15 Patriotic Movies to Binge-watch this Republic Day

We Indians are some of the rarest and most exceptional of breeds when it comes to our love and pride for our motherland. While we might criticize a lot of things that happen around us politically or socially on a daily basis, one thing we cannot ignore is the unexplainable yet very evident passion we hold towards our country. You cannot convince me that you never experienced those goosebumps while reciting the national anthem or found yourself in tears of pride while watching the tricolor grace the atmosphere. Because let’s be honest, “Bharat Mata” is not just a slogan but an emotion that we Indians swear by.

Since movies/bollywood forms a very significant part of our lives, over the years, we have witnessed some exceptional brilliant masterpieces made in the honor of our homeland. From watching Sunny Deol root out water pumps in Pakistan while shouting “Hindustan Zindabad tha, Hindustan Zindabad hai” to the subtle “Gandhigiri” of our favourite “Munna bhai”, we all grew up with a special fondness for our country, India. So this Republic Day, to re-enlighten the spirit of nationalism and pride amongst our hearts, we bring to you a collection of 15 brilliant patriotic masterpieces that you should definitely binge-watch with your family and friends.

1. The Legend of Bhagat Singh (2002)

A 2002 bollywood movie by Rajkumar Santoshi is a remarkable retelling of the story of the young freedom fighters Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev and Rajguru who willingly sacrificed their lives for the sake of their country and countrymen. The movie beautifully captures the trajectory of the protagonist's childhood to becoming an adult fearless fighter. It makes us introspect and implore while simultaneously fills us with emotions like love and pride towards our motherland.

2. Rang De Basanti (2006)

If you are looking for a modern day, fancier version of a patriotic movie that is relevant in the present times but still captures the spirit of the pre-independent era, then Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra’s “Rang De Basanti” is your movie for the day. Set around the lives of 6 friends and students of Delhi University, the movie showcases the journey of this group towards realisation and awakening while simultaneously drawing parallels from the story of Bhagat Singh and other young-spirited freedom fighters of the country.

3. Chak De India (2007)

A 2007 sports drama by Shimit Amin, the film is one of the best and most technically-proficient sports movies in the country that engages the audiences from the first to the very last moment. Be it SRK’s spectacular performance as the hockey instructor or the mind blowing performance by the 15 girls who made us fall in love with our national sport over again, the movie is a Filmfare and IIFA winner, among others, and is definitely a worth watch this Republic Day.

4. Lagaan (2001)

Ashutosh Gowariker’s Lagaan starring our very own ‘Mr. Perfectionist'' aka ‘Amir Khan'’ is a perfect amalgamation of a musical, sport and patriotic drama film that showcases one of the significant events lost in the pages of history. The movie is set around a bunch of farmers against british officers in a match of cricket that is their only chance of saving their land and crops which is metaphorical for the country standing against the cruel colonizers in order to save their country and identity.

5. Border (1971)

Recreating Longewala battle from 1971 in this war/drama movie, this 1997 J. P. Dutta’s bollywood drama stars some of the greatest actors of the time and is one of the most praised and favored patriotic movies in the country. Be it Sunny Deol’s epic dialogue delivery, our armed heroes against our favorite enemies “Pakistan” or the evergreen song “Sandese aate hai” that can literally leave even the hardest of hearts in tears, the movie is indeed a masterpiece in all senses.

6. Swades (2004)

Swades is a 2004 drama musical by Ashutosh Gowariker that stars Shah Rukh Khan as an ambitious Indian youth working with NASA who happens to come to India for a short vacation but what unfolds only ends up making him fall for the country over again. The film captures the modern-day issue of “Brain Drain” and leaves you with the realisation that though our nation might not be perfect, it is our motherland at the end of the day and we as the youth make or break-it up.

7. Mangal Pandey: The Rising (2005)

Ketan Mehta’s 2005 historical film is one of the most underrated yet influential movies when it comes to patriotic dramas. The movie retells the story of “first war of freedom struggle” or “the Indian rebellion of 1857”. It was received with great reviews from the critics across the country but was also surrounded by a lot of controversies upon its release. However, it is a great screenplay that is bound to fill you with love, pride and honor for your motherland.

8. URI : The Surgical Strike (2019)

This war drama marks one of the extremely significant events of Indian history where Major Vihaan Singh Shergill of the Indian Army and his team avenged the killings of our soldiers who were attacked by militants in 2016 in Uri, Kashmir. Directed by Aditya Dhar in 2019, the movie makes a statement that modern India knows how to protect itself and will not silently suffer the unjust doing of its enemies. The event was indeed a proud moment for every Indian and the movie does justice to that spirit.

9. Purab Aur Paschim (1970)

A 1970 bollywood drama created under the direction of Manoj Kumar, who also plays the protagonist in the movie, the film captures the beauty and traditions of India and how often westernization makes us forget our grand legacy that we must be proud of. It showcases the redemption of “Preeti”, Upkar’s love interest in the movie, who was a product of western culture but soon realises the importance of her Indian heritage upon falling in love with Upkar. The all-time favourite “Jab zero dia mere bharat ne” song is indeed an eye opener for many that is bound to fill every Indian with pride.

10. Chittagong (2012)

A 2012 war drama based on the Chittagong mutiny, this film by Bedabrata Pain is a retelling of one of the bravest freedom fighters the country has ever had and stars Manoj Bajpayee in the lead role. The story revolves around a young teacher “Surya Sen” who inspires his young pupils to fight for the country's freedom.

11. A Wednesday (2008)

Directed by Neeraj Pandey, this 2008 film marks the debutorial of a talented director. The movie is a thriller and action filled package that has a common man at its centre who decides to take matters into his own hands and has an exceptionally interesting plot with a twisted ending. It was declared a blockbuster hit and was highly acclaimed by critics on its reception that saw some amazing performances by Naseerudin Shah and Anupam Kher and is a subtly patriotic movie that gives the audiences something significant to think about.

12. The Ghazi Attack (2017)

An Indian war film by Sankalp Reddy made in 2017, the film is based on the mysterious sinking of PNS Ghazi during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971. It is one of the first Indian underwater movies that retells the story of submarine war between the INS Vikrant and Pakistan submarine Ghazi and how Indians defeated the Pakistani forces despite all odds.

13. Lage raho munna bhai (2006)

It would be unfair to not include this 2006 spectacular comedy movie by RajKumar Hirani in the list. The movie is a sequel to “Munna Bhai M.B.B.S.” and hilariously captures the adventures of “Munna Bhai” and “Circuit” along with an added character- the ghost of Gandhiji. Capturing the practicality of “Gandhigiri” in the mundane day-to-day modern life of Indians, the movie gives a unique perspective to common man’s daily problems and ends up connecting us more to our roots and heritage.

14. Raazi

One of the exceptional tales recreating the sacrifice and struggles of unknown heroes of our country, Raazi is a 2018 spy thriller by Meghna Gulzar that has a woman protagonist at the center of its plot. The movie celebrates the unsung heroes of India by telling the story of a common Indian girl who played a significant role in India’s victory in the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 by revealing the plots of Pakistan’s forces at the stake of her own life, family and identity.

15. 1942: A love Story

A 1994 film directed and produced by Vidhu Vinod Chopra, this patriotic romance drama is a pre-indepence love story that gains a patriotic twist by the climax of the movie. Acclaimed highly for its songs like “Ek ladki ko dekha to” and “Kuch na kaho”, cinematography and performances, the film is a break from the typical war-like genre that is often found in patriotic movies and is a must watch addition to the list of best patriotic movies in the country.

So, here we conclude the list of our favorite patriotic movies that you should definitely consider when looking for binge-watch options this Republic Day. These are definitely the next best thing after you are done watching the Republic-day Parade and would definitely re-enlighten your mundane day by bringing in the spirit of this special day. Jai Hind!