Happy Republic Day: Swades, Rang De Basanti, Uri - 12 iconic Bollywood films that commemorate the spirit of being Indian

Synopsis: After her husband’s death, Radha (Nargis), a village woman struggles to raise her kids and survive against the cunning moneylender Sukhilala (Kanhaiyalal). While one of her sons, Ramu, (Rajendra Kumar) is idealistic, the other, Birju, (Sunil Dutt) becomes a bandit. On Sukhilala’s daughter Rupa’s wedding day, Birju kills her father and kidnaps her. As he tries to flee, Radha shoots him to ensure that no harm is done to Rupa.

Social message: Besides an outstanding performance by Nargis, the film also focussed on relevant topics such as struggles of the farmer who were being manipulated by the zamindars and moneylenders. It also highlighted the strength of an Indian woman and the power of an upright mother, who doesn’t hesitate to pull the trigger to stop an erring son.

Synopsis: A poor and thirsty villager (Raj Kapoor) enters a residential complex in search of water. Chased by the guard on duty, he hides inside the building and comes across shady undertakings by the so-called respectable residents. The film was a satire on society’s hypocrisy where the rich commit crimes behind closed doors, while those without a social standing are blamed for petty things.

Social message: Based on the Bengali play Ek Din Ratrey (One Night), the movie explored the fears and prejudices in the minds of city dwellers, who assume they are better human beings, just by the virtue of their social standing.

Synopsis: Revolutionaries Bhagat Singh, Rajguru, and Sukhdev were in their early 20s when they were given a death sentence for the armed resistance to British rule. This event was the greatest turning point in the freedom struggle that led to an uprising and, eventually, India’s independence.

Social message: One of the most important episodes in India’s history was captured on screen by S Ram Sharma in Shaheed where Manoj Kumar played the titular role. In fact, so poignantly was the story told that Shaheed Bhagat Singh’s mother, Vidyavati, was all praises for the film after watching it. Who can forget the songs Mera Rang De Basanti Chola and Ae Watan Humko Teri Kasam? 

Later, Ajay Devgn-starrer The Legend of Bhagat Singh (2002) won similar accolades in modern times. In spite of being about the fiery patriots, the film, directed by Rajkumar Santoshi, wasn’t jingoistic but focussed on Bhagat Singh’s ideologies as well as his dream of a progressive nation. It was as great a tribute to the trio of revolutionaries as was Manoj Kumar’s movie.

Synopsis: A farmer, Bharat (Manoj Kumar), sacrifices a lot to educate his brother Puran (Prem Chopra), who goes abroad and returns as a selfish man. When the India-Pakistan war begins in 1965, Bharat heads to the border, while Puran makes money through drugs and black marketing. The former returns, but his brother is caught by the police. The latter repents and vows to be a hard-working individual.

Social message: Upholding the ‘Jai Jawan Jai Kisan’ slogan raised by the second Prime Minister of India Lal Bahadur Shastri, the film highlighted the sacrifices and difficult lives of soldiers and farmers. The film began the Manoj’s brand of patriotism. The song Mere Desh Ki Dharti is remembered even today for its patriotic flavour.

Synopsis: A freedom fighter’s son, Bharat (Manoj Kumar) goes to London for higher studies. He’s surprised to see that many Indians there try to hide their roots and takes it upon himself to try to change their way of thinking. Bharat falls in love with Preeti who doesn’t want to live in India after marriage. He asks her to visit his motherland before rejecting it. The purity of the country makes an impression on her, and she gives up her western lifestyle.

Social message: Many educated Indians immigrated to other countries for better prospects, post-Independence. They also seemed to cut themselves from their culture, preferring westernised living and names. Manoj Kumar whose earlier works were about patriotism gave the message of taking pride in one’s roots.

Synopsis: This classic is about two con men Jai (Amitabh Bachchan) and Veeru (Dharmendra) being employed by Thakur Baldev Singh (Sanjeev Kumar) to capture a dreaded dacoit Gabbar Singh (Amjad Khan). It also starred Hema Malini as Basanti and Jaya Bachchan (then Bhaduri) as Radha.

Social message: Ramesh Sippy’s directorial was replete with memorable dialogues such as ‘Kitne aadmi the? and ‘Ab tera kya hoga re kaaliya’, stellar screenplay by Salim-Javed and RD Burman’s music and performances by stalwarts. However, Sholay wasn’t just an entertainer. It carried the message of the good defeating the evil and the need to abide by law no matter what. Even though Thakur wants to avenge his family’s death, he doesn’t kill the dacoit, but lets the police arrest him. It also spoke about the reformation of con men. The possibility of widow remarriage (between Radha and Jai) and an independent, practical and bold village belle Basanti also portrayed the Indian woman in a positive light.

Synopsis: Raj (Shah Rukh Khan) and Simran (Kajol) are NRIs from the UK who fall in love during a European trip with their friends. Simran has been betrothed to her father’s (Amrish Puri) friend’s son and returns to India. Raj follows her there to win her family over so that they can get married. 

Social message: The romantic drama had its share of pride and love for the country, as seen in Baldev’s (Amrish)  refusal to forget his roots, which he also inculcates in his young daughters. It also portrayed intrinsic Indian values such as respecting our elders. Raj, though a brat, refuses to elope with Simran and wants to marry her only with Baldev’s consent. The superhit conveyed important messages that one can love their country regardless of where they live and morals are more important than desires.

Synopsis: Based on a true life story, Swades is about a NASA scientist (Shah Rukh Khan), who returns to India to find his nanny and take her back with him to the US. However, he realises the social problems plaguing the village and the country at large. He goes back to the US without his nanny, only to return to India, this time for good.

Social message: Many social issues were discussed in the film — caste system, poverty, education, women’s empowerment, child labour, etc. Simple yet memorable dialogues were the backbone of the movie, and scenes with barely any dialogues conveyed a lot, too. Who can forget the powerful train scene where Shah Rukh, who probably only drinks mineral water, sees a small boy selling water for 25 paise?  

Synopsis: When an idealistic English filmmaker casts a group of student actors in her docudrama about India’s revolution against the British rule in the 1920s, it sets into motion a chain of events that lead to them seeking inspiration from the freedom fighters and assassinating the Indian Defense Minister for his corrupt acts.

Social message: The film redefined patriotism for an entire generation. It urged the youth to sit up and take action, instead of being mere bystanders in the country’s progress. In fact, when the Jessica Lal murder case verdict was announced, socialist Bina Ramani, speaking at a literature festival, thanked the movie for making it possible. While the film had released in January 2006, the verdict was announced later that year, after countless number of protests and candle-light marches.

Synopsis: It is based on the true story of wrestler Mahavir Singh Phogat (Aamir Khan) and his daughters Geeta (Fatima Sana Shaikh) and Babita (Sanya Malhotra), who are India’s first world-class wrestlers. The Nitesh Tiwari directorial chronicles Geeta’s success story and how a father fights all odds to ensure that his daughters break the glass ceiling.

Social message: Dangal’s larger theme was empowering daughters of India. Though initially disappointed about the birth of four daughters who cannot take forward his legacy of wrestling, Mahavir soon realised that his girls are at par (or even better than) the boys. Not only did he enable them to excel in the male bastion of wrestling, but also fought the society’s ridicule and resistance. The film gives out a strong message about gender equality.

Synopsis: It’s not just India’s sons who have fought for their country. There are numerous daughters who have sacrificed their lives fighting to protect their country as well. Raazi was the story of one such girl, Sehmat (Alia Bhatt), a RAW agent who gets married into a Pakistani family of military official to relay information back to India, prior to the Indo-Pakistan war of 1971.

Social message: The film was based on the book Calling Sehmat by Harinder Sikka and was directed by Meghna Gulzar. The film, starring Alia Bhatt, was devoid of jingoism, unlike other patriotic films. Raazi was path-breaking in the sense that it showed the men in uniform on the other side of the border as decent human beings, who are as patriotic about their nation as we are about ours.

Synopsis: The film is about the surgical strike that our soldiers carried out on September 29, 2016 in retaliation to an attack on an Indian Army brigade headquarters by four heavily-armed militants on September 18 the same year. Para SF military Major Vihaan Singh Shergill (Vicky Kaushal), expresses the wish to retire early to look after his mother but the Uri attack leads him asking to be sent on the battlefield yet again. The movie reveals in detail what happened once the Indian soldiers went behind enemy lines.

Social message: Besides patriotism and the sacrifices made by the army men in the line of duty, the movie pointed to the rise of a new India that will let its actions do the talking. As Paresh Rawal, who plays the National Security Advisor, says, “Yeh naya Hindustan hai, yeh ghar me ghusega bhi aur maarega bhi.”