Bollywood Biopics 2026: Every Real Life Story Coming To Screen

Bollywood is having another biopic year. After the box office wins of Sam Bahadur and Chandu Champion, every second script that gets green lit in 2026 is based on a real person. We tracked every confirmed biopic on the release slate and separated the ones that are actually shooting from the ones still stuck in "announcement" limbo.

Quick Answer

The biggest Bollywood biopics releasing in 2026 are the Sunil Gavaskar biopic starring Ranveer Singh, Alia Bhatt as Sushma Swaraj, and Vicky Kaushal as freedom fighter Ashfaqullah Khan. Kartik Aaryan is also playing a fictionalised version of a real cricket coach in a project titled Sarpanch.

1. The Sunil Gavaskar Biopic

Star: Ranveer Singh
Director: R. Balki
Release: Late 2026
Ranveer has been prepping for over a year. He has already met Gavaskar multiple times and dropped his weight to match the Little Master''s frame during his playing days. Expect this to open the winter release calendar.

2. Sushma (Sushma Swaraj biopic)

Star: Alia Bhatt
Director: Vikas Bahl
Release: October 2026
The film covers Swaraj''s time as External Affairs Minister and her famous Twitter era where she personally rescued Indians stuck abroad. Alia has been taking Delhi Hindi coaching for the accent.

3. Ashfaqullah

Star: Vicky Kaushal
Director: Meghna Gulzar
Release: August 15, 2026 (Independence Day)
Meghna and Vicky reunite after Sam Bahadur. This one covers the Kakori conspiracy and the last days of Ashfaqullah Khan. The release date is already locked.

4. The Zohra Sehgal Story

Star: Konkona Sen Sharma
Director: Reema Kagti
Release: Q4 2026
A long overdue biopic on the dancer, actor and Prithvi Theatre veteran who worked till she was over 100. Konkona was reportedly the only choice.

5. Sarpanch

Star: Kartik Aaryan
Director: Anurag Basu
Release: December 2026
Loosely based on a real village cricket coach from Bihar. Kartik has been training with Rajasthan Royals'' spin coach for six months.

6. Silk (Reboot)

Star: Rashmika Mandanna
Director: Milan Luthria
Release: TBC 2026
Not a straight remake of The Dirty Picture. This one focuses on Silk Smitha''s early years in Chennai before she became a superstar. Rashmika is doing her own Tamil dubbing.

7. The Ratan Tata Biopic

Star: Boman Irani (reported)
Director: Rajkumar Hirani
Release: 2026 or early 2027
Hirani has been developing this for two years. The Tata Trust is officially involved which means the tone will be respectful and the timeline may stretch.

Announced But Not Shooting Yet

A biopic gets announced almost every week in Mumbai. These four have been announced with fanfare but have not started shooting as of July 2026, so treat their 2026 release dates with caution.

Kishore Kumar biopic with Ranbir Kapoor
Sridevi biopic (family has not yet approved the script)
Lata Mangeshkar biopic
The Kapil Dev 1983 sequel biopic focused on his post retirement years

Why Biopics Keep Working

Trade analyst Komal Nahta has said in multiple interviews that biopics are the safest bet in a nervous box office market. The story is pre-sold, the audience already cares about the person, and streaming platforms pay a premium for the digital rights. That is why every studio has three in development at any time.

FAQ

Which is the most anticipated Bollywood biopic of 2026?
Based on YouTube trailer views and social media chatter, Ranveer Singh''s Sunil Gavaskar film is the clear leader, followed by Vicky Kaushal''s Ashfaqullah.

Are Bollywood biopics accurate?
Rarely a hundred percent. Even the best ones compress timelines, combine multiple people into one character, and dramatise conversations. Fact check with a reliable source after watching.

Where can I watch older Bollywood biopics?
Netflix, Prime Video and JioHotstar carry most of the recent hits including Sam Bahadur, M.S. Dhoni and Chandu Champion.