Being surrounded by uncertainty and unforeseen pauses in life, it is hard to motivate oneself to keep going. This is when, with a heroic entry, comes Cinema! As an art form, cinema has the power to move and ignite. GAURI HAKKERI compiles a list of five movies from different languages that are guaranteed to fuel your spirits.
Movies for motivation
- Lakshya (2004) – Hindi
This is an old classic. Karan Shergill (Hrithik Roshan), a careless young man who has no plans or goals for his future, has to quit the Indian Military Academy due to his attitude. To prove himself to his family and his love interest (Preity Zinta), Karan returns to the military, works hard, and leads a victorious battalion in the Kargil War. The film ends with a moment of pride and pays respect to the martyrs of Operation Vijay. You can watch this movie on the 15th of August for an added patriotic fervour
2. Jersey (2019) – Telugu
A beautiful blend of emotions, this sports drama is guaranteed to bring tears, joy, inspiration, and a ray of hope to every viewer. The story revolves around Arjun (Nani), a stellar Ranji cricketer who quits playing after repeated rejections into the national team due to selection politics. After losing his government job to wrongful accusations of bribery, Arjun is left with next to nothing to support his son and wife. His life begins an upward flight when his son asks for an Indian jersey, and he works hard to get one for him. Despite his old age for cricket, Arjun gets selected for the Hyderabad Ranji team and leads his team to victory. We won’t spoil much for you, but there is a hidden plot that adds a twist you will never see coming!
3. Mahanagar (1963) – Bengali
Written and directed by the phenomenal Satyajit Ray, Mahanagar kindles the feelings of independence and righteousness. Arati (Madhabi Mukherjee), a homemaker, begins her job as a door-to-door saleswoman to help her family’s financial crisis, despite constant disapproval from her conservative and orthodox in-laws and husband. With her newly developed sense of financial and psychological independence, Arathi begins to prosper in her job. She however impulsively quits her job as a sign of protest when her manager unjustly fires another colleague. Apart from women’s empowerment, this movie teaches us to overcome societal restrictions, fight injustice, and have the courage to follow one’s passion and dreams.
4. Ardaas (2016) – Punjabi
Ardaas means ‘to pray’ or ‘to request’ to the supreme power. This Punjabi masterpiece showcases how Gurmukh Singh (Gurpreet Ghuggi), a teacher at a city school, solves people’s problems in a village that he shifts to. Directed by Gippy Grewal, Ardaas portrays how every experience in life has some learning attached to it, and how those experiences can guide us towards success and peace of mind.
5. The Pursuit of Happyness (2006) – English
To discuss motivation and not bring up this movie’s name would make this list incomplete. The Pursuit of Happyness is a biographical drama based on the life of Chris Gardner, an American businessman and a motivational speaker. Gardner (Will Smith) begins as a salesman selling portable bone-density scanners, who falls into the depth of a financial crisis, all while single-handedly raising his son when his wife leaves him. The story focuses on his determination and hard work towards a brokerage internship and acing a competitive exam to earn a brokerage license while struggling with eviction, homelessness and raising his young son. The movie ends with Chris securing a career as a broker and running to embrace his son. This movie assures us that with every down in life, there is a greater rise.
