New-age patriotic Bollywood movies
As India celebrates 70 years of Independence today, indianexpress.com brings to you a list of new age Bollywood movies that not only offer a fresh take on patriotism but also make you feel proud of the sacrifices that the leaders of the country made during the freedom struggle. What better way to reminisce those fond memories than binge-watching these movies.
Rang De Basanti
This 2006 Aamir Khan film shed light on the struggles of our nation's freedom fighters through a different lens. The plot revolved around a British filmmaker inviting five young post-independence men to star in her film. The movie also connects India's struggle for freedom to the present day's scenario of corruption when one of the boys' friend dies in a fighter plane crash.
Mangal Pandey: The Rising
Released in 2005, this Aamir Khan film tells the poignant tale of Mangal Pandey, the sepoy who started the popular mutiny of 1857.
Gadar: Ek Prem Katha
This 2001 action drama starring Sunny Deol, Ameesha Patel and Amrish Puri, was set in the time of the Partition of India in 1947. The beautiful love-story between a Sikh truck-driver and a Muslim girl fleeing to Pakistan was appreciated by fans and critics alike, especially because it was testimony to the fact that love can blossom even in an atmosphere of hatred.
Swades: Shah Rukh Khan and Ashutosh Gowariker weaved magic with this 2004 film. The lead character Mohan, who works at NASA, realises the lack of basic facilities in a small Uttar Pradesh village named Charanpur and he decides to build a hydroelectric plant there. It also portrays the feeling of belonging to one's nation through Mohan deciding to shift his job from the US to India.
Lagaan
Another Aamir Khan gem, this 2001 release was set in the Pre-Independence era and remarkably portrayed how a cricket match became a metaphor for the entire Independence struggle. The plot revolves around a match played by a team of hard-working village men who are promised an end to high taxes (Lagaan) if they win. The film was a commercial and critical success and even went on to be nominated for the Oscars in the Best Foreign Film category.
Sarfarosh
Released at the time of Kargil War, this 1999 film is about an Indian police officer's quest to stop cross-border terrorism. Written and directed by John Matthew Matthan, Sarfarosh starred Aamir Khan, Naseeruddin Shah and Sonali Bendre among others.
Border
J.P. Dutta's 1997 outing was based on the Battle of Longewala during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971. Starring an ensemble cast of Sunny Deol, Sunil Shetty, Akshaye Khanna and Jackie Shroff in pivotal roles, the film depicted the hardships faced by soldiers placed at the L.O.C.