14 August,2021 07:52 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Bhuj: The Pride of India and Shershaah posters. All Pictures Courtesy: PR
15th August is round the corner and we are all making plans to spend this day celebrating our country's freedom. The to-do list includes watching movies based on the valour and achievement of men and women in uniform, be it in the battlefield or in sports, bringing glory to our country. These films reignite our love for India, bring back memories and making us emotional as they develop a deep sense of pride and respect for our beloved country.
And, as expressed in the beginning, it is not necessary that films should relate to one genre or showcase war and fights to develop the feelings of pride and patriotism. So, we bring you a fusion of FIVE war and sports dramas to watch with your loved ones on this Independence Day:
This recently released biographical war film, tracing the journey of Param Vir Chakra awardee and Army captain Vikram Batra, is the talk of the town. It has received love and applause from critics, film fraternity and viewers, because of its inspiring storyline, impressive acting by the cast and competent direction. Helmed by Vishnu Varadhan, this film features Sidharth Malhotra and Kiara Advani in pivotal roles. 'Shershaah' will surely give you thrill and goosebumps as you see the story of Indian army fighting with all they have at the Kargil war for their country.
Another recently released movie is Bhuj : The Pride of India that is directed by Abhishek Dudhaiya. The film stars Ajay Devgn, Sanjay Dutt, Sonakshi Sinha, Nora Fatehi and Sharad Kelkar in the leading roles. The movie is set during the India-Pakistan war in 1971 and revolves around the life of IAF squadron leader Vijay Karnik, in-charge of the Bhuj airport. With some help, Captain Karnik was able to build the Bhuj airstrip again, which was an act of resilience and also a pivotal achievement for the Indian soldiers to win the war.
The movie is evergreen when it comes to portrayal of love for the country, and how that can change a person inside out. Lakshya has been on our minds and hearts for its amazing songs and unique storyline. Directed by Farhan Akhtar, starring Hrithik Roshan, Preity Zinta, Amitabh Bachchan, Om Puri, Sharad Kapoor, Sushant Singh and Boman Irani, this movie is a fictionalised Hindi war drama. The story revolves around Karan Shergill (played by Hrithik Roshan) who goes through a massive transformation from an aimless young man into a dutiful Army officer. The movie is set in the backdrop of the 1999 Kargil War.
Bhaag Milkha Bhaag is probably one of the finest gems in Bollywood. Wondering why? Well, there has been a long relationship between sports and making the country proud. This movie has it all from intense drama, to melodious and motivational tracks, mesmerising performance by the cast and of course an inspirational tale. Starring Farhan Akhtar, Sonam Kapoor and Divya Dutta in lead roles, this film is directed by Rakesh Omprakash Mehra. The movie is based on the life of Indian track and field sprinter Milkha Singh aka The Flying Sikh. Bhaag Milkha Bhaag is inspired by The Race of my Life, an autobiography co-written by Milkha Singh.
This is a quintessential movie that makes you cry, smile, laugh and also ignite the patriotic fervour within you at the same time. Chak De! India acted as a motivational force for all the Indians, especially for the Indian cricket team, during the 2011 World Cup, and recently, when the Indian Women Hockey Team made us proud with their performance at the Tokyo Olympics 2021. Directed by Shimit Amin, the film stars Shah Rukh Khan, Vidya Malavade, Shilpa Shukla, Sagarika Ghatge, and Chitranshi Rawat, among others. The soundtrack of the movie is motivational enough to make us stand up and fight hard to fulfil our dreams.
Also Read: From Shershaah to Bhuj: The Pride of India, patriotism is Bollywood's new mantra
