The mainstream is tough terrain. It has taken a while for films like Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan or Haider to film the public takes to, it has taken many films that got restricted, labelled and exiled into the problematic space of 'controversial' cinema.
Most of the films on this list are films that have gone unnoticed. If they were noticed it wasn't for the cinema as much as the theme or the subject, many of which are now irrelevant. But, there are also those controversial films which arrogantly glorify the wrong (ahem, MSG), so what does one shut down? These were the failed experiments, so to speak. We picked 6 of the most notable and controversial films Bollywood has seen.
6 Most controversial Bollywood movies
Deciding whether a movie is 'controversial' is mostly about exercising personal judgement. Sometimes, what is termed 'controversial' arises out of common consensus, that's the case with the films in this list. History calls them 'controversial', so have audiences and critics at certain points in time. That's our measuring scale, and feel free to disagree entirely. These movies prove Bollywood has guts, you decided whether that's a good thing.
1. Aandhi (1975)
Aandhi was a political drama Suchitra Sen and Sanjeev Kumar. The film which revolved around the life of Indira Gandhi was banned by the Government, while Indira Gandhi was in power. The film was written by Gulzar explored different themes and debates in Gandhi's life. Not allowed a proper release, it was after BJP came to power that the movie was finally broadcasted on a state-run channel. Despite the ban, the film won accolades for Sen and Kumar and their performances.
2. Bandit Queen (1994)
Bandit Queen was a controversial film on an extremely controversial character, Phoolan Devi. Directed by Shekhar Kapur the film starred Seema Biswas. As the titular character, Phoolan Devi herself was looking to get the film banned as she claimed that the film didn't accurately capture her life, she threatened to immolate herself outside a theatre following its release. Moreover, the depiction of rape was heavily criticised by the media and the public.
3. Fire (1996)
Fire which starred Shabana Azmi and Nandita Das, was a controversy in and of itself. Deepa Mehta's soulful movie, was shunned by the Indian public which wasn't ready to debate Lesbianism and Homosexuality in any form or shape. Interestingly the film was passed uncut by the Indian Censor Board which thought it was an important story for Indian women. The movie even brought full houses. It was the right-wing groups in India that had an issue with the portrayal of Indian women on-screen and stirred up public mayhem and the movie was recalled.
4. Parzania (2007)
Parzania which starred acclaimed actors like Naseeruddin Shah and Sarika in the lead roles was centred on the communal riots of Gujarat in 2002. The film faced issues in its release, because of the sensitive topic and cinemas refused to screen the film. The touching performances in the film remain underrated simply because it hasn't been watched by the number of people it could have.
5. Nishabd (2007)
Nishabd starring Amitabh Bachchan and Jiah Khan, was a controversial film. In an attempt to push the societal lid on morality and attraction, Nishabd ended up just as the title suggests, silenced. The film is said to be loosely based on Vladimir Nobokov's Lolita, a link Amitabh Bachchan refuted. However, the movie is inspired by American Beauty. The love of an older man for a far younger girl is a touchy premise.
6. MSG: The Warrior Lion Heart (2016)
MSG: The Warrior Lion Heart
You can't have a list of curious topics, alternative perspectives, underrated but fierce performances alone. Controversial has different meanings, and we should draw attention to films that deserve controversy. A controversial film feels like a compliment until you find that has neither stellar performances any exciting plot or dialogue and is a glorification of a false hero nobody asked for. Let's just think about the propaganda masterpiece, MSG: The Warrior Lion Heart directed by and starring Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh. Forget filmmaking, the actor himself is a controversial figure, a convicted criminal booked for numerous illicit activities and rape. A ban on the film was called for by Sikh groups as the film hurt their sentiments.
