'Dangal', 'Jai Gangaajal', 'Sultan': 2016 to be year of biopics, sequels in Bollywood
Mumbai: From multi-starrer big budget films to small independent cinema, Bollywood will witness the release of various biopics, sports dramas and sequels in the year 2016, a trend it chose to carry forward from last year.
Starting with the theme of sports-drama, will be actor R Madhavan’s ‘Saala Khadoos’. The film, produced by filmmaker Rajkumar Hirani, is written and directed by Sudha Kongara.
The film features Madhavan as a hard task-master boxing coach and also stars kickboxer Ritika Singh.
The next in line is superstar Salman Khan’s ‘Sultan’, who will be seen in a completely new look as a wrestler. Directed by Ali Abbas Zafar and backed the YRF Film, the sports-drama features the 50-year-old actor in a beefed up avatar.
While both ‘Saala Khadoos’ and ‘Sultan’ are fictional stories, there are nearly four biopics on sports personalities lined up this year.
Superstar Aamir Khan is currently shooting for his Christmas release, ‘Dangal’.
Directed by Nitesh Tiwari, the film will see Aamir in the role of wrestler Mahavir Singh Phogat, who taught wrestling to his daughters, Babita Kumari and Geeta Phogat.
Both movie buffs and cricket enthusiasts will be up for a treat this year with biopics on two cricket greats with actor Emraan Hashmi featuring in ‘Azhar’ while Sushant Singh Rajput in ‘Dhoni: The Untold Story’.
‘Azhar’, the biographical-sports drama based on the life of former Indian skipper Mohammad Azharuddin, is directed by Tony D’Souza and is set to release in May.
Neeraj Pandey’s ‘Dhoni: The Untold Story’ will have Sushant playing Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni. The film is likely to release on September 2.
A movie on the life of ace Badminton champion Saina Nehwal has also been announced, which will be directed by Amole Gupte.
Also in the series of biopics is Sonam Kapoor-starrer ‘Neerja’. The Ram Madhvani helmed film is on the life of senior flight attendant Neerja Bhanot, who saved 360 lives on a Pan Am flight that was hijacked in Karachi in 1986.
After bringing to celluloid the story of lawyer and human rights activist Shahid Azmi in his 2013 ‘Shahid’, filmmaker Hansal Mehta is back with yet another biographical drama, ‘Aligarh’.
The film is based on the on the real life incident of professor Dr Shrinivas Ramchandra Siras, who was suspended from his job because of his sexual orientation.
Actress Aishwarya Rai Bachchan stars in ‘Sarbjit’, about the Indian convict Sarbjit Singh, who was beaten to death in a Pakistani jail.
The film, directed by Omung Kumar, features Aishwarya playing the role of Dalbir Kaur, while Randeep Hooda plays her brother, Sarbjit, the protagonist.
Meanwhile, the year will also see many sequels of films belonging of various genres, from adult comedies, action to horror.
First in the line is ‘Kyaa Kool Hai Hum 3’, the third instalment in the popular “Kyaa Kool Hai Hum” series, which is set to release on January 22.
The film stars Tusshar Kapoor and Aftab Shivdasani. Another adult comedy slated to release this year is ‘Great Grand Masti’. This film too is the third part of the comedy franchise ‘Masti’.
Actor Manish Paul will be seen in ‘Tere Bin Laden: Dead or Alive’, a sequel to the 2010 satire ‘Tere Bin Laden’ which starred Pakistani singer and actor Ali Zafar.
Actress Priyanka Chopra will don the role of a tough cop in the Prakash Jha-directed ‘Jai Gangaajal’. The film is a sequel to the critically acclaimed crime-drama ‘Gangaajal’.
Action star Sunny Deol stars in ‘Ghayal Once Again’, which he has also written and directed. It is a sequel to the 1990 cult drama ‘Ghayal’.
Other sequels in the pipelines are Akshay Kumar starrer ‘Houseful 3’, Farhan Akhtar’s ‘Rock On 2’ and Emraan Hashmi starrer ‘Raaz Rebooted’.
