With the release of Once Upon A Time In Mumbai, we are tempted to re-visit some of the best gangster films in the recent history of Bollywood. Intense, brooding, violent characters, living violent lives! Mesmerizing!
Seen through the eyes of a police officer, Once Upon A Time in Mumbai traces the changing face of Mumbai's underworld and how it all started.
The movie, directed by Milan Luthria, draws upon a lot of real life incidents and characters in the Mumbai of 1970s when the underworld was beginning to take roots in the city's underbelly. The film is supposed to be based on the lives of Haji Mastaan and his protege Shoaib.
Cast: Ajay Devgan, Emraan Hashmi, Kangana Ranaut, Prachi Desai and Randeep Hooda.
The 2009 Bollywood film was directed by Vishal Bharadwaj, featuring Shahid Kapoor and Priyanka Chopra in the lead roles. Bhardwaj co-authored the screenplay to a script he bought for $4000 from a Kenyan writer named Cajetan Boy, so its not based on the life of any known gangster(s).
Cast: Shahid Kapoor, priyanka Chopra, Amol Gupte
Mahesh Bhatt's Gangster was based on the life of Abu Salem. The film traced the relationship between Salem and Monica Bedi. Salem who got to know of this sent Bhatt a legal notice. Shiney Ahuja played Abu Salem and Kangana Ranaut played Monica Bedi in this film.
Cast: Emraan Hashmi, Shiney Ahuja and Kangana Ranaut
This film starring Sanjay Dutt, Amitabh Bachchan and Vivek Oberoi drew its inspiration from the infamous shootout in Mumbai's Lokhandwala area in the early '90s. Sanjay Dutt played top cop, AA Khan, who was pulled up for questioning after the shootout. The gangster who was killed was Maya Dolas, played by Vivek Oberoi in this film.
Cast: Amitabh Bachchan, Sanjay Dutt, Suniel Shetty, Arbaaz Khan, Tushar Kapoor and Vivek Oberoi
This one, again by RGV, fictionalised the rise and fall of the D-Company. It also traced the fallout of Dawood Ibrahim and Chota Rajan (played by Ajay Devgan and Vivek Oberoi respectively) and the effect it had on the Mumbai underworld.
Cast: Ajay Devgan, Mohanlal, Manisha Koirala, Seema Biswas, Vivek Oberoi and Antara Mali
Mahesh Manjrekar's Vaastav was allegedly based on the true-life story of Chota Rajan. Sanjay Dutt played the lead role. The film, it was said, was partly financed by Rajan himself.
Cast: Sanjay Dutt, Namrata Shirodkar, Reema Lagoo, Shivaji Satam and Sanjay Narvekar
This one tells the story of mafia queen and former Janata Dal MLA Santokben Jadeja. Godmother is allegedly based on crime and violence in Gujarat's Porbandar area. It tells the story of a woman who turns to violence to avenge the death of her husband.
Cast: Shabana Azmi, Milind Gunaji, Nirmal Pandey, Govind Namdeo, Vinit Kumar, Loveleen Mishra, Raima Sen and Sharman Joshi.
Satya that brought back the genre of gangster films into fashion. Satya was Ram Gopal Varma's first in a series of films like Company and D. It was supposed to be have been inspired by the friends-turned-foes gangster Arun Gawli and politician Mohan Rawle. Manoj Bajpai played Arun Gawli and Govind Namdeo played Mohan Rawle.
Cast: JD Chakravarthy, Urmila Matondkar, Manoj Bajpai, Shefali Shah and Govind Namdeo
Vidhu Vinod Chopra's film Parinda told the story of Amar Naik and his brother Ashwin. Jackie Shroff played the older brother Amar and Anil Kapoor played Ashwin Naik.
Cast: Jackie Shroff, Anil Kapoor, Nana Patekar and Madhuri Dixit
This superhit film of the 70's told the story of a dockworker (played by Amitabh) who goes on to become a dreaded underworld don. The film was said to be based on the life of Haji Mastan.
Cast: Amitabh Bachchan, Shashi Kapoor, Nirupa Roy, Neetu Singh and Parveen Babi