What better way to spend Independence Day (long) weekend than by watching some good cinema? Movies that not only entertain but which inform and which remind us of the tumultuous history of our country and make us feel proud and grateful to be Indians? Here is my pick of the top patriotic films ahead of Independence Day 15th August 2016 in no particular order:
You can find this movie being telecast by one or more TV channels on each Independence Day. Watch this one to know about our unique nonviolent freedom struggle and to recall the iron will of a frail old man who brought an imperialistic empire to its knees while uniting a whole country. Every Indian must watch Richard Attenborough’s 8 Oscar winning Gandhi at least once.
One of the most moving Hindi films ever made, this Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra 's film touched on themes including the freedom struggle, doing one's bit as a citizen to rid the country of corruption, and the importance of unity for the common good. The superb music by A R Rahman is another reason to watch this film.
Not a film usually listed as patriotic film, this movie starring Karisma Kapoor, Hrithik Roshan and Jaya Bachchan was a story about a young woman determined to bring to justice her brother, who had turned to terrorism post the Bombay bomb blasts. Also, brilliant title track and qawwali by Rahman.
This epic film is a must watch not just because it is a story of the underdog triumphing over the powerful colonial master and a most enjoyable story, it was very creditable as a period film. Lagaan remains the Hindi film with possibly the highest feel good factor ever!
This film was excellent for so many reasons: one of Shah Rukh Khan's finest ever performances, a very competent ensemble cast, a wonderfully uplifting story about sport being a great unifier nullifying petty regional identities and some memorable music.
In spite of the clichés this film is was highly watchable and reasonably accurate, historically. It tells the story of the very significant Battle of Longewala and the heroism of just 120 Indian soldiers against an entire tank regiment of the enemy during the 1971 war. If not anything else, watch it for the song Sandese aate hai, hame tadpate hai the lament of every fauji ever posted at a non family station.
This is probably one of the most competent war films ever made in India; a story of one of the most significant battles, the Kargil War. Hrithik Roshan also does an excellent job as the aimless young man transitioning to the purposeful individual, a good soldier and then a war hero.
The often reviled police force finds a positive portrayal in this film about the commitment of the force to curbing cross border terror. Watch it for some moving national integration moments and that great song Zindagi maut na ban jaye.
The film is about the dissolving of prejudice and communal hatred and the triumph of the human spirit against the backdrop of the Independence movement. If not anything else, watch it for the cinematic coup that got Kamal Hasan and SRK to share screen space.
Though not a patriotic film in the strictest sense of the word, this was an interesting low hype film that looked at how ordinary citizens strive to defeat administrative apathy and incompetence.
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