Watch List For Independence Day

In these unprecedented times where the pandemic has left us all homebound, we have learned to value freedom more than ever. With India on it’s way to celebrate it’s 74th Independence day this week, FLYX recommends these ten unforgettable patriotic bollywood blockbusters that are a must watch for every Indian. 

1. Mangal Pandey: The Rising (2005)– Mangal Pandey and William Gordon become friends during a war in Afghanistan. But when the East India Company introduces a rifle that uses objectionable cartridges, Mangal Pandey rises in revolt.  There are many reasons to watch Mangal Pandey. Once the story of how an ordinary soldier instigated the first war of Indian independence begins, the film packs a punch. The terrifically staged confrontations and poignant drama are riveting. Aamir khan as the revolutionary Mangal Pandey is very convincing.

2. The Legend of Bhagat Singh (2002)– Born in British India, Bhagat Singh witnesses numerous atrocities during his childhood and grows up to become one of the most fearless freedom fighters in the country. The film has some great performances from Ajay Devgn and Farida Jalal as Bhagat Singh’s mother. 

3. Uri: The Surgical Strike (2019)– Indian army special forces execute a covert operation led by Major Vihaan Singh Shergill of the Indian Army against a group of militants who attacked a base in Uri, Kashmir, in 2016 and killed many soldiers. The film is a fitting tribute to the Indian Army not only conceptually but also cinematically. Vicky Kaushal as Major Vihaan Singh Shergill is brilliant playing the valiant Indian soldier out to seek revenge for his army comrades. The film also scores high for its cinematography of the combat sequences, ambush, gunfire, fistfights, sniper shots in the film. 

4. Gandhi (1982)- A historical drama film based on the life of Gandhi who led  India’s nonviolent non-cooperative independence movement against the United Kingdom’s rule of the country during the 20th century. This Oscar winning film produced and directed by Sir Richard Attenborough recounts Gandhi’s life from an aspiring lawyer to a front leader in India’s struggle for freedom. Brilliant performances from Ben Kingsley as Gandhi won him the Best Actor award at the Academy awards. In all the film won eight awards of the eleven nominations.

5. Border (1997)– This multi starrer has characters in the film that  have been carefully chosen and developed beautifully in the movie. The Battle appears almost real with men at their respective positions as in actual battle. The intensity is high and so is the depiction of morale. The dramatic scenes are shot beautifully and make you shed many a tear for our unsung heroes. Overall the movie is definitely worth a watch for audiences who do not know about the battle that is considered to be a strategic one in the defeat of the Pakistani Army by Indian Forces in 1971 war.

6. Lagaan (2001)- The film is set in the early 1890s, during the late Victorian period of India’s colonial British Raj. The story revolves around a small village in Gujarat whose inhabitants, burdened by high taxes, and several years of drought, find themselves in an extraordinary situation as an arrogant British army officer challenges them to a game of cricket, as a wager to avoid paying the taxes they owe. Nominated for Oscars, it is one of Aamir’s best performances who played Bhuvan who leads the village team to victory.

7. 1942 A Love Story (1994)-  The film takes the audiences back to 1942, when the British Raj was declining. It was a time when many Indians were either working for the British or rallying in underground meetings and protests against them. In this atmosphere, Naren Singh (Anil Kapoor) falls in love with Rajeshwari “Rajjo” Pathak (Manisha Koirala). Their romance is shown developing in spite of the political and social unrest at the time. The film left its mark with some soulful music and great performances.

8. Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose: The Forgotten Hero (2004)- The Forgotten Hero is an Indian epic biographical war film, written and directed by Shyam Benegal. The film depicts the life of the Indian independence leader Subhas Chandra Bose in Nazi Germany: 1941–1943, and In Japanese-occupied Asia 1943–1945, and the events leading to the formation of the Azad Hind Fauj. 

9.  Kranti (1981)-  An Indian epic historical drama film, produced and directed by Manoj Kumar, with the story and screenplay written by Salim-Javed. With a star studded cast, the film marked the return of Dilip Kumar after a five-year hiatus. This film celebrated golden jubilee in many centres across India, including a theatre where it was housefull for 96 days. The film was declared a blockbuster, along with its soundtrack.