The name Natwarlal is the stuff legends are made of. Belonging to one of the most notorious con men in India, Natwarlal’s name and his antics have inspired many stories and Bollywood films and themes. Famously known for trying to sell iconic landmarks such as the Taj Mahal and the Red Fort, Natwarlal is believed to have died in 2009. Because he was so good at his craft, even his death remains uncertain. Emraan Hashmi’s latest film Raja Natwarlal is the latest film to play on that legacy but there’s been many before. Here are some:
Mr Natwarlal (1979): This hit comedy starred none other than Amitabh Bachchan as Natwar, a young boy who’s older brother is framed for bribery by a crime lord. He grows up and creates a new identity, posing as a powerful thug called Mr Natwarlal to seek vengeance for his brother.
Bunty Aur Babli (2005): Junior Bachchan, Abhishek, picks up the Natwarlal mantle and pairs with Rani Mukherjee in this laugh-riot, a bumbling Bollywood version of Bonnie and Clyde. The film also starred Senior Bachchan as a policeman hot on their heels. There’s a hilarious scene in the film where the pair try to sell the Taj Mahal to an unsuspecting tourist, echoing the real Natwarlal’s past tricks.
Jannat (2008): Raja Natwarlal will see Hashmi play a con man again. His first, Jannat, also director by Kunal Deshmukh, saw him play a con man who would do anything to make a quick buck. As his greed grows, so does the scope of his crime, leading to tragic results. The film’s success inspired the actor-director pair to work on Jannat 2, though not related by plot to the first one. The second film didn’t do quite as well.
Tees Maar Khan (2010): Not really linked to Natwarlal, this comedy sees Akshay Kumar con an entire village to rob a train loaded with precious antiques under the pretext of making a film about them. A remake of a 1966 British-Italian comedy After the Fox, the film features the super hit song Sheila Ki Jawaani performed by Katrina Kaif. Despite average reviews, it made a killing at the box office.
Special 26 (2013): Based on a real-life jewellery heist in Mumbai in 1987, this thriller sees Kumar back as a con man who hires 26 accomplices to set up a fake income tax raid. The team eventually make away with millions of rupees worth of jewellery. The film was a critical and box office hit. In real life, the case of the robbery remains unsolved.
