MUMBAI: Bollywood and movies are a big part of our lives. And people in India eat, sleep and breathe Bollywood, just like cricket. So, it’s very obvious that movies influence our lives in unimaginable ways. Especially for those in the industry, movies play even bigger roles. 

So, here are some celebs sharing names of the movies which influence their taste in cinema. Read on: 

Also read: Vikas Sethi: Shot-at-home videos are for self-satisfaction

Vikas Sethi: One film which has shaped me as an actor and also as a human being is “Agneepath”. The brilliance in the performances and the storyline which was so superbly woven, makes me feel inspired. I do watch this movie every now and then to feel that rush and courage, and it helps me build my strength. 

Avinash Mukherjee: The movie which influenced me and is also one of my favourites is “Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham…”. It’s a proper Hindi masala film with everything like comedy, romance, songs, family, drama, it’s a complete emotional package and I think such movies are not made anymore. 

Khusbhoo Kamal: It’s not one film which influenced my taste in the cinema I think there are many films. I am a huge fan of Smita Patil, Madhuri Dixit and Sridevi. I like Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s film but the film which made an influence was “Devdas”. The set he had created, the storyline, the performances, music, costume, makeup, everything was so good, and each and every scene was performed with a lot of conviction and hard work. 

Mohit Malhotra:  “The Bridges of Madison County” had a great impact on me. I was amazed to see Meryl Streep perform. Watching her is like magic on-screen. She gets you so engaged that you escape from your life and join her in her character’s journey. Watching Clint Eastwood and his direction was another masterpiece. It is one of the best movies I watched and I am so glad that I got introduced to these legendary artists and their bodies of work. 

Ashna Kishore: That movie was “Mera Naam Joker” and the star was Raj Kapoor sir. Though it didn’t work well at that time as the storyline was different, people could not understand what was it and they didn’t like it, but when people see it now they appreciate it. It was definitely a masterpiece and the way they have shown the journey of a joker which can be related to an actor’s life. The movie is full of emotions. The song “Jeena yahan marna yahan, iske siwa jana kahan”, the same thing has happened with me in this industry and so the movie is very close to my heart. 

Mou Das: Honestly there ain’t any film that has influenced me, but a TV show “Ek Duje Ke Vaaste” in 2016 changed my life, don’t know which chord of my heart it touched that leaving behind a comfortable life I struggled with a new profession, new working environment, new people around. I believe the other way, films are influenced by real-life than we getting influenced. In that case, it has to be one film I often watched with my dad, of our favourite actor Mahanayak Uttam Kumar, “Nayak”. It’s a complete Satyajit Ray’s movie written directed edited and music all done by him. I am quite influenced by this film because of it’s reality, despite all we do, or how successful we are, one needs to be grounded and respect all those who loved you unconditionally or else you will remain lonely. 

Dhruvee Haldankar: The film that influenced me was “Hatim Tai” where Jeetendra Ji solves some riddles and rescues a fairy. That film really influenced me in terms of wanting to know as to how film making is really done, what it is all about, what are these fancy characters and who writes them, how are these magical things visible on television, so that framed all these questions in my mind and developed my interest in acting. I was already influenced by my father, but a lot of films including this one influenced my mind wherein I felt this is it, I really wanted to do this and make a career out of it. 

Jhanvi Sethi: One film that I repeatedly watch and has had an influence on me is “Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara”. It has such a beautiful portrayal of overcoming your fears and insecurities which all of us constantly need to do in our daily lives. Relationships between friends, parents, partners all beautifully crafted.

Vijayendra Kumeria: As an audience I have watched a lot of Hindi and Hollywood movies, but when I watched the "Raging Bull", which was filmed much before I was born, I got more interested in watching good classic films. After watching this movie, the storytelling and the characters stayed with me. There was something in this film that it still remains my favourite. Robert De Niro played a complex character who was not the perfect man but still you felt for him. Martin Scorsese’s direction made the film look so real. Of course I understood the technicalities much later but this film for sure changed my taste in cinema. I must admit that I like films which are not just about glorifying the protagonist but show their vulnerable side too which is relatable.

Also read: Khushboo Kamal: Actors are very insecure