'Sanju', 'Dum Maaro Dum', 'Udta Punjab': Films that warned against substance abuse

Apart from fictional stories, Bollywood films based on true-life stories always catch everyone's attention. There was a time when the Hindi film industry was all about fictional and larger-than-life films, but now people are lapping up real stories. Since the NCB's crackdown on drug peddlers, substance abuse is once again being discussed in mainstream media. Here's taking a look at films that warned against drug abuse...

Helmed by Rajkumar Hirani, 'Sanju', follows the life of Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt, his addiction to drugs, his alleged association with the 1993 Bombay bombings, his relationship with his father, comeback in the industry. The film showed many phases and battles that Dutt had to face, especially that with hard drugs. It also explained drug-induced hallucinations. Ranbir Kapoor played the titular role with Anushka Sharma, Vicky Kaushal, Manisha Koirala, Dia Mirza, Sonam Kapoor Ahuja, Paresh Rawal, and Jim Sarbh.

Pic: Movie poster

Read Also:Consider reformation when drugs case accused are young: Bombay HC

Abhishek Chaubey's 'Udta Punjab' revolves around the drug abuse menace in Punjab. The film very sensitively highlighted the effect this problem had on the youth of the state. Given the subject, the film could have been preachy but there was a strong narrative that kept it from going that way. The movie features Shahid Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, Kareena Kapoor and Diljit Dosanjh in lead roles.

Pic: Movie Poster

Directed by Anurag Kashyap, the film is a modern-day take on Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay's classic Bengali novel 'Devdas'. The film is set in contemporary Punjab and Delhi. Its storyline revolves around the lives of three people--Abhay Deol, Kalki Koechlin, and Mahie Gill. The film showed how Dev aka Abhay gets addicted to smoking and hard drugs after Paro marries someone else.

Pic: Movie Still

Helmed by Rohan Sippy, 'Dum Maaro Dum' focusses on the substance abuse problem in Goa. There were several scenes in the film that showed drugs being consumed and the effect it had. The film stars Abhishek Bachchan, Bipasha Basu, Rana Daggubati, Prateik Babbar, and Aditya Pancholi. It was shot in Goa. Deepika Padukone made a special appearance in the remixed version of the hit song by the same name.

Pic: Movie Still

Anurag Kashyap's 'Gangs of Wasseypur' is based on the menace of coal mafia of Dhanbad, power struggles, politics and vengeance between three criminal families. Apart from this, the makers were successful in highlighting the issue of substance abuse. The film starred a diverse ensemble cast--Manoj Bajpayee, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Richa Chadha, Huma Qureshi, and Tigmanshu Dhulia.

Pic: Huma Qureshi Instagram