Mangal Panday: The Rising

Mangal Pandey: The Rising is a 2005 Indian historical biographical drama film based on the life of Mangal Pandey, an Indian soldier known for helping to spark the great Indian mutiny of 1857

The film stars Aamir Khan as the East Indian sepoy who transforms from a mere lover of wrestling, women and bhaang into a fierce leader who leads the rebellion

Kalank

Set in 1945's pre-independent India, the affluent Chaudhry family's world collides with Hira Mandi's spirited underbelly when Roop Chaudhry meets the audacious Zafar. Their encounter reveals hidden truths and age-old secrets, risking upheaval in both realms

The story is based in a town called Husnabad, near Lahore, a few years before the Partition of India and Pakistan. A visual extravaganza that stars Madhuri Dixit, Varun Dhawan and Alia Bhatt - it tries to showcase how love transcends social conventions, norms and boundaries. It is the saga of six lives grappling with the tumult of impending Partition

Phillauri

Phillauri blends romantic comedy with supernatural elements. Set in two timeframes, one subplot unfolds in the present day, while the other is set in the pre-Independence era

The story starts with a young man named Kanan, who returns to India to marry his childhood sweetheart. To ward off bad luck because he's a "manglik", he marries a tree, which unknowingly hosts the spirit of a woman named Shashi. Following the marriage to the tree, Shashi's ghost starts haunting Kanan. The film interweaves narratives from the past and present to resolve Shashi's tragic love story, and help her spirit find peace

RRR

RRR is 2022 Telugu epic action drama starring Jr. NTR and Ram Charan. The film revolves around the fictional versions of two Indian revolutionaries, Alluri Sitarama Raju and Komaram Bheem, their friendship, and their fight against the British Raj

RRR depicts the visual delights and downfalls of colonial India - and drew much acclaim from critics in India and across the globe. 'Naatu Naatu' from RRR also went viral and won an Oscar at the Academy Awwards 2023

Jubilee

The series directed by Vikramaditya Motwane is set a month before the partition that led to the formation of India and Pakistan. The focus is the Hindi film industry based in Bombay and how the internal politics take shape during the partition era

Heeramandi

The show directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali is based on courtesans of the popular Heeramandi and their contribution to India's freedom struggle

The story is set in Lahore, and follows the many tensions that unite and divide a group of friends of different faiths against the background of Partition

1942: A Love Story

The film is set in 1942, where the colonial empire is slowly losing its grasp over India. A love story between the characters of Anil Kapoor and Manisha Koirala unfolds against the background of intense protest and social unrest

During this period, any revolutionaries against the British Raj were being severely punished with a crackdown enforced against them and their families and supporters. Amidst this turmoil, Anil Kapoor falls for Manisha Koirala, whose fathers are loyal British employee and revolutionary respectively

Lagaan 

Who can forget this iconic film set in pre-Independent India? The farmers of Champaner village depend on the monsoon for their livelihood. A delayed start to the monsoon leads them to request the British Cantonment in charge for tax exemption. The film follows the ensuing cricket match between the British officers and the villagers - tax exemption for the next two years is at stake - and the film thoroughly delivers on moments of adrenaline and drama - with a colonial twist 

At the end of the film and after a long, stubborn drought, the onset of rain marks the villagers’ triumph over the British cricket team – and a metaphor for the end of the Raj itself

Junoon

Junoon is a 1978 film directed by Shyam Benegal and produced by Shashi Kapoor, who also stars in the movie. The film is once again set against the backdrop of the Indian Rebellion of 1857, also known as the First War of Indian Independence

It follows the love of Javed Khan (played by Shashi Kapoor), for a young British woman, Ruth Labadoor (played by Nafisa Ali). The film delves deep into the cultural, social, and religious differences between the two communities and beautifully captures the period's ambience with authentic set and costumes. 'Junoon' is an adaptation of Ruskin Bond's novella "A Flight of Pigeons," which is based on true events

Begum Jaan

Begum Jaan is a 2017 Bollywood film directed by Srijit Mukherji and produced by Mukesh Bhatt, Vishesh Bhatt, and Play Entertainment. The film stars Vidya Balan in the title role

The story revolves around Begum Jaan, the madam of a brothel situated on the border between the soon-to-be-divided Indian states of Punjab and Bengal. When the Radcliffe Line (the boundary demarcation line between India and Pakistan) is drawn by the British, Begum Jaan's brothel ironically finds itself split between the two newly formed countries

Gandhi

The biographical film depicts Gandhi's journey from his early years in South Africa, where he faced racial discrimination and injustice, to his return to India and his pivotal role in leading the non-violent struggle for India's independence

The film depicts key moments in the nationalist movement such as the Salt March. Throughout the film, viewers witness Gandhi's unwavering commitment to his principles, his struggles, and his personal sacrifices. It also highlights the challenges he faced in negotiating with British officials and dealing with internal disagreements within the Indian National Congress. Ben Kingsley delivers a remarkable performance as Mahatma Gandhi, capturing his mannerisms, philosophy, and spirit

Saza-E-Kaala Paani

Saza-E-Kaala Paani is a 1996 Indian film directed by Priyadarshan. The film's title refers to the black waters of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, where the British sent Indian freedom fighters and other prisoners to the infamous Cellular Jail

Set in the pre-independence era, the film tells the story of an Indian freedom fighter named Govardhan Menon, played by Mohanlal. He is falsely accused of bombing a train carrying British citizens and is subsequently sentenced to a long term at the Cellular Jail in Port Blair, Andaman. The film follows the brutalities that prisoneres and revolutionaries were subjected to during the colonial era