Happy birthday Ashutosh Gowariker: 'Lagaan' director's top-rated films on IMDb
Filmmaker Ashutosh Gowariker has a knack for making movies that define our Indian roots. Whether it is picking a subject that shows how an NRI decides to move back to his motherland or reciting a chapter of Indian history through a film, Gowariker is known for his film choices. On his 59th birthday (Wednesday), here is a list of his top-rated films on IMDb.
'Swades, We The People' (2004)
Starring Shah Rukh Khan, Swades, We The People is the top-rated Gowariker film on IMDb. With an 8.2/10 rating by the audience, it still remains a favorite of many. Its plot revolved around a NASA scientist who visits India to see his nanny in the rural heart of India. There, he sets on a journey, to re-discover where he truly belongs, emotionally and physically.
'Lagaan: Once Upon a Time in India' (2001)
This Oscar-nominated film needs no introduction. One of the most iconic films in the history of Indian cinema, Lagaan is a fictional story set in the pre-Independec era of how the people of a village come together to make their village tax-free from the British. It has a rating of 8.1/10 on IMDb. It starred Aamir Khan and Gracy Singh in the lead roles.
'Jodha Akbar' (2008)
Released in 2008, Gowariker's Jodha Akbar starred Hrithik Roshan as the Mughal emperor Jalaluddin Mohammad Akbar and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan as his Rajput wife, Jodha Bai. The periodical drama which has a 7.5 rating on IMDb, went on to collect roughly Rs. 120 crore at the box office. A big commercial hit, it was the third highest-grossing film of that year.
'Mohenjo Daro' (2016)
Eight years after Jodha Akbar, Gowariker reunited with Roshan for Mohenjo Daro which was released in 2016. A period action-adventure movie, it marked the Hindi debut of Pooja Hegde. It is a love story that is set in the Mohenjo Daro city of the ancient Indus Valley Civilization. Gowariker reportedly took around three years to work on the script. It's rated 5.6 on IMDb.
'Panipat' (2019)
Starring Arjun Kapoor, Sanjay Dutt, and Kriti Sanon in the lead roles, Gowariker's Panipat is based on the war between the Maratha forces and the invading forces of Afghanistan. While Kapoor played Maratha warrior Sadashiv Rao Bhau Peshwa, Dutt was seen as the King of Afghanistan, Ahmad Shah Abdali. Speaking of its rating, Panipat stands last in this list with a 5.2 IMDb rating.
