Casino settings haven’t always been top of the list of Bollywood movies, but there have been some great classics over the years. Probably one of the reasons for Bollywood toying with the casino theme rather than fully committing to it has been due to legislation in different parts of India. Although it’s been part of the culture for a long time, there have been many restrictions. However, this hasn’t stopped a thriving underworld of illegal gambling that’s often featured in casino movies. Let’s now take a look at some of the great actors who have taken up the casino challenge.
Amitabh Bachchan
Amitabh Bachchan is regarded among Bollywood’s greatest. In one of his earlier movies, The Great Gambler (1979), he plays Jai, who uses his betting skills to obtain military secrets. He also starred in Teen Patti (2010) as a genius mathematician who wins the casino jackpot. The jackpot thrill can also be experienced in real life at https://www.platincasino.co.uk/live-games.
Ashu Sharma
With a career spanning television as well as film, Ashu Sharma is probably best known for his role as Satyendra Bharadwaj in Sasural Simar Ka. However, he made his film debut with Teen Patti, starring as Rammi alongside Amitabh Bachchan and Ben Kingsley among others. Later, he went on to star in No one Killed Jessica and Happy Bhag Jayegi.
Anupam Kher
The extremely successful Anupam Kher has appeared in over 500 movies as well as several plays and received many awards. He starred as Farokh in the acclaimed 2010 movie Striker. The story centers on the underground world of gambling and how Surya, a young boy from Mumbai, goes on to become a carrom champion, pursued by a betting syndicate.
R. Madhavan
Ranganathan Madhavan is an accomplished actor, film producer, director, and writer. In Teen Patti, he plays a professor looking for more in life, making decisions that lead him into a world of greed and deception as part of high-stakes gambling. As his life changes during the film, he takes on six different personas that reflect his downward spiral.
Emraan Hashmi
Typically an unconventional actor, Syed Emraan Anwar Hashmi played Arju, one of two leading roles in the casino movie, Jannat (2008). Arjun is a petty but very smart conman with the desire to become a millionaire. Motivated by greed, he focuses on finding easy (but illegal) ways of creating wealth to become one of the biggest bookies in the world.
Conclusion
It’s interesting to see how classic gambling games such as Teen Patti have become synonymous with a dark world of greed and deception due to their portrayal in movies. Even with earlier movies such as Gambler (1971), manipulation and a dark side seem to prevail. There’s certainly a negative perception of gambling, and the themes appear to focus on the portrayal of wealth as destructive. However, with so much focus these days on gambling regulations and safety, hopefully, we’ll see a lighter side to future casino movies that better reflect entertainment value rather than the pursuit of greed and self-destruction.