11 Movies Which Were Inspired By The Works of Shakespeare

The “Bard of Avon” wrote scores of plays during his lifetime and more than 150 sonnets. Also addressed as the National Poet of England, William Shakespeare was the master of every style. From the most beautiful romances in “Romeo and Juliet” and “As You Like It” to the darkest battles in “Macbeth” and “Hamlet”, he wrote each of them.

Through his quotes like “Sweet are the uses of adversity”, “To be or not to be”, and “What’s done cannot be undone”, Shakespeare is cherished till the present day. However, what followed his legacy was his mysteries. Many people claimed that Shakespeare was a woman though there has never been any evidence for that. Some even say that Shakespeare’s birthday isn’t on 26th but on 23rd or 24th.

What we know is that Shakespeare was baptized on 26th April and so we celebrate it as the big day of our bard. Shakespeare’s influence hasn’t limited itself to just pages and words. His epic plays have been adapted in numerous films. From the Americas to the Pacific, his plays have covered the entire map. We bring to you some of his plays which were adopted as movies in India.

1. Haider

Vishal Bhardwaj used the plot of Shakespeare’s “Hamlet” in his movie Haider which focused on the present day militancy in the Kashmir valley.

2. Maqbool

Another epic direction from Vishal Bhardwaj, Maqbool starred Irrfan Khan and Tabu. This movie was based on the story of “Macbeth”, one of the fiercest plays ever written by the bard.

3. 10ml Love

Directed by Sharat Katariya, 10ml Love was a love triangle movie starring Tisca Chopra and Rajat Kapoor. This movie was based on Shakespeare’s comedy “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”.

4. Ramleela

Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Ramleela was an adaptation of “Romeo and Juliet”. A story revolving around 2 lovers who hailed from rival families.

5. Do Dooni Char

Released in 1968, this Bollywood musical starred many veterans like Kishore Kumar and Tanuja. Do Dooni Char was an adaptation of “Comedy of Errors”.

6. Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak

Another adaptation of “Romeo and Juliet”, this film starred Aamir Khan and Juhi Chawla.

7. Omkara

Inspired by Shakespeare’s “Othello”, Omkara bragged 3 National Awards and 7 Filmfare Awards. The film was also screened at Cannes 2006.

Shakespearean dramas have been adopted in not just India but throughout the globe. Let’s have a look at some other noteworthy foreign films.

8. Ran

Ran was an epic Japanese film based on “King Lear”. An “Academy Award” winning film, Ran was the most expensive Japenese movie at the time of its release and was also nominated for the Golden Globes.

9. The Banquet

The Banquet was a Chinese wuxia film released in 2006 based on “Hamlet”. The movie was nominated for the Academy Awards in the Best Foreign Language Film.

10. My Own Private Idaho

It is an American film starring Keanu Reeves and River Phoenix. Based on Shakespeare’s Henry IV and Henry V, the film is about two friends who set out on a journey of self-discovery.

Not just live-action films, Shakespeare also inspired some animated epic films.

11. The Lion King

This epic musical film which gave you Simba, Timon, and Pumbaa was also inspired by “Hamlet”.

Shakespeare was a true legend. Whatever people may speculate, the mind that penned down those dialogues and poems was the genesis of modern literature. Shakespeare’s like would never be seen again.