Are you wild about casino movies? You might not know it yet, but Bollywood has produced some absolutely stunning pieces of cinema revolving around casinos and games. If you’re ready to dive into some action-packed movies featuring a whole cast of colorful characters and plenty of twists and turns, we’ve got the perfect film experiences for you.
Teen Patti
Back in 2010, director Leena Yadav wowed us with a delightfully creative film featuring India’s own card game, Teen Patti. The protagonist is a professor of mathematics and engineering who has figured out a way to use the card game to test his thesis. As he makes more and more progress with the game, dark forces soon arise against him. The film is fun, drawing attention to the more modern world of online casinos while also serving as the breakout role for Hindi starlet Shraddha Kapoor.
Watching this film is bound to make any viewer want to learn more about cards, and we can’t blame them. After all, few things are more exciting than pitting your wits against another opponent in a game of skill. You can get a deck and teach yourself the basics at home, or try out a variety of online poker rooms to practice your technique.
The Great Gambler
The Great Gambler was produced back in 1971, and the film is a real work of art for its time. Director Shakti Samanta is known for his prowess in the world of filmmaking and has won several awards (though none were for The Great Gambler). Despite a lack of accolades, we can still see Samanta’s unique style and outlook in this heartfelt piece.
The plot follows the adventures of a young casino-goer named Jai, an expert professional gamer who gets into hot water after he takes a risky job from a shady casino owner. Though he works mainly trying to defeat the casino’s most prestigious (and richest) clients, he also gets into all sorts of adventures.
These include espionage, classified military secrets, arranged marriages, and even more. The movie is rooted firmly in fiction, and some parts are much less believable than others. However, it’s definitely worth watching, especially if you like a buildup of burning action and adventure.
Striker
2010 was a great year for Bollywood casino movies, producing not only Teen Patti but Striker as well. Masterful director Chandan Arora put together this harrowing tale based on real-life events that took place in Bombay during the mid-eighties.
Caption: Cinema is a multifaceted medium which evokes emotion like no other, and Arora’s Striker is an embodiment of this ability.
The plot centers around Surya, a boy played by the legendary Siddharth. The star of Telegu was quite invested in the role, and it’s easy to see why. Surya resonates on a deep personal level which almost everyone can relate too.
The boy suffers from an array of maladies and comes from a poor but extremely close family. His brother teaches him the card game Carrom, and it’s love at first sight. The highly-intelligent Surya soon plays better than anyone else, winning the championship at age 12. However, he soon discovers all is not sunshine and roses. Every gaming community has dark secrets, and he must learn to navigate through them with ease and grace while trying to stay safe.
While the selection of Bollywood casino films isn’t huge, it’s definitely worth checking out. The unique perspective provided by actors, directors, writers, and producers here is unrivalled the world over. The stories are touching, funny, and beautiful all at the same time. If you’re ready for some good casino film fun, take your pick from this list today.
