As India gears up to celebrate its 78th Independence Day, we pick eight biopics that celebrate the life and deeds of some extraordinary freedom fighters from across the country.

Sardar Udham (2021)

Director: Shoojit Sircar

Starring: Vicky Kaushal, Amol Parashar, Andrew Havill and Shaun Scott

Udham Singh, the revolutionary who avenged the Jallianwala Bagh massacre by assassinating Michael O'Dwyer, the former lieutenant governor of Punjab, is the subject of Sardar Udham. Vicky Kaushal plays Udham Singh, and brings out his anguish and determination to hit back at the colonisers. Through a careful reconstruction of the historical period, the film gives a peek into the atrocities of British rule and the fervour of the Indian independence movement.

Streaming on: Prime Video

Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose: The Forgotten Hero (2005)

Director: Shyam Benegal

Starring: Sachin Khedekar, Jisshu Sengupta, Rajit Kapur, Divya Dutta, Narendra Jha

Shyam Benegal celebrates the trailblazing revolutionary Subhas Chandra Bose, whose life has often been ignored in the platitudes to freedom fighters. Sachin Khedekar plays Netaji with an intensity that captures his defiance of British rule, his efforts in forming the Indian National Army (INA) and his capacity to rouse a nation to rebel against oppression.

Streaming on: YouTube

8/12 Binay Badal Dinesh (2022)

Director: Arun Roy

Starring: Kinjal Nanda, Arna Mukhopadhyay, Remo, Saswata Chatterjee, Kharaj Mukherjee

8/12 Binay Badal Dinesh is a historical drama that recounts the 1930 attack on the Writers’ Buildings by three Bengali revolutionaries — Benoy Krishna Basu (Kinjal Nanda), Badal Gupta (Arna Mukhopadhyay) and Dinesh Gupta (Remo). On December 8, 1930, the trio stormed the Writers’ Buildings, which was then the British India Secretariat of Bengal, with the mission to assassinate the notorious British Inspector General, N.S. Simpson.

Streaming on: ZEE5

The Legend of Bhagat Singh (2002)

Director: Rajkumar Santoshi

Starring: Ajay Devgn, Sushant Singh, D. Santosh, Akhilendra Mishra, Amrita Rao

This one is a stirring tribute to one of India's most iconic freedom fighters, Bhagat Singh. The film delves into Bhagat Singh's transformation from a young boy into a fearless freedom fighter who sacrificed his life at the tender age of 23. Ajay Devgn’s fiery portrayal of the young revolutionary, combined with A.R. Rahman’s music, makes this a compelling biopic.

Streaming on: Prime Video

The Making of the Mahatma (1996)

Director: Shyam Benegal

Starring: Rajit Kapur, Pallavi Joshi, Keith Stevenson, Strini Pillai

In The Making of the Mahatma, Shyam Benegal focuses on the formative years of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi in South Africa. With Rajit Kapur playing Gandhi, the film traces how a timid Indian lawyer became a confident champion of civil rights. It foregrounds the experiences that shaped Gandhi’s philosophy of nonviolent resistance, which later became a cornerstone of the Indian independence movement.

Streaming on: Mubi

Sardar (1993)

Director: Ketan Mehta

Starring: Paresh Rawal

This is a biographical drama on Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, one of the most prominent leaders of the Indian independence movement, and Paresh Rawal delivers a commanding performance as the title character. The film highlights Patel’s crucial role in integrating the princely states into a unified India, his political acumen and his often complex relationship with the other leaders of the movement.

Streaming on: YouTube

Chittagong (2012)

Director: Bedabrata Pain

Starring: Manoj Bajpayee, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Rajkummar Rao, Vega Tamotia, Jaideep Ahlawat, Vijay Varma

At centre of this film is the Chittagong Uprising of 1930 — led by revolutionary Surya Sen — and its aftermath. Manoj Bajpayee stars as Surya Sen, a teacher who led a group of young school students in a daring attack on the British armoury in Chittagong. The film also features compelling performances by Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Rajkummar Rao, Vega Tamotia, Jaideep Ahlawat and Vijay Varma as Surya Sen’s associates.

Streaming on: Prime Video

Mangal Pandey: The Rising (2005)

Director: Ketan Mehta

Starring: Aamir Khan, Rani Mukerji, Ameesha Patel, Toby Stephens

This film revolves around the lesser-known story of Mangal Pandey, a sepoy in the British East India Company who played a key role in the events leading up to the Rebellion of 1857. Aamir Khan delivers a riveting performance as Mangal Pandey, portraying the sepoy's journey from a loyal soldier to a symbol of resistance against British rule. While Rani Mukerji plays courtesan in love with Mangal Pandey in the film, Ameesha plays a widow he saves from Sati. Against a grand canvas, the film spotlights the socio-political conditions and factors that led to the rebellion.

Streaming on: JioCinema