When it comes to movies with a plot involving political or social drama, there is hardly anyone who can match the prowess of the director Prakash Jha. Known for brave attempts at depicting stories that have the touch of reality, he had begun his journey in filmmaking, in 1982, with a documentary. Today on 27 February, the filmmaker celebrates his 69th birthday. Take a look at some of his best works you can watch on ZEE5.
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Starring Raj Kiran and Deepti Naval in the lead roles, Hip Hip Hurray was Prakash Jha’s first fictional film as a director in Bollywood. It is a sports drama film, written by the legendary writer and director, Gulzar sahab. The film revolves around the story of an engineer, who wants to make it big as a football instructor. For Hip Hip Hurray, Prakash Jha was awarded the Best Director award by the All India Film Awards Association.
Watch Hip Hip Hurray on ZEE5.
Gangaajal
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Prakash Jha directed this crime drama film, starring Ajay Devgn and Gracy Singh, which revolved around the story of an honest cop and his fight against his city’s corrupt leaders. He won the National Award for the Best Film About Social Issues, for this film. Gangaajal was the film after which Prakash Jha became famous among the masses.
Apaharan
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Immediately after Gangajal, Prakash Jha delivered this epic political thriller, starring Ajay Devgn and Nana Patekar. For Apaharan too, he won a National Award, this time, for the Best Screenplay.
Rajneeti
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This was probably the most unique and one of the best written political dramas that he directed. He wrote the film as a parallel to the Indian epic, Mahabharata. The film had a stellar cast with Ranbir Kapoor, Nana Patekar, Arjun Rampal, Katrina Kaif, Ajay Devgn, and Manoj Bajpayee.
Also read: From Darbaan To Chintu Ka Birthday: These ZEE5 Movies Taught Us Something About Life
Chakravyuh
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After directing multiple political thrillers, he made this thrilling film, which was released in 2012. Starring Manoj Bajpayee, Abhay Deol, Arjun Rampal, and Esha Gupta, Chakravyuh was a film that depicted the tale of a cop who is on a mission to nab Naxalites who are responsible for the killing of multiple policemen. The film brought forth a great commentary on the situation, when the cop’s most faithful friend, who was spying on the Naxalites for him, found himself sympathizing with their situation and objectives.
Watch Chakravyuh on ZEE5.
Satyagrah
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In 2013, Prakash Jha gave us yet another brave political thriller, Satyagrah. Starring Amitabh Bachchan, Ajay Devgn, Kareena Kapoor, Amrita Rao, Arjun Rampal and Manoj Bajpayee, the film revolves around the story of a teacher who organizes a hunger strike against the government for pressuring them to act lawfully and demanding answers for their illegal activities.
Watch Satyagrah on ZEE5.
Pareeksha
Prakash Jha made this social film that was a commentary on the education system of India, while also talking about a father’s dedication towards his son. Pareeksha stars Adil Hussain, Priyanka Bose, and Sanjay Suri in prominent roles. Pareeksha received a lot of love for the honest and emotional plot it depicted about the financial struggles involved in getting the best education.
Watch Pareeksha on ZEE5.
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