Navratri 2023: Bollywood films that got the festive portrayal right
One of the most spiritually significant and vibrant Hindu festivals, Navratri, the nine-night extravaganza dedicated to Goddess Durga is a time of colorful traditions, graceful dance performances, and elaborate rituals. Over the years, Bollywood has strived to capture the essence of Navratri on the big screen. We have listed below movies that have successfully portrayed its festive spirit and cultural richness.
'Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam' (1999)
Based on Jhaverchand Meghani's play Shetal ne Kathe, Sanjay Leela Bhansali's romantic musical film Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam stars Salman Khan, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, and Ajay Devgn. The film features one of the most iconic songs Dholi Taro Dhol Baje which remains a favorite and a must-have on Navratri playlist. The iconic sequence marks the beginning of the lead characters' love story.
'Kai Po Che' (2013)
Directed by Abhishek Kapoor, the 2013 buddy sports drama film Kai Po Che, adapted from Chetan Bhagat's The 3 Mistakes of My Life, stars the late actor Sushant Singh Rajput, Rajkummar Rao, and Amit Sadh. Set in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, the film shows the actual meaning of the festival with the dandiya and garba celebrations through Shruti Pathak and Divya Kumar's song Shubhaarambh.
'Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela' (2013)
Starring Ranveer Singh and Deepika Padukone, Bhansali gave us yet another blockbuster romantic film Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela with his signature grand sets, dance sequences, and celebrations. The film captured the nine-day festive spirit perfectly especially with Padukone's dance on the Nagada Sang Dhol Baje where she expressed and owned her love publicly despite her and Singh's families being generational enemies.
'Loveyatri' (2018)
Produced by Khan, the 2018 rom-com film Loveyatri marked the debut of director Abhiraj K Minawala as well as the two leads- Aayush Sharma and Warina Hussain. The film gave a new modern garba anthem, Chogada, sung by Darshan Raval and Shabbir Ahmed. The night of the dance sequence is when the two leads meet for the first time.
'Gangubai Kathiawadi' (2022)
Bhansali's 2022 blockbuster biographical crime drama film Gangubai Kathiawadi stars Alia Bhatt as the titular character along with Shantanu Maheshwari, Vijay Raaz, Indira Tiwari, Seema Pahwa, Jim Sarbh, and Devgn. The garba song Dholida in the film takes place in a brothel area, Kamathipura, and showcases how sex workers celebrate the festival while fighting against oppression, discrimination, and pain for their rights.
