Shakespeare in Hindi Cinema

Filmmakers around the world have been inspired by Shakespeare’s stories and countless films have been made that are adaptations of his work. Even though many conspiracy theories float around the Internet claiming that Shakespeare was not the real talent behind his stories, his work has made its way into literature classrooms, theatre studios and film for decades.

Here is a list of movies inspired by Shakespeare, set in India that are proof that a good story can translate into any setting, and still be impactful.

 

Angoor

Watching Gulzar’s 1982 classic can be an insightful experience even for the millennial audience because the film is a wonderful time capsule. Based on A Comedy of Errors, the story revolves around a case of mistaken identities, a set of twins separated in childhood, and slapstick comedy. It is a window to a seemingly lovely time, when the jokes were simple and the laughter was genuine.

Andaaz Apna Apna

While this movie isn’t technically an adaptation of a Shakespearean story, there are many scenes and plotlines that are reminiscent of A Comedy of Errors. It is obvious why Rajkumar Santoshi’s 90’s film is a cult classic. Here again we see a set of twins, a hilarious case of mistaken identity, the best of 90’s fashion, and so much farce- in the very best way possible. Andaz Apna Apna is a lighthearted, hilarious film that can be watched countless times and will leave you feeling warm and fuzzy, like a bowl of soup on a rainy day.

Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak

Romeo and Juliet is probably the most used of Shakespeare’s stories and for years to come this plot will be played on school stages and film screens everywhere. There is something very consumable about a love so deep that it consumes the lovers itself.

Mansoor Khan’s version of the story is sweet, like cotton candy at a street fair. Set in the late 80’s there is a dash of good old-fashioned Hindi film drama, nostalgic music and a very charming set of lead actors.

10ml Love

An adaptation of A Mid Summer Night’s Dream, 10ml Love is an indie film that solely made its way to this list because it is a version of Shakespeare’s lesser-explored stories in Hindi Cinema. Even with an interesting cast, the film was not very impactful on the box office but it does have moments of brilliance.

Haider

It is impossible to write a list of Indian films inspired by Shakespeare and not mention Vishal Bharadwaj. Haider, an adaptation of Hamlet is dark and layered, inspiring and chilling.

A combination of brilliant casting and incredible costumes, Haider is set against the beautiful background of Kashmir. Bhardwaj has taken a story that was written out of the country and made it so uniquely Indian, that it seems almost as if Shakespeare wrote Hamlet keeping in mind the conflict in Kashmir. Bharadwaj’s equally brilliant Maqbool and Omkara are renditions of Macbeth and Othello respectively; and any of these would be great choices for a movie night in.