For years, filmmakers in India and around the world have captured India’s struggle for independence through cinema. The turbulent times and the myriad stories that came from it — right from the first revolt in 1857 to August 15, 1947 — have made it to the silver screen in poignant, emotional, even satirical films.
On this 75th Independence Day, spend the day binge watching these films that are sure to tug at your patriotic heartstrings.
Devi Chaudhurani (1974)
Dinen Gupta’s film adaptation of Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay's classic novel Devi Chaudhurani revolves around a woman from a typical, conventional Bengali family and her transformation into a name feared by the British. Bankim Chandra reinforced his call for a resurrected India that fights the oppression of the British Empire with power from within, based on concepts of austerity, devotion, and selflessness. Legendary film actress Suchitra Sen, who played the titular role, showed the transformation from Prafullamukhi Rai to Devi Chaudhurani flawlessly.
Sabyasachi (1977)
This Piyush Bose directorial was inspired by Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay's political novel Pather Dabi. Uttam Kumar's excellent performance in the titular role has immortalised the fictional character. The story revolves around a nationalist leader who has a keen mind, jaw-dropping ability to disguise himself, and an incredible love for his country. With comical yet sharp anecdotes on patriotic love present throughout, it truly is a film lover’s delight to watch.
Biyallish (1951)
This film, as the title suggests, depicts the turbulent year of 1942. Hemen Gupta directed Biyallish describes the turning point in the War for Independence. Many sequences in the film will tug at your heartstrings, and the words “Ingrej, Bharat chhoro” will linger in your mind long after the movie is done. It was a watershed moment in Indian history when people successfully resisted the colonisers. This film is a moving story of Indian freedom fighters confronting a police officer who embodies the tyranny of the colonial government. The main antagonist portrayed beautifully by legendary actor Bikash Roy tests the audience. This Pradeep Kumar-Bikash Roy starrer is one for the history books.
Garam Hava (1974)
This M.S. Sathyu venture is an icon. The poignant film exposed the everyday and sometimes overlooked realities of Partition — loss of identity. This film marked the final appearance of renowned actor Balraj Sahni and the debut of another iconic actor, Farooq Sheikh. This legendary film remains one of the best works of the Indian People Theatre Association (IPTA) director and his colleagues, Kaifi Azmi and Ismat Chugtai. This film features on every Independence Day or Partition history related binge watching list, and with good reason.
Gandhi (1982)
This film by Sir Richard Attenborough has cemented itself in the minds of cinephiles and history lovers as a definite movie on the period across the globe. Sir Ben Kingsley truly commands the attention of the audience in every one of his scenes in this biopic on the Father of the Nation. The film has been reviewed by many critics over the years, and Kingsley’s performance was lauded across generations.
Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose: The Forgotten Hero (2005)
No film list based on and around India’s struggle for Independence is complete without a film on Netaji. There have been many films over the years, paying tribute to the great freedom fighter, but director Shyam Benegal’s 2005 venture stands out. Initially set out to be a film for the Indian National Army (INA) soldiers, it turned into an homage to the ‘forgotten hero’ of India. Although the film disappeared from cinema theatres in a matter of weeks, Sachin Khedekar’s performance in the titular role has successfully left a mark on our minds. Fun fact, a young Jisshu Sengupta plays Netaji’s nephew, freedom fighter Sisir Kumar Bose.
Lagaan: Once Upon a Time in India (2001)
Set around the time the British Raj was at its mightiest and most oppressive, it chronicles an interesting event in the lives of the residents of a village in central India burdened by lagaan or taxes. They are challenged to a game of cricket as a wager to avoid paying the taxes they owe by an arrogant British Indian Army officer. The film was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film and featured an ensemble cast with Aamir Khan, Gracy Singh, Kulbhushan Kharbanda, Paul Blackthorne, Rachel Shelley, and others gracing the silver screen.
Mangal Pandey: The Rising (2005)
The revolt of 1857, which signified the beginning of Indian Independence, serves as the foundation for this Aamir Khan film. Though Ketan Mehta, the film's director, has taken certain liberties with some of the storyline and scenes, it still encapsulates well the events of the Great Revolt and the rise of its hero, sepoy Mangal Pandey of the 34th Bengal Native Infantry. Mangal Pandey premiered in the Marche du Film section at the Cannes Film Festival, with a remarkable playlist spearheaded by A.R. Rahman. This Aamir Khan-Rani Mukherji starrer is a favourite among cinephiles!
Chittagong (2012)
Spearheaded by director Bedabrata Pain, and starring brilliant actors including Manoj Bajpayee, Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Rajkummar Rao in prominent roles, ‘Chittagong’ is an homage to revolutionary Masterda Surya Sen. Following Surya Sen’s historical uprising against British rule through this film, it beautifully depicts the struggle and power of the ‘common man’.
Rang De Basanti (2006)
Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra’s Rang De Basanti featuring an ensemble cast — Aamir Khan, Kirron Kher, Siddharth, R. Madhavan, Soha Ali Khan, Atul Kulkarni, Kunal Kapoor, Sharman Joshi, Alice Patten and Waheeda — has a cult status in India. With haunting visuals, Rahman’s beautiful music, and the portrayal of the hard-hitting reality of corrupt politics, this was an immediate hit at the box office. While the film did receive criticism over its urbanised viewpoint of engagement, it did champion the idea of civic participation, with two narratives, set in different timelines (one in the present, and one documenting events during pre-Partition) cleverly woven together, and a climax that is sure to leave you teary-eyed.