Real-life stories have always caught the fancy of Bollywood. But the number of such films Bollywood has produced in the past few years has shot up to a great degree. Like every year, Hindi cinema will offer many films based on real-life stories in 2018 also. Here we list down for you the top ten real-life based films to look forward to in 2018.
Padman
Directed by distinguished filmmaker R Balki, Padman is inspired by the life of a Tamil Nadu-based activist, Arunachalam Muruganantham, who transformed the lives of rural India by creating a low-cost sanitary napkins machine. Starring Akshay Kumar, Sonam Kapoor and Radhika Apte in principal roles, the movie releases on 26th January 2018.
Raid
The Raj Kumar Gupta directorial is set against the backdrop of the 1980s and stars superstar Ajay Devgn in the lead role. The film is loosely inspired by the life a UP-based Income Tax officer who conducts one of the most high profile income tax raids the country has ever known. The film is currently being shot in Lucknow and might hit screens on 16th March 2018.
Sanjay Dutt Biopic
Touted to be one of the biggest and most-awaited films of 2018, the biopic chronicles some of the life-altering phases of superstar Sanjay Dutt's eventful life. The biopic, which is tentatively titled Sanju, is being helmed by Rajkumar Hirani and stars Ranbir Kapoor as Sanjay Dutt. It is slated to arrive in cinemas on 30th March 2018.
Manikarnika: The Queen Of Jhansi
As the name suggests itself, Manikarnika: The Queen Of Jhansi is based on the life of Rani Laxmi Bhai, who participated in India's first war of independence in 1857 and lost her life fighting bravely against the British. Starring Kangana Ranaut as the queen of Jhansi, the film is being directed by Krish and releases on 27th April 2018. Zee Studio is bankrolling the project.
Raazi
Featuring Alia Bhatt and Vicky Kaushal in pivotal roles, the Meghna Gulzar directorial is inspired by true events. The film, reportedly, tells the story of a Kashmiri spy married to a Pakistani man during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971. The shooting of the period thriller has been wrapped up. It is scheduled to release on 11th May 2018.
Soorma
Soorma, starring Diljit Dosanjh and Taapsee Panu, is based on the turbulent life of the ex-captain of the Indian National Hockey Team, Sandeep Singh and highlights the story of how he made a comeback in Hockey after being accidentally shot in 2006. Produced by Sony Pictures Networks India, the film is being directed by Shaad Ali and is slated to release on 29th June 2018.
Gold
Toplined by Akshay Kumar and directed by Reema Kagti, Gold is set in the backdrop of the 1948 London Olympics and narrates the story of hockey player Balbir Singh Sr., who won the first Olympic medal for India as a free nation in 1948. The film is an Excel Entertainment production bankrolled by Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani. Gold releases on 15th August 2018.
Super 30
Starring Greek God of Bollywood, Hrithik Roshan, Super 30 is being helmed by Queen fame Vikas Bahl and is based on the life of noted Indian mathematician Anand Kumar, who coaches 30 students for IIT-JEE entrance exams every year with incredible success rate. The film releases on 23rd November 2018.
The Accidental Prime Minister
A biographical political film by award-winning filmmaker Hansal Mehta, The Accidental Prime Minister is based on ex-Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. The film sees seasoned actor Anupam Khar in the role of Manmohan Singh. The movie is slated to hit screens on 21st December 2018.
Mogul
Mogul is a biographical film based on the life of Gulshan Kumar, the music baron and producer who laid the foundation of India's leading music company T-Series. Written and directed by Subhash Kapoor, the film stars megastar Akshay Kumar as Gulshan Kumar. The movie might release in the second half of 2018.
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Big B defends his choice to praise Abhishek openly and others privately
Amitabh Bachchan reveals why he praises Abhishek publicly but not Jaya or Aishwarya
Quick highlights:
Amitabh Bachchan has responded to online comments asking why he often praises son Abhishek Bachchan on social media but not wife Jaya Bachchan, daughter-in-law Aishwarya Rai, or daughter Shweta. The actor explained that while he chooses to support Abhishek publicly, he honours the women in his family privately, saying he prefers to respect them “in his heart.”
Bachchan defends Abhishek praise, addresses fan remarks online
The 81-year-old actor, who regularly shares photos and thoughts with fans, recently posted images of himself meeting admirers outside his Mumbai home, Jalsa. Captioned “Yes, I praise Abhishek. So?”, the post sparked comments from users questioning why he doesn’t do the same for Jaya, Aishwarya, or Shweta.
Responding directly, Bachchan wrote, “Yes, I shall praise them in my heart… not publicly… respect for the ladies.” His reply quickly circulated across platforms, with many praising his thoughtful answer. Others pointed to his tendency to engage more often when defending Abhishek, especially around film releases.
Bachchan also shut down a user accusing him of having “paid fans,” bluntly replying, “Prove it! You are small-minded… why don’t you pay and get fans too?” When another person mocked those waiting outside his home as “unemployed,” he replied with characteristic wit: “So give them a job? When they stand at the gate of Jalsa, they are EMPLOYED in love.”
Actor remains active on social media while juggling film projects
Bachchan has become increasingly interactive online in recent years, often directly responding to criticism and fan feedback. Meanwhile, Abhishek was last seen in Housefull 5, a multi-starrer comedy that released earlier this month. Jaya Bachchan appeared in Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani in 2023, while Aishwarya Rai was part of Mani Ratnam’s Ponniyin Selvan films. Despite the online chatter, Amitabh continues to walk his own path, on-screen and online.