Here’s a look at some theatrical releases, inspired by real-life incidents, which left a powerful impact on audiences

Gurnaaz Kaur

In 2023, the Indian entertainment landscape evolved and how! Apart from the big-budget, multi-starrer movies, the segment that left a lasting impact was biopics.

True to OTT

ZEE5

Tarla

Sirf Ek Bandaa Kaafi Hai

Netflix

Kathal: A Jackfruit Mystery

Disney+Hotstar

Apurva

A fascinating genre, true stories have a way of tugging at everyone’s heartstrings and this year gave audiences some memorable stories of extraordinary people. Inspired from real-life incidents and heroes, the larger-than-life treatment turned them into cinematic masterpieces. From refreshing our memories of the Bangladesh War by celebrating Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw to the heart-wrenching story of Sagarika Chakraborty’s legal battle in Norway, to showcasing the bravery of unsung mining engineer Jaswant Singh Gill, there was a real-life story for everyone’s choice.

Class act

Sam Bahadur

Portraying India’s first Field Marshal, Sam Manekshaw, Vicky Kaushal’s stellar depiction was both raw and real. The Meghna Gulzar-directorial pays a heartfelt tribute to India’s beloved officer and his contributions to the Indian Army. Being called a class act by Vicky, his dedication to embodying the war hero has been the highlight of this biopic. The way he captured the nuances of Sam Manekshaw’s body language, his mannerisms, diction and overall persona were lauded by audience as well as critics alike. The film beautifully chronicled Manekshaw’s four-decade-long journey in the Indian Army and his participation in five wars, especially his role in India’s victory in the 1971 war.

Earnest attempt

Mission Raniganj

Based on a real-life rescue mission of 1989, Tinu Suresh Desai’s Mission Raniganj paid homage to a mining engineer, late Jaswant Singh Gill, who led a challenging rescue mission to save the lives of 65 miners trapped in a flooded coal mine in Raniganj, West Bengal. It’s not the first time that Akshay Kumar took on the responsibility of playing a real-life unsung hero and his fans called Mission Raniganj called it an earnest attempt. The film vividly depicted the 1989 Raniganj coal mine disaster and the operation (the likes of which had never been seen in India before) that followed.

Mother’s tale

Mrs. Chatterjee vs Norway

Ashima Chibber’s Mrs Chatterjee Vs Norway depicted the real-life struggle of Sagarika Chakraborty and her husband. Based on the true story of the 2010-2011 case of Sagrika Bhattacharya, Rani Mukerji portrayed the lead role of an immigrant mother from India, who embarked on a fierce custody battle when she was separated from her children by Norwegian Child Welfare Services. Her performance as a distraught mother touched the hearts of the audiences, which also lauded Jim Sarbh as Daniel Singh Ciupek, a lawyer from Norway, for delivering a powerful show in the film.

Immersive experience

Pippa

Pippa, based on Brigadier Balram Singh Mehta’s book The Burning Chaffees, paid a poignant tribute to India’s war heroes on the 50th anniversary of the 1971 war and the birth of Bangladesh. Ishaan Khattar, who headlined the film, was impactful and sincere. Directed by Raja Krishna Menon, the movie has been dubbed as an immersive war experience.

Story of grit

12th Fail

Directed by Vidhu Vinod Chopra, 12th Fail has been adapted from Anurag Pathak’s bestselling novel by the same name. It is inspired by the story of IPS officer Manoj Kumar Sharma and his wife, IRS officer Shraddha Joshi. Vikrant Massey played the lead, Manoj Kumar, with aplomb. Be it the screenplay, dialogues or its realistic treatment, the movie scored on all fronts. Much like other flicks, this true story of resilience, perseverance and determination to win against all odds, won the hearts of moviegoers.