Best Bollywood Biopics on OTT | Netflix, Amazon, Hotstart!

1. The Dirty Picture

The film “The Dirty Picture” tells the story of Silk Smitha, a South Indian sex symbol, as portrayed by Vidya Balan. The film follows the journey of Reshma, a young woman from a village who dreams of becoming a film star in Chennai. As she achieves overnight success and becomes known as “Silk,” her newfound fame and success begin to transform her.

2. Bajirao Mastani

One of the best Bollywood biopics available on OTT platforms is “Bajirao Mastani,” directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali. The film tells the love story between the Maratha Peshwa Bajirao and the Princess of Bundelkhand, Mastani. The story follows Bajirao, who is already married to Kashuba, but falls in love with Mastani, a warrior princess in need of help. Despite facing opposition from his traditional family, Bajirao and Mastani fight to make their love triumph.

3. Neerja

“Neerja,” directed by Ram Madhvani and starring Sonam Kapoor, is a biographical drama based on the real-life story of Neerja Bhanot, the head purser of the Pan Am 73 airline that was hijacked by terrorists in Karachi on September 5, 1986. The film is a tribute to Bhanot, who is remembered as a beautiful and inspirational woman. It is considered to be one of the finest biographical dramas to date.

4. Aligarh

“Aligarh” is a Bollywood biopic that tells the story of Ramchandra Siras, a Marathi professor and the head of the Classical Modern Indian Languages Faculty at the Aligarh Muslim University, who was suspended on grounds of morality. As a journalist investigates and uncovers Siras’ sexual orientation through a sting operation, the two form a special bond. The film stars Manoj Bajpayee and Rajkummar Rao and is directed by Hansal Mehta. It is considered to be one of the best Bollywood biopics available on OTT platforms.

5. Paan Singh Tomar

“Paan Singh Tomar,” a film directed by Tigmansu Dhulia in 2012, tells the story of an athlete named Paan Singh Tomar who wins gold medals at the Indian National Games multiple times in a row. When his mother is killed and the police do not take action, Tomar is forced to become a dacoit. The film features strong performances and excellent screenwriting, making it a masterpiece.

4. Sardar Udham

One of the best Bollywood biopics available on OTT platforms is “Sardar Udham Singh,” directed by Sahojit Sircar and available on Amazon Prime Video. The film tells the story of Sardar Udham Singh, who assassinated Michael O’Dwyer, one of the perpetrators of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre. With a runtime of 160 minutes, the film is nuanced and offbeat, but requires a lot of patience to fully appreciate its impact.

3. Bandit Queen

“Bandit Queen” is a Bollywood biographical drama directed by Shekhar Kapur, which tells the story of dacoit Phoolan Devi, played by Seema Biswas. The film shows how Devi, as a woman, was treated as an object and subjected to child marriage, sexual harassment, and other forms of abuse. Despite being selected as the Indian entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 67th Academy Awards, it was not accepted as a nominee. It is considered to be one of the best Bollywood biopics available on OTT platforms.

2. Shahid

“Shahid,” a biographical drama directed by Hansal Mehta and starring Rajkummar Rao, tells the story of Shahid Azmi, a human rights lawyer who is dedicated to justice. The film, which was released in 2012, also features Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub, Baljinder Kaur, Prabhleen Sandhu, and others in supporting roles.

1. Dangal (2016)

“Dangal,” directed by Nitesh Tiwari, is one of the highest-grossing movies in India. It tells the story of Mahavir Singh Phogat, a former wrestler who trains his daughters to win gold medals for the country, despite facing social stigma. The film stars Fatima Sana Sheikh and Sanya Malhotra in the lead roles.