sita, Sunny Singh as Laxman, and Devdatta Nage as Bajrang in traditional avatars. The multilingual mythological drama, billed as a film celebrating “the triumph of good over evil,” is a version of the Hindu epic Ramayana. Aside from the main actors, it also stars Saif Ali Khan as Ravana, King of Lanka. The film will be released in Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, and Malayalam on June 16.
Raavan
This epic tale, partially based on the Ramayana, tells the story of a feared bandit who kidnaps and falls in love with an officer’s wife. Soon after, the woman falls in love with him, unaware that she is suffering from Stockholm Syndrome. On the other side, the woman’s husband begins to take advantage of the situation. Mani Ratnam directed the film, which stars real-life lovers Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai alongside Vikram.
Baahubali: The Beginning
In 2015, Baahubali: The Beginning captivated Indian audiences. Baahubali: The Beginning is an action-packed picture with some of the best visual effects. It is epic in every way.
The events of Baahubali and his sequel take place in the kingdom of Mahishmati. Shivudu, a villager, discovers his royal heritage and sets out to reclaim his rightful place as King of Mahishmati by deposing his evil uncle, Bhallaladeva.
Baahubali: The Beginning and its 2017 sequel were the most expensive films made at the time, but they were also tremendous box-office successes.
The Mahabharata and Ramayana epics influenced the Baahubali series.
Brahmāstra: Part One – Shiva
Ayan Mukerji’s astra poetry narrative, which broke Bollywood’s dry stretch at the BO last year, is about Shiva, who, unbeknownst to him, is the protector of the world’s most potent weapon. Shiva, together with his lady love Isha, must prevent some wicked forces from obtaining the weapon and destroying the planet. The film, which starred real-life lovers Ranbir Kapoor and Alia Bhatt, as well as Amitabh Bachchan, was a box-office success and will shortly be followed by a sequel.
Also Read: Rajisha Vijayan Biography: Height, Age, Boyfriend, Husband, Family & More
Ram Setu
The film delves into the history of the bridge that connects India and Sri Lanka, which is claimed to have been built by Lord Rama during his war against Ravana to reclaim his wife Sita. The film, starring Akshay Kumar, is about an atheist archaeologist who undertakes a mission to disprove the existence of such a bridge but ends up discovering enough evidence to convert him into a believer. The film was directed by Abhishek Sharma and starred Nushrratt Bharuccha and Jacqueline Fernandez.
Raajneeti
Raajneeti is an updated version of the Hindu legendary epic Mahabharata. Prakash Jha wrote and directed the film, which portrays a long-running dispute between two opposing political dynasties.
Raajneeti was a box office success and got four Filmfare award nominations.
Kalyug
Another modern adaption of the Mahabharata is Kalyug. Shyam Benegal, a veteran Indian director, co-wrote and directed Kalyug. The plot centres around a terrible feud between two businessmen, brothers, who conspire against each other in order to win a government contract.
The Mahabharata had little direct influence on Kalyug, yet the parallels are evident. The screenplay of Kalyug, as well as Shashi Kapoor’s portrayal as Karan Singh/Karna, gained critical acclaim.