1 Anand Math (1952)
Hemen Gupta’s film, starring Bharat Bhushan, Geeta Bali, Pradeep Kumar (in his first film) and Prithviraj Kapoor, was based on Bankim Chandra Chatterjee’s novel which was banned during the British Raj. When India gained independence, the ban on the novel was lifted. The film recounted the events of the Sannyasi Rebellion during 18th century Bengal. Hemant Kumar turned music composer with Anand Math; his version of India’s national song ‘Vande Mataram’, set the tune for future renditions to follow.
2 Haqeeqat (1964)
Chetan Anand’s Haqeeqat has been rightly called the ‘mother of all war movies’. The film was made during a low morale phase after the Indo-China war and shot on location in Ladakh. With actors Balraj Sahni, Dharmendra, Vijay Anand and Sanjay Khan, the film and its songs, especially Mohammad Rafi’s ‘Kar Chale Hum Fida Jan-e-tan Sathiyon’ define patriotism at its best. Anand’s direction and the strong ensemble cast influenced later films like Border (1997) and LOC: Kargil (2003) for its focus on the brave young soldiers fighting for their homeland.
3 Purab Aur Pachhim (1970)
Manoj Kumar’s hero in Purab and Pacchim, perfectly named Bharat, schools his countrymen and women abroad on what it means to be an Indian. This was the second patriotic film made by Kumar after Upkar (1967). The large ensemble cast featured standout Saira Banu, Vinod Khanna, Prem Chopra, Ashok Kumar, Bharati and Madan Puri. Purab Aur Pacchim set the stage for some of Hindi cinema’s later hits from Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1995) to Namastey London (2007).
4 Kranti (1981)
Manoj Kumar came back with an all-star cast of Dilip Kumar, Shashi Kapoor, Hema Malini, Shatrughan Sinha and Parveen Babi in Kranti. Dilip Kumar as Sanga leads a band of revolutionaries against the British in a fight for a free India. The golden jubilee hit featured music by Laxmikant-Pyarelal and brought back Dilip Kumar after a self-imposed break. Manoj Kumar’s character was once again known as Bharat.
5 Sarfarosh (1999)
Aamir Khan and Naseeruddin Shah gave outstanding performances in the John Mathew Matthan directed film. Khan was a determined Assistant Commissioner of Police tracking down a cross-border smuggling arms racket, while Shah was a famous ghazal singer, Gulfam Hassan, who migrated to Pakistan after the Partition. Both actors neatly put forward the idea of identity in an ever-changing landscape. Sarfarosh also highlighted the perils of being a Muslim inspector, shown here as tired of having his loyalty questioned again and again.
6 Lagaan (2001)
Against the backdrop of an epic cricket match, Ashutosh Gowarikar’s Lagaan expertly told the tale of a lone village who took on the British in a bid to avoid the taxes levied on them. The film had a cast of thousands, a narration by Amitabh Bachchan, and a hit soundtrack from AR Rahman. The very Indian film, whose dialogues were in Avadhi, resonated around the world as Lagaan was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Foreign Film. It was one of the few period films to have a compelling story.
7 Airlift (2016)
In recent years, through the popularity of biopics, real stories which may have been lost have been coming to light. One such incident, the evacuation of Indians during Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait, brought to light the heroics of one Mathunny Mathews. Akshay Kumar played a version of Mathews in the harrowing feature which focused on the difficulties of the incredibly impossible rescue operation. Airlift soars with stellar special effects, an in-form Kumar and a strong supporting cast.