Action films impressed till one was old enough to know that such actions were performed by professional stuntmen or by the star under the guidance of a stuntman. Stunts are gimmicks that include car crashes, fighting, shooting while driving, falling from great heights, fighting on moving vehicles, jumping from a horse to a train, and so on.

A recent favourite action film is Jawan. It tries to address various social issues and is the tale of a father and son, both portrayed by Shah Rukh Khan. Azad (younger SRK) tries to avenge the injustice done to his parents and to women who, like his mother, were wrongfully imprisoned. Along with six woman allies, he takes the passengers of a subway train hostage. The fight scene where the health minister is taken to hospital and when Nayanthara’s character arrives is memorable. The most vibrant scene is when Azad and his team are captured by Kaalee (Vijay Sethupathi) and Azad’s father Vikram Rathore (older SRK) arrives with his old army buddies to protect them. My favourite scene is when they try to hijack Kaalee’s trucks, firing from bikes. It has ample thrills, patriotic vibe and an intense, action-packed plot. (Which is your favourite Indian action film in the last five years... February 28)

Moubani Paul

My favourite Indian action film in the last five years is the 2023 Bangla thriller Raktabeej, directed by Nandita Roy-Shiboprosad Mukherjee, and starring Victor Banerjee, Abir Chatterjee and Mimi Chakraborty. The film revolved around an accidental bomb blast in a firecracker unit which also exposed a threat to the life of the Indian president about to visit his ancestral village for participation in his family’s Durga Puja.

Kajal Chatterjee

I believe that though every aspect of any movie may be a shadow of real life yet there must be a touch of realism in it. Since the hero and anti-hero of the film Pathaan fulfilled these requirements, this is my favourite action movie.

The heroine, played by Deepika Padukone, with her punch of aggressive romance, also proved that she is no less than the men in any respect. Whether it be in fighting or chasing scenes, she is the embodiment of a true daredevil and on a par with an actor like Shah Rukh Khan. John Abraham and Salman Khan added extra punch to the action sequences. The specially-created train sequences are unforgettable moments that thrilled the old and young alike.

B N Das

My favourite Indian action film is Shershaah, a film based on the life of Captain Vikram Batra. An officer of the Indian army, he was awarded the Param Vir Chakra, India’s highest and most prestigious award for valour, for his actions during the 1999 Kargil war between India and Pakistan. Vikrant Batra’s love life is also depicted in this movie. Vikram is in love with Dimple, a Sikh lady. Her father rejects their relationship and Vikram decides to join the merchant navy for the sake of his fiancee, but later changes his mind. Vikram gets posted to Kashmir, a sensitive area where every civilian is a suspect. During his last mission, Captain Vikram dies, sacrificing his life for his country, his last words being “Bharat mata ki jai”.

Dayita Chakraborty

My favourite Indian action film in the last five years is the fantastic movie Uri: The Surgical Strike (2019) starring Vicky Kaushal, Yami Gautam Dhar, Paresh Rawal and Kirti Kulhari. It is based on the September 2016 retaliation surgical strikes carried out by the Indian army in response to the terrorist attack at Uri, the army camp in Kashmir, in which many Indian soldiers were killed. This Aditya Dhar-directed war drama was an action-packed movie full of superb action sequences. I watched this patriotic movie several times and each time was thrilling for me.

Sourish Misra