Three films that united the casino and Bollywood
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Gambling movies have been infamous around the world for decades - and just like the act of gambling, watching a movie also offers up a fun pastime. The role of the casino is huge across the globe, and by this, we mean 41% of America's population - proving that there are a hefty bunch of people who would tune in to watch these fast-paced films. But when it comes to India, the gambling space is a whole lot different.
Bollywood is saturated with tales of love, drama, and a whole lot of music - but it really does lack films featuring casinos. Even so, amid the colorful dances and action-packed drama, the silver screen in Bollywood has managed to push some casino classics into a cult status. Still bringing in the themes of love, loss, and danger, Bollywood manages to include their favorite approaches in a handful of casino movie gems that we all love to this day.
Gambling films, and any that feature casinos, card counting, or poker, really do make up the basis of all casino movies - but the Indian counterparts add a unique twist to the game. This is solely down to the fact that the West has legalized casinos for a lot longer, meaning it has a history to match when it comes to the brick-and-mortar casinos.
India may have followed swiftly behind, but their movies were a whole lot slower. We're going to take a look at the select few that have made the cut in Bollywood, and see how well they've blended the casino with our culture. Grab your popcorn - here's our top three picks and how to watch them!
1) Teen Patti - 2010
Produced in 2010 by Leena Yadav, Teen Patti is a high-stakes drama that's famous, not just in Bollywood, but across the continents. The name, Teen Patti, actually translates to three cards, which we all know is the card game that's played across Asia.
Originating in India, this historic card game is a far cry away from blackjack online, which has taken over society - but it still deserves a ranking in some of the most fun games to play.
The movie is all about the main character, Perci, who plays "three cards" while training up to try and win as big as he can. He is known as the most impressive mathematician to grace India, yet he comes across Venkat, who is almost up to par. Both the men learn from one another to try and beat the game through math - where they learn that they can change the concept of probability. Something that's paramount in a game of cards.
With both of their skills, they buckle up and head to the casino - where they see that their thoughts are correct. They brush up on their abilities through an underground gambling den and end up going on to win huge. Like many gambling movies, there are ups, downs, and everything in between. This is one of India's most favored casino movies, and because of its overarching messages about pushing too far - we think it's a pretty good one for our top spot.
2) Jannat - 2008
Moving on to love, luck, and the darker sides of gambling, Jannat is a movie that is loved by everyone. It's a crime romance that was created by Kunal Deshmukh, and its main theme is about two men wishing for a better life. The main character, who's a gambler, along with a bookie who he comes across, end up in some dodgy dealings relating to cricket betting.
Both filled with hopes and dreams to see green, they go on to make a lot of money together - and therefore, a happier life. Or so they thought.
The ending all looks back on their time and a couple of moral dilemmas. Should the protagonist choose love and redemption? Or face the consequences for what he's done? It's jam-packed with excitement, horror, and thrill - we love it.
3) The Great Gambler - 1979
This may be an oldie, but boy, is it a goldie! You probably won't believe us that one of Bollywood's greatest casino hits was actually filmed back in 1979, but here we are. First released when the casino was only just coming onto the streets, The Great Gambler is an Indian crime action film created by Shakti Samanta.
The film sees the protagonist, Jai, on his pursuit to be the world's number one at gambling - where he gains traction from being so great. The underground gambling dens end up spiking an interest in him, and they soon go on to hire him for their monetary gain.
There's a lot of winning - but then things turn south. He begins to lose, gets blackmailed by the gang leaders, and has to start spilling secrets about the government. Now who said casino films can't be utterly Bollywood? Sounds packed with drama to us!
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Devan Karthik
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