Elements of Shakespeare Dramas in recent

Bollywood Movies

SUBMITTED BY:

Barkha Shravani Sahu

PRN: 16010324313

DIV: D CLASS: BBA.LLB

Symbiosis Law School, Hyderabad

Symbiosis International University, Pune

In:

August, 2016

Under the guidance of:

Asst.Prof.Srinivas Bandameedi

English professor

Symbiosis Law School,Hyderabad

 C E R T IF IC AT E

The Project entitled “Elements of Shakespeare Dramas in recent Bollywood Movies

” submitted to the Symbiosis Law School, Hyderabad for English I as part of Internal
assessment is based on my original work carried out under the guidance of Mr.Srinivas
Bandameedi
from
25-07-2016 to 1-10-2016.The research work has not been submitted elsewhere for award of
any degree.

The material borrowed from other sources and incorporated in the thesis has been duly
acknowledged.

I understand that I myself could be held responsible and accountable for plagiarism, if any,
detected later on.

Signature of the candidate

Date:1-10-2016

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 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
For the completion of this project i would like to expres my heartfull gratitude
to Mr.Srinivas Bandameedi for his contant support and guidelines without
which my project would not have been a successful one.I would also like to
convey my thanks to my friends for helping me collect various important
information excluding which the project would not have been completed on
time.A lot of help has been taken from the library and the web for data
collection.Lastly I would like to thank this institution Symbiosis Law
School,Hyderabad for providing me the opportunity to research on this project
which helped me to know more about bollywood and its shakepearen
adaptations which in all elevated my level of knowledge on this subject.

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INDEX
Sl.NO TOPICS PAGE NO.

1 SHAKESPEARE’S 5
DRAMA

2 BOLLYWOOD 5
MOVIES

3 BOLLYWOOD 6
MOVIES BASED ON
SHAKESPEARE’S
DRAMA

4 FACTS ABOUT 10
BOLLYWOOD
MOVIES AND
ANALYSIS

5 POSTERS 12

6 CONCLUION 13

7 BIBLIOGRAPHY 13

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 SHAKESPEARE’S DRAMA
The plays composed by the “Bard of Avon” William Shakespare have been recognized as
pre-eminent and its quality is known for it quintessence in English language and western
literature.His plays were translated into various major languages and were adopted by
different cultures which highlighted Romanticism and classicism and are continuously
performed in different parts of the world till date. During the reign of Queen Elizabeth, drama
became the ideal means to capture and convey the diverse interests of the time. Stories of
various genres were played for audiences consisting of both the wealthy and educated and the
poor and illiterate. Humour is a key component in the majority of Shakespeare's plays.
Despite the fact that a lot of his humour is apparent in his comedies, the absolute most
engaging scenes and characters are found in tragedies, for example, Hamlet and histories.
Shakespeare's plays are also notable for their use of soliloquies, in which a character makes a
speech to him- or herself so the audience can understand the character's inner motivations and
conflict.His style of writing changed not only in accordance of his own taste and different
misteries,but also with the taste of the audience.

BOLLYWOOD MOVIES
Whenever we think about Indian cinema,the word Bollywood brings in our mind gorgeous
and brightly coloured shots in exotic locale featuring beautiful stars and impressively
choreographed dance and songs. The word Bollywood is a play on Hollywood, with the B
originating from Bombay (now known as Mumbai), the focal point of the film world. Indian
cinema dates all the way back to 1913 and the silent film Raja Harishchandra, the first-ever
Indian feature film. Its producer, Dadasaheb Phalke, was Indian cinema’s first mogul, and he
oversaw the production of twenty-three films between 1913-1918. During the early 1920s
there was an establishment of several new production companies. Most of the films made
during this era were either mythological or historical in nature.It was during 1947 that the
industry went through significant changes and the rize of modern Indian film took place. The
historical and mythological stories of the past were now being replaced by social-reformist
films, which turned an often critical eye on such social practices as the dowry system,
polygamy and prostitution.More focus wa laid upon lives of lower class and people dealing
with poverty which was until then ignored. It was the latter when bollywood eventually
become the template for the Masala film, a mash of genres including action, comedy, and
melodrama punctuated by approximately six song and dance numbers, and the model still
used for most contemporary Bollywood films. The hodgepodge of action, romance, comedy
and of course musical numbers is a model that now dominates the Bollywood industry, and
though greater attention is now paid to plot, character development, and dramatic tension, it
is, in most cases, sheer star power that accounts for a film’s success.

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 BOLLYWOOD MOVIES AS SHAKESPEAREN DRAMA

The Tragedy Of Macbeth

Written in April 1611, this tragedy play was the inspiration for Maqbool . A chilling tale of a
trio of witches who prophesise that Macbeth will be made King of Scotland, eventually drive
Macbeth to murder, paranoia and a guilty conscience haunted by those whom he has killed.
Macbeth is eventually overthrown in a violent battle through which law and order are
restored. Vishal Bhardwaj’s first Shakespearean adaptation was indeed “Macbeth” in the
form of Maqbool in 2003 which included a star cast of Tabu, Irrfan Khan and Om
Puri.Though it failed to perform much at the Box Office, the movie is considered a landmark
in terms of acting and direction. Some of the charecters in the movie in relation to the
charecters in the play are as follws:

Actor Character in the movie Character in the play

Irrfan Khan Miyan Maqbool Macbeth

Tabu Nimmi Lady Macbeth

Pankaj Kapoor Jahangir Khan (Abbaji) Duncan I of Scotland

Om Puri Inspector Pandit Witch (Weird Sisters)

Naseeruddin Shah Inspector Purohit Witch (Weird Sisters)

Piyush Mishra Kaka Banquo

Ankur Vikal Riyaz Boti Macduff

Ajay Gehi Guddu Fleance

Masumeh Makhija Sameera, Abbaji's daughter Malcolm

Shammi Narang Mr. Bhosle

Pubali Sanyal Riyaz Boti's wife Lady Macduff

Master Raj Riyaz Boti's son Macduff's son

Gyanchand Rikhi Mughal Macdonald

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 The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice
Roughly composed in 1600 A love tragedy that is brought on by jealousy and
misunderstandings, this love story was important as it reflected love overcoming racial
boundaries. However, the love story is doomed as a ploy is set where the protagonist
“Othello” will murder his lover with his own hands.This tragedy play inspired Omkara ,
casting Ajay devgan, Kareena Kapoor, Konkona Sen Sharma, Saif Ali Khan, Vivek Oberoi,
Naseeruddin Shah and Bipasha Basu. The 2006 movie was produced by Kumar Mangat and
directed by Vishal Bhardwaj, thus becoming the second Shakespeare work adapted into a
movie by Bhardwaj. The movie was a critical and commercial success, and won three
National Awards. Some of the charecters in the movie in relation to the charecters in the play
are as follws:

Actor Character in the movie Character in the play

Ajay Devgan Omkara 'Omi' Shukla Othello

Vivek Oberoi Keshav 'Kesu Firangi' Upadhyaya Cassio

Saif Ali Khan Ishwar 'Langda' Tyagi Iago

Kareena Kapoor Dolly Mishra Desdemona

Bipasha Basu Billo Chamanbahar Bianca

Konkona Sen Sharma Indu Tyagi Emilia

Deepak Dobriyal Rajan ’Rajju’ Tiwari Roderigo

Naseeruddin Shah Bhaisaab Duke of Venice

The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark

Written in 1603, The famous “To be or not to be” Shakespearean play “Hamlet” portrayed
prince Hamlet, a troubled young man who discovers that his father was murdered by his
uncle. He then sets out to avenge his father’s death. Although he succeeds, his ambition is
met with tragic consequences. This tragedy has inspired Haider , starring Shahid Kapoor,
Shraddha Kapoor, Tabbu, Kay Kay Menon, and Irrfan Khan. The movie is produced by
Vishal Bhardwaj and Siddharth Roy Kapur, and is directed by Vishal Bhardwaj. The film is a

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 modern-day adaptation of William Shakespeare's tragedy Hamlet and Curfewed
Night of Basharat Peer set amidst the insurgency-hit Kashmir conflicts of 1995 andcivilian
disappearances. This is the third film that Bhardwaj has adapted from Shakespeare's plays.
Some of the charecters in the movie in relation to the charecters in the play are as follws:

Actor Role Based on

Shahid Kapoor Haider Meer Prince Hamlet

Shraddha Kapoor Arshia Lone Ophelia

Tabu Ghazala Meer Gertrude

Narendra Jha Dr. Hilal Meer King Hamlet

Irrfan Khan Roohdaar Ghost (Hamlet)

Kay Kay Menon Khurram Meer Claudius

Kulbhushan Kharbanda Hussain Meer n/a

Lalit Parimoo Pervez Lone Polonius

Ashish Vidyarthi Brigadier T. S. Murthy n/a

Aamir Bashir Liyaqat Lone Laertes

Sumit Kaul (Salman 1) Courtier Rosencrantz

Rajat Bhagat (Salman 2) Courtier Guildenstern

Ashwath Bhatt Zahoor Hussain Fortinbras

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 Romeo And Juliet
“Romeo and Juliet” was written by Shakespeare in the 16th Century.

One of the most well-known love stories, the play tells the heart-breaking tale of two lovers
who fall in love with the wrong person from the side of the “enemy”. Romeo and Juliet’s love
story ends with their tragic deaths.

This tragedy play has inspired many Bollywood movies till date. Some of the movies
inspired by Romeo and Juliet are: Bobby(1973) starring Rishi Kapoor and Dimple
Kapadia; Ek Duuje Ke Liye(1981) starring Kamal Haasan and Rati Agniohotri; Sanam Teri
Kasam(1982) starring Kamal Haasan and Reena Roy; Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak (1988)
starring Amir khan and Juhi Chawla; Saudagar (1991) starring Manisha Koirala and Vivek
Mushran; Ishaqzaade (2012) starring Parineeti Chopra and Arjun Kapoor; Issaq (2013)
starring Prateik and Amyra Dastur; and Goliyon Ki Raasleela: Ram-Leela (2013) starring
Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh.

The Comedy Of Errors

Believed to be written in 1594, the comedy play has inspired six Indian movies, Do Dooni
Char (1968) starring Kishore Kumar and Asit Sen;Angoor starring Sanjeev Kumar and Deven
Verma; Bhrantibilasstarring Uttam Kumar and Bhanu Bandopadhyay;Ulta Palta starring
Ramesh Aravind and Karibasavaiah; Aamait Asal Eemait Kusal starring Naveen D Padil and
Jyotish Shetty; and Double Di Trouble starring Dharmendra and Gippy Grewal

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 FACTS ABOUT BOLLYWOOD MOVIES AND ANALYSIS
 Major movies in bollywood are based on Shakespeare’s drama:
Naseeruddin Shah, a famous bollywood actor who has played the role of Shakespeare
on stage and screen said, ‘The roots may look lost but every big story in the Hindi
film industry is from Shakespeare.’ This may be an oversimplification of sources but
Bollywood not only abounds in sly and unexpected references to popular Shakespeare
dialogues and characters, but in common themes and devices such as twins separated
at birth, cross dressing characters, star-crossed lovers, characters falling in love with
messengers, the wise fool, the tamed Shrew and the mousetrap device.

 Bollywood Shakespearean films are heavily influenced by Hollywood

adaptations of Shakespeare:
Several early Shakespearean adaptations in Bollywood were copies of Hollywood
adaptations such as Kishore Sahu's 1954 Hamlet, which was a shot-by-shot imitation
of Olivier's 1948 Hamlet. The 1947 Romeo and Juliet starring Nargis as Juliet, was a
copy of the Hollywood version with Norma Shearer. In recent years, the Rani
Mukherjee starrer Dil Bole Hadippa! (2009) was a loose copy of She's the
Man (2006) based on Twelfth Night. Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Ram Leela (2013) also
owes more to Baz Luhrmann's Romeo + Juliet (1996) than to Shakespeare.

 The first Shakespearean adaptation on the Hindi film screen was Savkari
Pash (1925) directed by Baburao Painter based on The Merchant of Venice:
This film was a social melodrama in the realist tradition and dealt with money
lending, a problem that ruined countless illiterate, poor farmers. The audience, more
accustomed to escapist mythological fantasies and historical love stories, did not
appreciate the strong dose of realism and the film did not do well. However, the shot
of a dreary hut photographed in low key accompanied by a howling dog in this film is
regarded as one of the most memorable moments of Indian cinema to date.

 Angoor (1982) is the best known adaptation of The Comedy of Errors on film in
the world:
The largest number of adaptations of The Comedy of Errors on film have been
undertaken in India. There are three from Hong Kong, two from the United States and
one each from Russia and Mexico. In contrast, there are six known adaptations of this
play on film in India and three more under production. Of these, Angoor is the best
known, both in India and in the world. This is also one of the first Shakespearean
adaptations in India to be transposed on to a modern Indian setting.

 Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak (1988), now one of the best known adaptation
of Romeo and Juliet in Bollywood, was originally scripted with a happy ending:
Nasir Hussain, who wrote the basic story of QSQT thought that audiences in
Bollywood would not accept sad endings, especially in a love story. Tragic endings
for protagonists are uncommon in Bollywood. However, Mansoor Khan, Nasir’s son

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 and first-time director, felt very strongly about an ending where the lovers die and
thought that giving them a happy ending would ruin the integrity of the story. He
managed to convince his father and an alternate tragic ending was shot. The film
ended up being a superhit.

 Karz(1980), and its remake Om Shanti Om(2007), used the Mousetrap Device
from Hamlet:
The Mousetrap Device, or the play-within-the-play, helps Hamlet test the Ghost’s
accusation against Claudius.Karz and Om Shanti Om deal with a popular Bollywood
theme - rebirth. Instead of the ghost, it is the protagonist who is killed in these two
films, who later returns and uses the Mousetrap Device to ‘catch the conscience’ of
the killer. The Shakespearean influence in these two commercially popular films is
completely unacknowledged but the Hamletian echoes are obvious to anyone familiar
with the play, or the several adaptations of Hamlet in Bollywood.

 Many commercial Bollywood films which are not adaptations of Shakespeare

also ‘slip in’ Shakespeare references:
Shakespeare has seeped into the very idiom of Bollywood and we can find reference
to it in unexpected places. In Deewar [The wall] (1975) for instance, the mother
disapproves of her son's nefarious doings and tells him that ‘all the water in the world
cannot wash your hands clean of your sins’. The popular comedic villain Ajit has a
nefarious way of getting rid of his victim in a movie and tells his henchman: ‘Give
him the Hamlet poison, he’ll continue to be lost in a haze of to be or not to be!’

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 POSTERS

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 CONCLUSION
I have done my best to show in this project that the Bollywood since its rize has been drawing
inspiration from shakespeares drama .various websites and books have been reffered to
collect information based on which the project is made. Several examples have been
analysed, although one or two of these were somewhat out of date. The project also
highlights interesting facts about bollywood where shakespearen drama has played a major
role. The posters comparing the two have also been shown which creates a clear image of the
relation between shakespearen drama and bollywood.Hense from this project it is clear that
bollywood has instilled in itself the elements of shakespearen drama which has led this
industry to reach the zeneith of glory.

BIBLIOGRAPHY
https://en.wikipedia.org

http://worldfilm.about.com

bollyspice.com/shakespearean-tragedies-love-bollywood

http://theshakespearestandard.com

http://www.dnaindia.com/

madaboutmoviez.com

http://www.firstpost.com/

http://ijellh.com/

http://www.slideshare.net/

http://www.nosweatshakespeare.com/

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