New Delhi:
Independence Day is just around the corner, and the feeling of patriotism is palpable. From kids buying flags to special tricolour hoistings, the celebratory spirit is in the air. While many choose to go out with their families and enjoy the public holiday, others prefer to stay home and watch patriotic films. Before the special occasion, we recommend updating your watchlist and re-watching all those films that made us say “Jai Hind.” Without further ado, here are some movies you must watch before Independence Day.
1. Border (June 13, 1997) – Prime Video: No list of patriotic films can start without this classic. From songs like Sandese Aate Hai to powerful dialogues like, “Pehli goli woh chalayega … aur aakhri goli hum,” the film truly makes us connect with the soldiers fighting for the nation. The JP Dutta directorial featured Suniel Shetty, Sunny Deol and Jackie Shroff in pivotal roles.
2. Uri: The Surgical Strike (January 11, 2019) – Zee5: In this movie, Vicky Kaushal asked, “How’s the josh?” and never looked back after that. Directed by Aditya Dhar, the film is based on the surgical strike carried out by the Indian army in 2016.
3. Article 370 (February 23, 2024) – Netflix: Yami Gautam‘s latest film reveals the efforts put in by the Indian government to abolish Article 370 and restore peace and harmony in Jammu and Kashmir. The film walks viewers through major events.
4. Rang De Basanti (January 26, 2006) – Netflix: Hop on a fun ride with Aamir Khan and his squad. The coming-of-age drama film also features Siddharth, Sharman Joshi, Kunal Kapoor, Soha Ali Khan, Atul Kulkarni, R. Madhavan and Alice Patten in important roles.
5. The Legend Of Bhagat Singh (June 7, 2002) – Prime Video: Ajay Devgn gave the entire nation goosebumps when he played the role of freedom fighter Bhagat Singh and said, “Nah toh mujhe maut ka khauf hai … aur nah hi rab ka yakeen.” Amrita Rao, Sushant Singh, and Akhilendra Mishra are also part of Rajkumar Santoshi’s directorial.
6. Shershaah (August 12, 2021) – Prime Video: The movie features real-life lovebirds Sidharth Malhotra and Kiara Advani sharing romantic moments. The biopic is based on the life of Captain Vikram Batra, who lost his life in the Kargil War of 1999 and was awarded the Param Vir Chakra posthumously.
7. Raazi (May 11, 2018) – Prime Video: Follow the journey of Sehmat Khan (played by Alia Bhatt), a secret RAW agent, who gets married to a Pakistani military officer and work on a an undercover assignment. In addition to Alia, Vicky Kaushal and Jaideep Ahlawat’s performances in the Meghna Gulzar directorial are also commendable.
8. Chak De! India (August 10, 2007) – Prime Video: No movie buff can forget Shah Rukh Khan in the role of Kabir Khan, his women’s hockey team, and their determination to bring home the World Cup Trophy. Oh, and iconic “sattar minute” speech by SRK is truly worth watching over and over again.
9. Mangal Pandey: The Rising (August 12, 2005) – JioCinema: You definitely can not miss this film because “Yeh azaadi ki ladai hai … ghuzre hue kal se azaadi … aane waale kal ke liye.” The historical biographical drama features Aamir Khan playing the titular role.
10. Sardar Udham (October 16, 2021) – Prime Video: After Raazi and Uri: The Surgical Strike, Sardar Udham marks the third patriotic project of Vicky Kaushal. Needless to say, the star received great applause from both fans and fellow celebrities for his performance in this movie.
