‘The Godfather’ 50th Anniversary: Bollywood Films That Were Inspired By The Gangster Drama

Bollywood films are often said to be copied from different international films. ‘The Godfather’, which has been one of the most popular films of all time, has also inspired quite a number of gangster dramas in Bollywood. Whether it is Don Vito Corleone or Michael Corleone or Sonny Corleone or Tom Hagen or Kay Adams - all were memorable characters and even after 50 years they resonate with the audiences of today. The film had also been re-released last month to celebrate the 50th anniversary year.

As the film enters its 50th year, here are some of the movies that are said to have t taken inspiration from this legendary film:

‘Dharmatma’ (1975)

Seth Dharamdas is noted for coming to the rescue of the destitute people, earning him the moniker Dharmatma. He does, however, have a second existence as a gangster. The film stars Feroz Khan, Hema Malini, Rekha, Premnath, Imtiaz Khan, Danny Denzongpa, Farida Jalal, Ranjeet, Helen, Madan Puri, Jeevan, Iftekhar, Dara Singh, Satyen Kappu and Sudhir. The music of the movie was given by Kalyanji Anandji, and it went on to become a massive hit. Feroz Khan even directed the film.

‘Dayavaan’ (1988)

A young guy begins a criminal career and grows up to be a criminal with a conscience. The foes he meets along the road seek to harm him and his family. This is Feroz Khan’s second attempt at remaking ‘The Godfather’ after ‘Dharmatma’. The film stars Vinod Khanna, Feroz Khan, Madhuri Dixit and Aditya Pancholi. The film, which was a remake of the Kamal Haasan film ‘Nayakan’ (1987), turned out to be a massive success at the box-office.

‘Aatank Hi Aatank’ (1995)

A farmer travels to the city with his wife and children, joins forces with another man, and forms a gangster faction. Years later, he has grown so unmatched that his opponents want to execute him in order to get him out of their way. This film is the only movie where two superstars, Aamir Khan and Rajinikanth, have come together. Even though the film was a box-office disaster, the presence of the two superstars in itself has made the movie a cult. ‘The Godfather’ inspiration is visible in every frame of this movie.

‘Sarkar’, ‘Sarkar Raj’ and ‘Sarkar 3’ (2005, 2008, 2017)

Sarkar, a powerful guy, is wrongly accused of murdering an ethical politician. When his father is imprisoned, his son Shankar takes over as leader to safeguard his father and their heritage. In ‘Sarkar Raj’, when Anita Raja, CEO of Sheppard Power Plant, presents a proposal for a power plant in rural Maharashtra to the Nagres, the astute Shankar recognises the benefits the power plant may provide to the locals. In ‘Sarkar 3’, Gandhi, a real-estate tycoon, seeks Sarkar's assistance in a project that may result in the eviction of locals. However, once Sarkar rejects his plan, he becomes embroiled in a number of internal fights. The film was movie maverick Ram Gopal Varma’s attempt at remaking ‘The Godfather’ trilogy.

‘Raajneeti’ (2010)

Samar, the son of a prominent family, has decided to relocate to the United States to live with his lover. However, the loss of his father forces him to abandon his aspirations and embrace the corrupt world of Indian politics. The film, directed by Prakash Raj’, is loosely inspired by ‘The Godfather’ and takes a modern-day spin with the themes of the ‘Mahabharat’ as well. The corruption in politics was depicted well by actors Ranbir Kapoor, Arjun Rampal, Katrina Kaif, Ajay Devgn, Nana Patekar, Manoj Bajpayee and many others.