Top 10 Indian Movies Adapted From Novels: Must-Watch

Indian cinema, diverse and rich, adapts books for unique storytelling, akin to Hollywood's practice.

Indian cinema, from Bollywood hits to regional films, often draws from both South Asian and Western literature.

1. 3 Idiots

A massive success when it first came out in 2009. The film is based on the book Chetan Bhagat titled Five Point Someone. 

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A romantic comedy that released in theaters back in 2010, Aisha is the story of Aisha Kapoor, a rich girl who believes that she is a master matchmaker.

2. Aisha

Haider is an epic adaptation of the Shakespearean play Hamlet, updating the content to reflect the situation happening in modern-day Kashmir

3. Haider

Released in 1996, Tere Mere Sapne is based on the Mark Twain story The Prince and the Pauper.

4. Tere Mere Sapne

Kohraa is now considered a classic movie because it came out during the 60s, and was directed by the celebrated director Biren Nag.

5. Kohraa

Mira Nair directed the film adaptation of The Namesake, which was originally written as a novel by the Indian American writer Jhumpa Lahiri.

6. The Namesake

Based on Shakespeare’s play Othello, Omkara is technically the second movie in a series by director Vishal Bardwaj.

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7. Omkara

An epic film when it first came out in 2002, Devdas stars heavy-hitters Shah Rukh Khan, Aishwarya Rai, and Madhuri Dixit in the lead roles.

8. Devdas

Released in 2005, The Blue Umbrella is adapted from Indian author Ruskin Bond’s novel The Blue Umbrella, which appeared in bookstores in 1980.

9. The Blue Umbrella

10. Slumdog Millionaire

Slumdog Millionaire is probably one of the most well-known movies for those in the West due to how it received several Academy Awards.

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