Independence Day 2025: 10 must-watch patriotic films from Swades to URI on the 79th celebration
Independence Day 2025
Before Trump, British used tariffs to kill Indian textile
Bank of Azad Hind: When Netaji gave India its own currency
Swadeshi 2.0: India is no longer just a market, it's a maker
Lagaan (2001)
Directed by Ashutosh Gowariker, Lagaan is a period drama set in late 19th-century India under British rule. The story follows a small village burdened by high taxes (lagaan). When a cruel British officer challenges the villagers to a cricket match—with taxes waived if they win and tripled if they lose—they rise to the occasion. Led by Bhuvan (Aamir Khan), the villagers, who have never played cricket before, demonstrate courage, unity, and the spirit of standing up against injustice.
Swades (2004)
Another Gowariker film, Swades stars Shah Rukh Khan as Mohan Bhargava, a successful NASA scientist who returns to India to find his childhood caretaker. Initially disconnected from rural life, Mohan witnesses the villagers' struggles with electricity, education, and social inequality, inspiring him to help. The film's message about returning to one's roots and serving the nation remains powerful today.
Rang De Basanti (2006)
Directed by Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra, Rang De Basanti sparked a youth movement upon its release. A British filmmaker casts a group of carefree Delhi students in a documentary about freedom fighters like Bhagat Singh. Initially indifferent, the students are transformed by personal tragedy and the courage of the revolutionaries, prompting them to take a stand against corruption.
Chak De! India (2007)
This sports drama, directed by Shimit Amin, stars Shah Rukh Khan as Kabir Khan, a former Indian hockey captain falsely accused of betrayal. He returns as coach of the Indian women's hockey team, composed of players from diverse states with different cultural backgrounds. The movie emphasizes teamwork, discipline, and national pride, with the slogan 'Chak De! India' becoming iconic.
Live Events
Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl (2020)
Based on the life of Flight Lieutenant Gunjan Saxena, one of India's first female combat pilots during the 1999 Kargil War, the film stars Janhvi Kapoor. It chronicles Gunjan's journey from aspiring pilot to breaking gender barriers in a male-dominated environment, highlighting her determination, courage, and heroism during the war.
Gandhi (1982)
Though not a Bollywood film, Richard Attenborough's Gandhi is an epic biographical drama covering Mahatma Gandhi's life—from his early days as a lawyer in South Africa to leading India's non-violent freedom struggle. Ben Kingsley's legendary performance earned multiple Oscars, including Best Picture, offering a profound insight into the power of truth and non-violence.
Airlift (2016)
Based on true events during Iraq's invasion of Kuwait in 1990, Airlift stars Akshay Kumar as Ranjit Katyal, a businessman who risks everything to evacuate over 170,000 stranded Indians. The film combines thrill and emotion, showing how one individual's leadership and resourcefulness can save thousands.
Kesari (2019)
Akshay Kumar leads this retelling of the legendary Battle of Saragarhi, where 21 Sikh soldiers fought against thousands with unmatched valor.
URI: The Surgical Strike (2019)
A gripping action-drama based on India's 2016 surgical strikes, with Vicky Kaushal delivering the unforgettable line, 'How's Josh?'
Kesari Chapter 2 (2025)
Akshay Kumar's historical courtroom drama on C. Sankaran Nair's fight for justice after the Jallianwala Bagh massacre, now streaming on Jio Hotstar after its April theatrical release.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Economic Times
4 minutes ago
- Economic Times
In Bengal, Matuas line up in millions for citizenship under CAA
Amidst opposition protests, the Matua community in West Bengal is actively applying for Indian citizenship under the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). Organizations and the BJP are assisting Matuas and other refugees excluded from the 2002 voter list. Camps are being organized to raise awareness and help with applications. The CAA allows citizenship for religious minorities from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Pakistan. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads At a time when the national opposition is protesting alleged "vote theft" and the special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar, millions of applications for Indian citizenship under the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019, are pouring in from the Matua community across West organisations of Matuas - a socio-religious group of Hindus who migrated from Bangladesh due to religious persecution - along with the state BJP leadership , are working overtime to ensure Matuas and other refugees not listed in the state's voter rolls post 2002 SIR apply for citizenship under the CAA with the required documents."CAA applications will cross one crore people from the Matua community as a large number of people don't have names in the 2002 voter list," All India Matua Mahasangha general secretary Mahitosh Baidya told CAA allows migrants from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan who are Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis or Christians to obtain Indian camps are being held across the state to create awareness and assist people with the application process, people aware of the matter minister Sukanta Majumdar has organised one such camp at his residence in Balurghat for CAA awareness. Several BJP MLAs and leaders are doing the same. Haringhata MLA Asim Sarkar is participating in the process in several camps."If someone does not have names in 2002 electoral rolls , they could be in trouble during the (upcoming) SIR. So, we are creating CAA awareness camps and guiding them about applications - how to fill up CAA forms and apply for citizenship," said Majumdar, the Balurghat 2002 SIR put the total number of voters in West Bengal at 45.8 million, spread over 80,000 polling booths. Sources said that in the 2002 exercise, 2.8 million names had been deleted from the electoral is learnt that several camps have been organised in Barasat and Bongaon Lok Sabha constituencies and South 24 Parganas district to help the Matuas and other backward refugee communities apply under the CAA. Matua Mahasangha, Sanatani Sajan Samaj and several other organizations are assisting in this process.
Economic Times
4 minutes ago
- Economic Times
Fight against 'vote theft', SIR to defend democracy: Mallikarjun Kharge
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge asserted that the party's struggle against alleged "vote theft" and irregularities in Bihar's electoral roll revision is a fight to safeguard the Constitution and democracy. He accused the BJP of resorting to immoral tactics to retain power, citing large-scale election irregularities and the deletion of opposition votes under the guise of Special Intensive Revision. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Friday said the party's fight against " vote theft " and Special Intensive Revision of Bihar electoral roll "is to save the Constitution and democracy ".In his Independence Day message, Kharge alleged BJP was resorting to "the extremes of immorality" to remain in power and therefore large-scale election irregularities were being happened in the past, Kharge and Rahul Gandhi again kept away from the Red Fort function even as they attended flag-hoisting ceremony at the Congress' headquarters to the Congress agitation against SIR and alleged electoral irregularities, Kharge said; "This is not a fight to win elections but to save India's democracy and protect the Constitution. Now the ruling party is ready to go to any extent of immorality to remain in power"."Large-scale irregularities are coming to light in elections. In the name of Special Intensive Revision, votes of the opposition are being openly cut. Those who are alive have been declared dead. The impartiality of the Election Commission can be understood from the fact that it is not ready to tell whose votes are being cut and on what basis," he thanked the Supreme Court for asking the EC to make public the names deleted from voters roll through SIR."We are grateful to the Supreme Court, which listened to the voice of the people and asked the Election Commission to make the voter list public. The most surprising thing is that the ruling party has no objection to the votes of 65 lakh people being cut. This clearly shows who benefitted from this exercise," he recalled how B R Ambedkar had told the Constituent Assembly that "franchise is one of the most fundamental things in a democracy" and that no person eligible for voting should be excluded merely as a result of prejudice. He also accused the ruling establishment of capturing institutions and politicising the investigating agencies.
India Today
6 minutes ago
- India Today
Washington DC sues Trump administration over 'hostile takeover' of police
Washington DC's government has gone to court to stop "hostile takeover" of its police department by the Trump administration. On Friday, District of Columbia attorney general Brian Schwalb asked for an emergency order from a judge to block the federal government's new control over local law legal fight began hours after US attorney general Pam Bondi issued an order on Thursday night that gave the federal government the power to appoint a new head of the city's Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).advertisementSchwalb alleged that President Donald Trump's team is going far beyond its legal powers and breaking the rules set for the nation's CHIEF APPOINTED AS CAPITAL'S TOP COP According to the Trump administration's plan, the head of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Terry Cole, would take over as "emergency police commissioner" in Washington DC. Bondi said Cole would have "all powers and duties" of the city's police added that MPD staff would have to get Cole's approval before giving any orders. This created confusion about the role of Pamela Smith, the current police chief appointed by the city's mayor, Muriel leaders immediately opposed the move and filed a lawsuit to stop it. They say the decision undermines local democracy and breaks the Home Rule Act, which gives Washington DC limited AND SCHWALB CHALLENGE WHITE HOUSE MOVEMayor Bowser criticised the takeover on Thursday night. She posted on social media that "there is no statute that gives a federal official control over the District's personnel."Bowser also shared a letter from Schwalb to Chief Smith. In it, Schwalb said Bondi's order was "unlawful" and told Smith she was "not legally obligated to follow it." He instructed MPD officers to follow the orders of the police chief appointed by the mayor — not any federal takeover comes four days after Trump sent National Guard troops into the city. The president had declared a crisis of crime and homelessness in Washington defended the decision, saying the city's police needed stronger leadership to handle public safety. She claimed that Cole's appointment would make operations more effective and allow better coordination with federal OVER DC'S SANCTUARY CITY RULESThe tension grew after Chief Smith issued an order telling MPD officers to share information about people not in custody with federal agencies, including the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).Since Washington DC is a "sanctuary city", local law still prevents police from giving immigration authorities details about undocumented people in custody. Police also cannot arrest someone solely for their immigration status or allow immigration officers to interview detainees.- EndsWith inputs from Reuters
