5 Bollywood Movies Inspired by Casinos
When most people think about casinos, a few things come to mind: gambling, excitement, money… But Bollywood? It makes sense after you consider that much of the world’s gambling takes place in Asia.
Gambling is an activity that is practised by people all over the world. It is considered an art form by some and used to earn money by others. If you think about it, all of the most popular casino-based movies are dramas because the lives of the characters are at stake because they are betting real money on their luck and skill. So, it is not surprising that this has inspired filmmakers for decades. Here are 5 Bollywood thrilling films that casinos inspired:
1. Teen Patti (2010)
Teen Patti is one of the best casino-based Hindi films ever made. Released in 2010 and starring Amitabh Bachchan, Ben Kingsley, and Shraddha Kapoor, the film depicted the power of mathematics and gambling.
Some believe that Teen Patti’s success inspired many gamblers to join real casinos. A race in the search for casino sites in India was registered since the movie was launched as more people wanted to play this classic game online.
2. The Striker (2010)
Striker is a 2010 Hindi action drama film written, directed, and produced by Chandan Arora. This film tells the story of an orphan who plays carroms with a champion and manages to win while facing life’s challenges. The film stars Siddharth as Suryakant Sarang and Usha Jadhav as Rajni in the main roles. The film was released on YouTube on 5 February 2010 simultaneously in theatres, making it India’s first online/offline release.
3. Jannat (2008)
For millions of people in India, cricket is a religion, and there are movies like Jannat that incorporate this sport into the plot. This production was directed by Kunal Deshmukh and tells the story of a young man who goes from playing cards with his friends to making successful cricket bets.
4. The Great Gambler (1979)
The Great Gambler proved to be a game-changer for the Indian film industry. Its star was Amitabh Bachchan, and it helped cement his place as one of Indian cinema’s greatest actors. Thanks to its ambitious production values and high-octane set pieces, it also helped usher in a new era of action-adventure movies. Set in Cairo, Lisbon, Rome, and Venice, The Great Gambler inspired many future films on gambling and action-adventure.
5. Gambler (1971)
There is an old saying, you can’t win them all, and Gambler will tell you the story that could have been of any gambler on the run.
This production was the first Indian film whose central theme is gambling. The lead character is inspector Daya Shankar Pandey, who works in the police department and is assigned a task that will change his life. After investigating a drug smuggling business, the inspector quits his job to become a professional gambler. He was successful at it, but he made lots of enemies at the same time.