The Indian movie industry is so vast and produces hundreds of movies every year. But, many a time- some communities, political parties, censor boards, or the public in general don’t like the topics raised in a film their scenes, or the makers and the people don’t see eye-to-eye. Whatever the reason- over the years, many movies have been banned, had to cut and edit scenes, or were released after much hullabaloo. So, in case you have forgotten the controversies, here are some of the most famous controversial Indian movies that performed exceptionally well despite all the negative buzz around them.
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A thriller drama that came out in 2022 – the film is about a young Kashmiri who goes to the valley to discover the real reasons why his parents died. What he discovers shakes him to the core. The sheer brutality towards a particular community and mass-level genocide that happened was horrific and beyond humanity. The movie was considered a political agenda by many and some even said the incidents were exaggerated to spread hatred.
2. PK
PK is a movie about an alien who comes down to earth and loses communication with his people and planet. While wandering Earth- he crosses paths with a journalist named Jaggu and together they go on a mission to raise some thought-provoking questions that no one wants to ask. The movie angered many religious groups and they considered some scenes disrespectful. However, the movie came under the radar even before its release- because of its poster which showed the actor Amir Khan in a half-nude pose.
3. Padmavat
The movie is fictional but takes inspiration from a poem that is about the beautiful Rajasthani princess- Padmini. While many were excited- some said that the movie was depicting history from the wrong angle, while the way the Queen was dressed in some parts of the film was also not liked by the community and the makers had to edit many parts of the film. The film’s name was also changed.
4. My Name Is Khan
It is a romance drama movie that focuses on the life story of Rizwan- a man with Asperger’s syndrome- who finds love in Mandira and marries her. He is completely capable of living his life independently and does so happily. Until the day the 9/11 attacks happened the whole nation as well as the world started hating one particular community. Rizwan makes it his goal to make people aware of his community and change their perception. The movie highlighted a topic that still receives a lot of flak.
5. Madras Cafe
A 2013 political thriller starring John Abraham and Nargis Fakri in the lead roles- the movie is about an Indian intelligent agent who goes to Sri Lanka on a mission and gets embroiled in the civil war that is happening there. Many young Sri Lankans were angry with the negative depiction of rebels who fought during the civil war.
6. Nishabd
A romance film that shows a man in his sixties, falling in love with a young woman who is his daughter’s best friend. Their relationship is condemned by the whole society and even spoils his relationship with his wife and daughter to irreparable levels. A film that shows the love between two young adults that have such a huge age gap? India is not ready for now- and might not be ready for many more years to come!
7. Vishwaroopam
Vishwaroopam is an action thriller starring Kamal Haasan. The film is about an ambitious woman who studies in the USA and falls in love with a dance teacher- she gets married to him. But, years later- she comes to know about his true identity, motives, and his past story. The movie invited anger and protests from various Muslim groups in India- who were angry with the false depiction of their community and people.
8. Lipstick Under My Burkha
A dark comedy-drama that tells the story of 4 Indian women who are living in India and disgusting their needs and wants to not come under the radar of the patriarchal society. Their bold choices and female independence are shown with too much honesty in the movie. The movie’s title and its bold scenes became the talk of the town and many criticized it for the same. The censor board of India initially banned the movie- but after many cuts and edits, the movie was finally shown a green flag.
9. Fanaa
Fanaa is a great romance tragedy film about a man who comes from nowhere and falls in love with a beautiful blind woman, However, the woman even marries him and has two kids with him- without ever knowing about his true identity. The movie’s story, songs- everything was great and likable. However, around the release of the film- Amir Khan made some anti-Narmada dam project remarks that didn’t sit well with Gujarat’s public and government- ultimately, the film was banned in Gujarat.
10. The Dirty Picture
The film is about a young aspirational woman named Reshma who hails from a small Indian village- she comes to the big city to become an actress- her sensational dance moves and scenes make her the sex siren of the South and soon enough she is given the name ‘silk’. As time passes by, the success makes this woman change herself- but she has many consequences to face too. The movie’s bold scenes and songs were considered controversial. Nonetheless, the movie was released with an A certificate and became a huge hit.
11. Hey Ram
A historical drama set in the pre-independence British-ruled India when India was on the verge of getting independence as well as partition- and on a dreadful day- Mahatma Gandhi’s assassination took place. The movie delves deeper into the controversial and unexplored narratives as well as incidences. It highlights the growing hatred and fanatism that went unnoticed at that time and grew more and more with time. The choice is topic was a lot more daring than most movies on this list!
These controversial Indian movies have left a huge mark at the box office. Seems like the controversy around the movies worked really well for them, isn’t it?