It’s quite debatable when a book is adapted into a movie or TV show. But every book lover secretly wishes for that adaptation to happen in exactly the same way. But sometimes it can be disappointing for the readers to watch those beloved stories being played in front of them, with fewer details.
It can also be challenging to bring every detail and storyline from the book to the big screen. There have been so many book-to-movie adaptations in the past.
From The Hunger Games to The Godfather to Pride & Prejudice, books have received greater recognition after being adapted into films. So here’s a list of the movies adapted from the books that a lot of people didn’t know were books first.
1. RAAZI (2018)
Alia Bhatt’s starrer film, Raazi is adapted from Harinder Sikka’s Calling Sehmat. Sikka was an ex-naval officer. He wrote a fictionalized version of the true story of an Indian Kashmiri undercover agent. Directed by Meghana Gulzar, the movie received a lot of appreciation and awards for the film. The movie also features Vicky Kaushal, Rajit Kapur, Jaideep Ahlawat, and many more.
2. THE WHITE TIGER (2021)
The Netflix original film starring Priyanka Chopra, Rajkumar Rao, and Adarsh Gourav is based on Aravind Adiga’s book The White Tiger. The title received The Man Booker Prize in 2008. The story follows a poor driver of a rich Indian family who uses wit to become a wealthy entrepreneur.
3. ZOYA FACTOR (2019)
Anuja Chauhan’s book by the same name was adapted into a Bollywood movie starring Sonam Kapoor, Dulquer Salmaan, and Sanjay Kapoor. The rom-com movie follows Zoya who becomes a lucky charm for the Indian Cricket Team from her birth. The story explores the challenges Zoya faces with the team’s wins and losses, which are considered her responsibility. She also forms a romantic relationship with the team captain, who does not believe in luck. The story brings a strong opinion about the superficial activities still prevalent in Indian society.
4. FORREST GUMP (1994 & 2022)
The classic Tom Hanks movie has received a lot of recognition and praise from critics and audiences. The movie is an adaptation of Winston Groom’s book with the same title. After the success of the movie, the author published a sequel to the book in 1995, Gump & Co.
The movie is also getting a second adaptation in Hindi starring Kareena Kapoor and Aamir Khan. The movie will be released under a different title, Laal Singh Chaddha., which will be released on August 11, 2022.
5. THE GIRL ON THE TRAIN (2016 & 2021)
Paula Hawkins’ novel is a Hitchcockian thriller. The story grips the readers to the edge of their seats with mind-blowing revelations. The movie was first adapted into an American movie and later adapted into a Hindi movie starring Parineeti Chopra. The Hindi adaptation, unfortunately, could not receive a lot from the audience.
6. LOVE, SIMON (2018)
The coming-of-age movie is based on the novel Simon v/s the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli. The story involves Nick, a closeted gay teenager who deals with friendship, high school, and a blackmailer, who threatens to out him. He also explores his first love through email. The movie starring Nick Robinson received a lot of praise from the critics and the audience.
7. FATHERHOOD (2021)
Kevin Hart’s movie is based on the 2011 memoir by Matthew Logelin titled Two Kisses for Maddy: A Memoir of Loss & Love. The story follows a new father who loses his wife just after the birth of their baby girl. His struggles of raising a child by himself and also grieving his wife are depicted in the story.
8. DUNE (2021)
Dune is the first in the two-part film adaptation of the classic novel by Frank Hebert. The story follows Paul Atreides and his family who are betrayed by the evil House Harkonnen. Paul must take lead and fight in order to end Harkonnen’s reign of terror. This sci-fi movie starring Timothee Chalamet and Zendaya was a hot topic even before its release.
9. THE MISEDUCATION OF CAMERON POST (2018)
Emily M. Danforth’s 2012 novel with the same name was adapted into a movie in 2018. The story revolves around a young girl in the ‘90s who is forced to go to a gay conversion camp. The coming-of-age movie explores parental loss, religious hatred, and gay conversion.
10. CRAZY RICH ASIANS (2018)
The popular movie, Crazy Rich Asians is also an adaptation of a novel by Kevin Kwan with the same title. The story is about a Chinese American Woman who travels to Singapore to meet her boyfriend’s family. There she discovers that her boyfriend belongs to the richest people in Singapore. Starring Constance Wu and Henry Golding in the lead with a wide range of side characters, this rom-com has it all fashion, fancy parties, romance, drama, nosy aunties, everything!
