Over the years, Bollywood biography movies have emerged as one of the most powerful storytelling formats in Hindi cinema. These films do more than entertain- they document courage, sacrifice, resilience, and ambition through real-life journeys. From freedom fighters and sports legends to social reformers and unsung heroes, biographical movies in Bollywood allow audiences to connect deeply with history and human emotion.
In this blog, we explore some of the best biography movies in Bollywood, highlighting how Hindi cinema continues to celebrate real stories.
Bollywood Biography Movies
1. Asoka
Release Year: 2001
Director: Santosh Sivan
Star Cast: Shah Rukh Khan, Kareena Kapoor, Danny Denzongpa
Based on Emperor Ashoka’s transformation from a fierce warrior to a peaceful ruler after the Kalinga war.
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2. The Legend of Bhagat Singh
Release Year: 2002
Director: Rajkumar Santoshi
Star Cast: Ajay Devgn, Akhilendra Mishra, Raj Babbar, Amrita Rao
Portrays Bhagat Singh’s revolutionary ideology, courage, and ultimate sacrifice for India’s freedom.
3. Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose: The Forgotten Hero
Release Year: 2004
Director: Shyam Benegal
Star Cast: Sachin Khedekar, Kulbhushan Kharbanda, Rajit Kapur
A detailed depiction of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose’s political journey and leadership of the Indian National Army.
4. Mangal Pandey: The Rising
Release Year: 2005
Director: Ketan Mehta
Star Cast: Aamir Khan, Rani Mukerji, Toby Stephens
Highlights the role of Mangal Pandey in igniting India’s first uprising against British rule.
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5. Bhaag Milkha Bhaag
Release Year: 2013
Director: Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra
Star Cast: Farhan Akhtar, Divya Dutta
Showcases Milkha Singh’s inspiring journey from refugee life to becoming India’s legendary sprinter.
6. Manjhi – The Mountain Man
Release Year: 2015
Director: Ketan Mehta
Star Cast: Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Radhika Apte
Tells the true story of Dashrath Manjhi, who carved a road through a mountain for his village.
7. Sarbjit
Release Year: 2016
Director: Omung Kumar
Star Cast: Randeep Hooda, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Richa Chadha
Depicts the tragic life of Sarabjit Singh, an Indian wrongly imprisoned in Pakistan.
8. Neerja
Release Year: 2016
Director: Ram Madhvani
Star Cast: Sonam Kapoor, Shabana Azmi, Shekhar Ravjiani
Honors flight attendant Neerja Bhanot’s bravery during the Pan Am hijacking incident.
9. M.S. Dhoni: The Untold Story
Release Year: 2016
Director: Neeraj Pandey
Star Cast: Sushant Singh Rajput, Kiara Advani, Disha Patani
MS Dhoni’s rise from a small-town ticket collector to a World Cup-winning captain.
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10. Sanju
Release Year: 2018
Director: Rajkumar Hirani
Star Cast: Ranbir Kapoor, Paresh Rawal, Manisha Koirala
Explores Sanjay Dutt’s controversial life, personal struggles, and journey toward redemption.
11. Manto
Release Year: 2018
Director: Nandita Das
Star Cast: Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Rasika Dugal, Tahir Raj Bhasin
Portrays writer Saadat Hasan Manto’s life amid censorship and Partition-era turmoil.
12. Pad Man
Release Year: 2018
Director: R. Balki
Star Cast: Akshay Kumar, Radhika Apte, Sonam Kapoor
Based on a social reformer, Arunachalam Muruganantham’s struggle & his mission to provide affordable sanitary pads to rural women.
13. Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi
Release Year: 2019
Director: Radha Krishna Jagarlamudi
Star Cast: Kangana Ranaut, Jisshu Sengupta, Ankita Lokhande
Explores Rani Lakshmibai’s fearless resistance against British colonial forces.
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14. Thackeray
Release Year: 2019
Director: Abhijit Panse
Star Cast: Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Amrita Rao
Depicts Bal Thackeray’s rise as a powerful political figure in Maharashtra.
15. Tanhaji
Release Year: 2020
Director: Om Raut
Star Cast: Ajay Devgn, Saif Ali Khan, Kajol
Showcases Tanaji Malusare’s heroic battle to reclaim Kondhana Fort from the Mughals.
16. Sardar Udham
Release Year: 2021
Director: Shoojit Sircar
Star Cast: Vicky Kaushal
Explores Udham Singh’s revolutionary path leading to vengeance for the Jallianwala Bagh massacre.
17. Shershaah
Release Year: 2021
Director: Vishnuvardhan
Star Cast: Sidharth Malhotra, Kiara Advani
Portrays Captain Vikram Batra’s bravery and sacrifice during the Kargil War.
18. Saina
Release Year: 2021
Director: Amole Gupte
Star Cast: Parineeti Chopra, Manav Kaul
Follows badminton star Saina Nehwal’s rise through dedication and discipline.
19. Thalaivii
Release Year: 2021
Director: A. L. Vijay
Star Cast: Kangana Ranaut, Arvind Swami, Bhagyashree
Jayalalithaa’s journey from cinema icon to influential political leader.
20. Rocketry: The Nambi Effect
Release Year: 2022
Director: R. Madhavan
Star Cast: R. Madhavan, Simran, Rajit Kapur
Highlights scientist Nambi Narayanan’s achievements and the espionage controversy that shook his life.
21. Shabaash Mithu
Release Year: 2022
Director: Srijit Mukherji
Star Cast: Taapsee Pannu, Vijay Raaz, Mumtaz Sorcar
Celebrates Mithali Raj’s journey as India’s most successful women’s cricket captain.
22. Kaun Pravin Tambe?
Release Year: 2022
Director: Jayprad Desai
Star Cast: Shreyas Talpade, Ashish Vidyarthi, Anjali Patil
Inspiring story of Pravin Tambe’s late but remarkable entry into professional cricket.
23. Gangubai Kathiawadi
Release Year: 2022
Director: Sanjay Leela Bhansali
Star Cast: Alia Bhatt, Shantanu Maheshwari, Vijay Raaz
Follows Gangubai’s rise as a powerful voice for marginalized women in Mumbai’s underworld.
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24. Sam Bahadur
Release Year: 2023
Director: Meghna Gulzar
Star Cast: Vicky Kaushal, Sanya Malhotra, Fatima Sana Shaikh
Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw’s legendary leadership in India’s major military victories.
25. 12th Fail
Release Year: 2023
Director: Vidhu Vinod Chopra
Star Cast: Vikrant Massey, Medha Shankar, Anant Joshi
Story Brief: Inspiring journey of IPS officer Manoj Kumar Sharma, who overcame poverty and academic failure through perseverance.
26. Amar Singh Chamkila
Release Year: 2024
Director: Imtiaz Ali
Star Cast: Diljit Dosanjh, Parineeti Chopra, Anjum Batra
Explores the meteoric rise and mysterious death of Punjabi folk icon Chamkila.
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27. Main Atal Hoon
Release Year: 2024
Director: Ravi Jadhav
Star Cast: Pankaj Tripathi, Daya Shankar Pandey, Raja Rameshkumar Sevak
Portrays Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s political journey, leadership, and poetic sensibility.
28. Swatantrya Veer Savarkar
Release Year: 2024
Director: Mahesh Manjrekar
Star Cast: Randeep Hooda, Ankita Lokhande, Amit Sial
Focuses on Vinayak Damodar Savarkar’s revolutionary ideology and struggle for independence.
29. Chandu Champion
Release Year: 2024
Director: Kabir Khan
Star Cast: Kartik Aaryan, Vijay Raaz, Bhuvan Arora
Showcases Paralympian Murlikant Petkar’s inspiring journey from adversity to sporting glory.
List of biographical movies in Bollywood
| Movie Name | Release Year | Director | Based On |
| Asoka | 2001 | Santosh Sivan | Emperor Ashoka |
| The Legend of Bhagat Singh | 2002 | Rajkumar Santoshi | Bhagat Singh |
| Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose | 2004 | Shyam Benegal | Subhas Chandra Bose |
| Mangal Pandey | 2005 | Ketan Mehta | Mangal Pandey |
| Bhaag Milkha Bhaag | 2013 | Rakeysh O. Mehra | Milkha Singh |
| Manjhi | 2015 | Ketan Mehta | Dashrath Manjhi |
| Sarbjit | 2016 | Omung Kumar | Sarabjit Singh |
| Neerja | 2016 | Ram Madhvani | Neerja Bhanot |
| M.S. Dhoni | 2016 | Neeraj Pandey | MS Dhoni |
| Sanju | 2018 | Rajkumar Hirani | Sanjay Dutt |
| Manto | 2018 | Nandita Das | Saadat Hasan Manto |
| Pad Man | 2018 | R. Balki | A. Muruganantham |
| Manikarnika | 2019 | R. J. Jagarlamudi | Rani Lakshmibai |
| Thackeray | 2019 | Abhijit Panse | Bal Thackeray |
| Tanhaji | 2020 | Om Raut | Tanaji Malusare |
| Sardar Udham | 2021 | Shoojit Sircar | Udham Singh |
| Shershaah | 2021 | Vishnuvardhan | Vikram Batra |
| Saina | 2021 | Amole Gupte | Saina Nehwal |
| Thalaivii | 2021 | A. L. Vijay | J. Jayalalithaa |
| Rocketry | 2022 | R. Madhavan | Nambi Narayanan |
| Shabaash Mithu | 2022 | Srijit Mukherji | Mithali Raj |
| Kaun Pravin Tambe? | 2022 | Jayprad Desai | Pravin Tambe |
| Gangubai Kathiawadi | 2022 | S. L. Bhansali | Gangubai Harjivandas |
| Sam Bahadur | 2023 | Meghna Gulzar | Sam Manekshaw |
| 12th Fail | 2023 | Vidhu Vinod Chopra | Manoj Kumar Sharma |
| Amar Singh Chamkila | 2024 | Imtiaz Ali | Amar Singh Chamkila |
| Main Atal Hoon | 2024 | Ravi Jadhav | Atal Bihari Vajpayee |
| Swatantrya Veer Savarkar | 2024 | Mahesh Manjrekar | V. D. Savarkar |
| Chandu Champion | 2024 | Kabir Khan | Murlikant Petkar |
Conclusion
The legacy of Bollywood biography movies lies in their ability to humanize legends and bring real struggles to the forefront. Whether political leaders, soldiers, athletes, or reformers, these Hindi biography movies remind us that reality often inspires cinema’s most powerful stories.
On DHOOMDB, you can explore and watch many such biographical movies in Bollywood available on YouTube. Discover inspiring stories anytime and relive history through cinema, only on DHOOMDB.
FAQs
1. What are Bollywood biography movies?
They are films based on real-life individuals, showcasing true stories from history, sports, politics, and society.
2. Which are the best biography movies in Bollywood?
Bhaag Milkha Bhaag, Neerja, Sardar Udham, Shershaah, and MS Dhoni are widely regarded as the best.
3. Are Hindi biography movies historically accurate?
Most stay true to core events but may dramatize moments for cinematic impact.
4. Why are biographical movies in Bollywood popular?
They inspire audiences by presenting real struggles, success stories, and national pride.
