Most
lengthy hindi movies: Bollywood Masala: Bollwood Gyan
Our Hollywood cousins
call their movies long when they stretch over the 90-minute mark. But here, in
India, we're used to long films. Two-hour English extravaganzas are considered
excessive, while the average Hindi flick regularly clocks in at about 3 hours,
songs and all.
Sometimes though, even that isn't enough. Here's a look at some really, really
long movies, stretching comfortably beyond the 200-minute mark, even nearing
four hours.
List of longest
films in India in Hindi by running time
|
S.No
|
NAME OF THE TITLE
|
RUNNING TIME
|
YEAR RELEASED
|
|
1
|
|
255 mins.
|
1970
|
|
2
|
|
255 mins.
|
2005
|
|
3
|
|
238 mins.
|
1964
|
|
4
|
|
228 mins.
|
1999
|
|
5
|
|
224 mins.
|
2001
|
|
6
|
Khatarnak
|
223 mins.
|
1990
|
|
7
|
|
222 mins.
|
2005
|
|
8
|
|
216 mins.
|
2000
|
|
9
|
|
216 mins.
|
2007
|
|
10
|
Narasimha
|
214 mins.
|
1991
|
|
11
|
|
213 mins.
|
1991
|
|
12
|
|
213 mins.
|
2008
|
|
13
|
|
211 mins.
|
1932
|
|
14
|
|
210 mins.
|
1976
|
|
15
|
|
210 mins.
|
2001
|
Sangam
(1964, 3 hours, 58 minutes)
Considered one of Raj Kapoor's finest films, Sangam stars the filmmaker in a
love triangle with Vyajayantimala and Rajendra Kumar. The romantic drama of
close friends torn apart by secret love and consequences remains one of the
most memorable blockbusters of the sixties.
The length: While the four-hour duration is undeniably exhausting, the film
boasts a truly compelling story and performances strong enough to keep the
viewer going. With the plot including being drafted into the army, the assumption
of death and ultimately a wedding, the length almost seems justified -- helping
us feel Vyajantimala's eventual resignation.
Waqt (1965, 3 hours,
26 minutes)
Yash Chopra's 41-year old epic took its title literally as it told the story of
three brothers -- Sunil Dutt, Raj Kumar and Shashi Kapoor -- separated by an
earthquake as children and brought up in entirely different circumstances. A
very well-crafted film.
The length: Thanks to the director's stylised finesse, length wasn't even an
issue with Waqt. While time didn't fly, the film was impressively tight enough
to stay right on track. The top-notch performances certainly helped.
Mera Naam Joker
(1970, 4 hours, four minutes)
That Raj Kapoor liked his sagas long was no secret, but he outdid himself with
this melodramatic story of a circus clown. Audiences at the time didn't buy
into the two-interval film and it bombed. But, a few decades later, Mera Naam
Joker is looked on with fond affection for the great showman.
The length: Like three films strung together back to back, the greasepaint
tales of Raju the clown were always too long for a single shot. Add that it was
a heartbreakingly tragic film and you get something that exhausts both
handkerchiefs and viewers.
Sholay (1975, 3
hours, 24 minutes)
The most magnum of our opuses. It just stands to reason that the biggest Hindi
film of all time also be one of its longest. Ramesh Sippy's immortal Western
did it all, and sure took its own sweet time.
The length: The irrepressible Veeru. Cool Jai. Thakur, bitter and arm-less.
Basanti and her conversation. Samba. A trick coin. A jailer who'd served under
the English. And a villain called Gabbar. Nope, if there is any complaint to be
made about the length of Sholay, it's just that we wistfully crave it were even
longer.
Hum Aapke Hain Koun
(1994, three hours, 26 minutes)
Who knew Indian audiences could do without a bad guy? Sooraj Barjatya did, and
hit pay dirt with this mega-family hit, casting Madhuri Dixit and Salman Khan
in our all-time greatest money-spinner. India was then reeling from an outbreak
of the plague, but it didn't matter -- 'twas wedding season.
The length: A long film, but with a warm cast and a bunch of hit songs,
Barjatya managed to authentically recreate the flavour of a North Indian
wedding. The film left a lasting influence (10-day shaadis and purple sari
knockoffs, among others) and managed to pull off the length quite nicely.
Lagaan (2001, three
hours, 44 minutes)
Five years ago, Ashutosh Gowariker had the bright idea of combining India's two
primary passions: Cricket and cinema. It wasn't as if it hadn't been done in
the past, but this was the first good cricket film, liberally dosed with
anti-colonial patriotism, and it starred Aamir rarely-seen Khan. The result?
Millions, and an Oscar nod.
The length: That game has made patient morons out of us, honestly; we even sit
up to watch 5-day test matches played in faraway lands. So, Lagaan was never
going to be too much of a stretch, and it's fabulous XI-man ensemble had us cheering
from the aisles.
LOC: Kargil (2003, 4
hours, 15 minutes)
After the success of JP Dutta's Border, most actors were dying to work with the
patriotic director, and every star son in the industry readily signed on for
this mammoth effort to document the Kargil battle.
The length: In an effort to give each cast member a back story, LOC:Kargil
became a tedious, song-filled production with no real highlight -- except the
dubious distinction of being the longest Hindi film ever. We say 'dubious'
because it made every minute seem longer.
Swades (2004, 3
hours, 30 minutes)
After earning directorial credentials with Lagaan, Ashu Gowariker hit the
village roads again with a mega-hyped film (Shah Rukh Khan starred,
therefore...) about an Indian NASA engineer realising his country needs him
more. SRK won acting plaudits, but the film sank like a stone, despite some
positive reviews.
The length: A sincere, earnest project, this film had tremendous potential, but
lazy pace and documentary-style realism needs a far tighter script to fly.
Bollywood never required an editor more.
Bose: The Forgotten
Hero (2005, 3 hours, 28 minutes)
Legendary director Shyam Benegal, now big-budget. With the mammoth Bose, he
broached the powerful subject of Netaji Subhash Bose, an iconic freedom fighter
mostly ignored by Bollywood. Sachin Khedekar looked good in the role and, given
Benegal's track record of historical films, this was all set to be great.
Sadly, it fell far short.
The length: Jokes aside, the basic problem with Bose is it actually looks
unedited. Unfocussed scenes are pasted disjointedly together, and there is no
attempt at restraint -- this must have made for a really clean cutting-room
floor. Followers of Bose decried the historical inaccuracy, even as the rest of
the audience stifled a yawn.
Kabhi Alvida Naa
Kehna (2006, 3 hours, 35 minutes)
With critics either savaging or loving Karan Johar's latest film, the jury's
still out on whether audiences truly enjoyed KANK or were done in by all the
hype. All we can say for sure is that the film, a drama about marriage and
infidelity, sure takes its time getting to the point.
The length: Even the kindest of reviewers feel Johar went overboard with KANK's
length. Also, considering it doesn't really have anything 'new' to offer --
with even the actors doing their 'usual' roles -- it ends up a marathon film
that keeps making you look longingly at your wristwatch.
