Over the decades, the Hindi film industry has produced several action dramas narrating military stories of valour and sacrifice. From fictionalised retellings of the conflicts with Pakistan to plots on the Indian Army's counter-terrorism ops, Bollywood never disappoints when it comes to the genre.
If you have not decided on your Sunday binge yet, here are five Bollywood war dramas to consider streaming with your family and pals. Adrenaline rush guaranteed!
Uri: The Surgical Strike (2019)
The film is loosely inspired by India's 2016 'surgical strike' targeting terrorist launch pads in the Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) region. The strike was a response to the Jaish-e-Mohammed attack on the Indian Army brigade headquarters in Uri in September that year.
The movie with its patriotic strings of melodies and the unforeseen valour and mettle of the commander Vihaan Singh Shergill played effortlessly by Vicky Kaushal makes it a reliving experience. The historical references to the event are handled rather seamlessly by bringing back to motion the terror of September 29, 2016. The realistic combat scenes and the slow building of the emotional gravity make the film remember its bold remarks of history.
The movie bagged four national film awards including Best Director (Aditya Dhar), Best Actor (Vicky Kaushal), Best Audiography (Bishwadeep D. Chatterjee) Best Music Director, and Best Background Score (Shashwat Sachdev)
Where to watch 'Uri: The Surgical Strike': Zee5, JustWatch
Lakshya (2004)
Set in the backdrop of the Kargil war of 1999 between India and Pakistan, this movie tells the transformative journey of the protagonist Karan Shergill played by Hrithik Roshan, who is aimless and lackadaisical. The action-drama succeeds in convincingly capturing the journey of the character who transcends to a responsible Indian soldier on the war front from an easygoing college youth.
Farhan Akhtar in this directorial piece, comes out rather less preachy and rather concentrates on the real struggles of a soldier who embarks on an indefinite journey of struggle. 'Lakshya' is also known for its iconic mountain climbing sequence, which left many viewers in awe. Farhan Akhtar and Christopher Popps (cinematographer) built a 600 square feet ‘ridge’ made of fibre rocks, to create the realistic effect of mountains. From an outer perspective, it looks like a crane shot from 18000ft. The actors were suspended from cables to shoot the scene.
Where to watch 'Lakshya': Netflix, AmazonPrime
Tango Charlie (2005)
Starring Bobby Deol, Ajay Devgn, Sunil Shetty, and Sanjay Dutt this movie brings to light the fine themes of terrorism, violence, and war. This movie is a close call on the struggling phase of a soldier as he undergoes relentless training before coming face to face with harsh situations in the line of duty.
The movie begins with two Indian Air Force pilots discovering the diary entries of Tarun Chauhan, played by Bobby Deol, who served in the Border Security Force. The screen presence of Muhammed Ali (Devgn) and Tarun Chauhan adds life to the story. Ali is crucial to the plot as he becomes a mentor to Tarun's rookie soldier when he is vulnerable and at his lowest.
The story draws a fine line between terrorism and war, nationalism and crime as the plot discusses the historic events of Maoists in West Bengal and Andhra Pradesh, the Gujarat Riots, and the dispute between India and Pakistan over the border of Kargil in Jammu and Kashmir. Director Mani Shankar brilliantly delves into themes that are often left untouched by creators when it comes to the genre of war dramas.
Where to watch 'Tango Charlie': YouTube, Hotstar
Shershaah (2021)
Directed by Vishnuvardhan this war drama is an ode to the life of Captain Vikram Batra played by Sidharth Malhotra who fought a brave battle in the Kargil war. The film shifts from awing scenes of his romantic life to his contributions in the battleground, which recognised him as a man of valour and courage.
The war scenes are rather less chaotic and violent -- quite different from other films of the genre. The film with its historical setting closely makes a shift to the battlefields as the troops emerge to destroy the Pakistani bunkers which ultimately leads to the Indian victory.
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The title of the film bears significance, as the name ‘Shershaah’ was used as a call sign by Vikram during the war.
Where to watch 'Shershaah': JioCinema, Amazon Prime
Border (1997)
Sunny Deol, Suniel Shetty, Jackie Shroff, and Akshaye Khanna were among the star-studded cast of this iconic war drama by J.P Dutta. It broke the box office receiving praise for its veracity and the real-life character adaptations.
The real-life character of Kuldip Singh Chandpuri (retd as Brigadier) who was known for his act of bravery in the battle of Longewala was played by Sunny Deol, which garnered him great praise.
Known as one of the decisive battles fought between the Pakistan army and Indian defenders in 1971, the Battle of Longewala, has its origin in the border post of Longewala, in Rajasthan. The propensity of the movie which makes it one of the best war films lies in the realistic elements attached to it. The movie was shot in a real historical location because of the war that happened in 1971. Dutta ties up all the loose ends as the movie unfolds with its historical background.
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The film secured three national film awards including Best Feature Film or National Integration (J.P Dutta), Best Male Playback Singer (Hariharan for “Mere Dushman Mere Bhai”), and Best Lyricist (Javed Akhtar for “Sandese Aate Hai”). The song “Sandese Aate Hai” sung by Roop Kumar Rathod and Sonu Nigam has won the hearts of many Indians. The song with its in-depth lyrics reflects the pain of Indian soldiers.
Where to watch 'Border': YouTube, Amazon Prime
