Hyderabad: 

Indian movies often explore mythology, and one popular theme is the story of Naag and Naagin - mystical shape-shifting serpents rooted deeply in Indian folklore.

With Kartik Aaryan recently announcing his upcoming film Naagzilla, where he will portray a shape-shifting serpent, it's the perfect time to look back at some of Bollywood's most iconic portrayals of serpent beings on the silver screen.

Sridevi in Nagina:

When it comes to portraying a Naagin, no name resonates more than the late legendary actor Sridevi. She portrayed the character in the 1986 blockbuster Nagina, starring opposite Rishi Kapoor and Amrish Puri. Sridevi played an orphan woman who is later revealed to be a Naagin seeking vengeance for the death of her lover and to protect the sacred 'Naagmani'. Her intense performance, particularly in the song Main Teri Dushman Dushman Tu Mera, left an unforgettable mark on the audience. To this day, she is regarded as the absolute Naagin of Indian cinema.

2. Jeetendra and Reena Roy in Naagin:

Another remarkable film that explored the Naag-Naagin theme is Naagin (1976), a multi-starrer that was a massive box office success. Reena Roy portrayed the Naagin who seeks revenge against a group of friends responsible for killing her serpent lover. Jeetendra played the Naag in the film. The story focused on revenge, mistaken identities, and tragic love, and ended on a bittersweet note where the Naagin realises the cost of her vengeance.

3. Manisha Koirala and Armaan Kohli in Jaani Dushman:

Jaani Dushman: Ek Anokhi Kahani (2002) is a fantasy drama that, despite its failure at the box office, became a cult classic for its ambitious storytelling and star-studded cast. In the film, Manisha Koirala played the Naagin Vasundhara, while Armaan Kohli appeared as the Naag. After being cursed, Vasundhara dies and is reborn as Divya, only to die again and return as a spirit seeking revenge. The over-the-top visuals and melodramatic plotlines eventually gained the film a unique fan following, particularly through repeated TV airings.

4. Mallika Sherawat in Hisss:

The 2010 movie Hisss presented a more modern and sensual take on the Naagin theme. Mallika Sherawat played the lead role of a serpent who takes human form to find her captured lover. Directed by Jennifer Lynch, the film showcased several visual effects and was marketed internationally. Although it didn't perform well commercially, Sherawat's performance and the exotic portrayal of Indian mythology drew attention.

5. Nitish Bharadwaj and Meenakshi Seshadri in Nache Nagin Gali Gali:

Nache Nagin Gali Gali (1989) is one of the lesser-known but is intriguing in its own way. What makes this film particularly interesting is that it features Nitish Bharadwaj (who played Lord Krishna in the epic TV series Mahabharat) as the Naag. Meenakshi Seshadri portrayed the character of Naagin Mohini. The story is about a magician played by Sadashiv Amrapurkar suffering from a rare disease and searching for the 'Naagmani' to cure himself by crossing into a mystical realm. The film combined fantasy with drama and featured strong performances despite flying under the radar.

6. Chiranjeevi in Punnami Naagu:

In the 1980 Telugu horror-drama Punnami Naagu, megastar Chiranjeevi delivered one of his early standout performances as Naagulu, a man tragically transformed by his father's experiments. Since his childhood, Naagulu has been given poison, and while he becomes immune to snake bites, he also possesses snake behaviours. Every full moon night, he kills a woman against his will.

The story culminates with his killing the woman he loves; she has a brother, Raju, who also gets suspicious and will put together the pieces explaining Naagulu's condition. Punnami Naagu is a remake of the Kannada film Hunnimeya Rathriyalli, and remains a cult classic to this day.

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