The quintessential director Madhur Bhandarkar is one such person from the Bollywood that has never shied away from showing the dark side of the tinsel town, through his movies. He has always focused on some controversial topics that throw light on the 'truth' behind the cameras. Be it corporate life, filmy life or life on the roads, birthday boy Bhandarkar has director some phenomenal movies that are very close to the dark reality of this world.

The director who has turned 52 today might have to tussle with the Censor Board every time he brings a reality to the silver screen, but he has achieved excellence in delivering brilliant cinema to our homes. As he blows the candles on his birthday, let's have look on some of the amazing yet controversial movies directed by Madhur that touched our hearts:

madhur bhandarkar

1. Page 3 (2005)

page 3

Talk about 'Ek Teer Se Do Nishaane' and the name Madhur Bhandarkar will surely come to your mind. Madhur directorial project Page 3, starring Konkana Sen showed the hard-hitting reality of not only media but also Bollywood and corporate world. Page 3 is a perfect example of how money can control everything in this world of glamour. Actors such as Atul Kulkarni, Upendra Limaye, Boman Irani and Sandhya Mridul were a huge asset for this movie and did a brilliant job in taking forward the message of Bhandarkar's movie.

2. Fashion

fashion

Nothing can beat the 'Jalwa' of Fashion in real life and of Madhur Bhandarkar movies in our lives. Considered as one of the best work of Madhur, it not only talked about the struggles of a model in the fashion industry but also highlight the problems you face for being a woman.

fashion

From drugs to sex, malpractices and conspiracies, Madhur unveiled the ugly truth through 'Fashion'. This movie was also a huge success for lead actress Priyanka Chopra and she bagged various awards for the role. Actors such as Kangana Ranaut and Magda Ghodse also did justice to their roles, bringing life to the movie.

3. Heroine

'Heroine' movie poster
'Heroine' movie posterReuters

Keeping in mind the recent events, one thing we all are certainly sure of is that Bollywood has an ugly dark side. While many dreams come true here and people become kings and queens, some dreams are shattered and dragged outside the audition doors. Madhur Bhandarkar's 'Heroine' starring Kareena Kapoor Khan showed the ultimate reality of tinsel town. How survival can get tough in this industry has been aptly portrayed in the movie.

Heroine, Kareena Kapoor
Heroine, Kareena KapoorTwitter

From scandal to controversies or going beyond the limits and values to promote yourself and survive in the Btown, a lot has been covered by Madhur, who was bold enough to talk about it, coming from the same industry.

4. Chandani Bar

chandani bar

Based on the controversial life of bar dancers in Mumbai, Chandni Bar, is not only one of the best work by Madhur, but also considered as a gem of Bollywood. Starring Tabu in a lead role, young Madhur produced a marvel by focusing on the struggles and reality of the life of a bar dancer. It also won its lead actress Tabu a National Award for Best Actress. From cinematography to songs, this movie is a complete package for a movie lover.

5. Satta

satta

Before Indu Sarkar, the phenomenal political drama Madhur worked on was Satta, starring Raveena Tandon, Atul Kulkarni and more. The movie showed the power of women in politics. While people around her ignored her stature in the politics, she emerged as a powerful politician, proving her virtue, The movie was lauded by many.

International Business Times, India, wishes Madhur Bhandarkar, Happy Birthday!