PremiumAhead of Ae Watan Mere Watan, 7 unconventional films about Indian freedom struggle – Shaheed to Rang De Basanti
As Sara Ali Khan starrer Ae Watan Mere Watan is now up for release next week, let’s take a look at some very interesting movies in the same genre.
Last Updated: 02.50 PM, Mar 16, 2024
While we thought biopics were just the flavour of the season many seasons ago, we were not ready for them to remain in season for years. Over the past few years, the abundance of movies based on either niche figures from Indian history or popular ones has become a massive topic of discussion. Also under discussion is what the movies have to offer. The conversation around agenda, propaganda, and the unbiased presentation of stories is prevalent. Amid all of this, there are always some films that shine like beacons of hope. These films are what keep our faith alive in the genre, and we wait for them with bated breath. A new movie now awaits us next week as we gear up for the release. Yes, we are talking about Ae Watan Mere Watan.
Starring Sara Ali Khan in the lead, Ae Watan Mere Watan is the biopic of Usha Mehta, who ran a secret radio to fight for India's independence. Her contribution to the Indian independence movement is immense, and the fact that we are finally getting to watch a movie about her in itself is a big victory. The trailer that was released on YouTube has given us a sneak peek into the world created by director Kannan Iyer and backed by Karan Johar. The movie looks authentic with its setup and has some amazing acting talent besides Sara, like Sparsh Srivastava and Emraan Hashmi alongside the star.
So as we now gear up for the release of Ae Watan Mere Watan, which releases on March 21, 2024, let’s take a look at some unconventional films about Indian freedom fighters and ones that made quite the impact and stayed away from jingoism (which, we ffel, should be the norm).
Rang De Basanti (2006)
Cast: Aamir Khan, Sharman Joshi, Kunal Kapoor, Siddharth, R Madhavan, and Soha Ali Khan.
Director: Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra.
Streaming On: Netflix.
No list of movies that talk of the freedom struggle in an unconventional way can begin without mentioning the Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra classic, Rang De Basanti. This film had parallel plots where a bunch of young folks were inspired by the legendary works of Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev, and Rajguru. The movie draws parallels between their fight for their respective causes, and the movie shapes up to be an iconic affair. The music is by AR Rahman and is one of the best albums Hindu cinema has ever witnessed.
Raazi (2018)
Cast: Alia Bhatt, Vicky Kaushal, and Jaideep Ahlawat.
Director: Meghna Gulzar.
Streaming On: Prime Video.
Meghna Gulzar taught every filmmaker who came after her how to make a movie about the India-Pakistan conflict without demonising the neighbouring country and still putting across the point impactfully. Based on the book Calling Sehmat, Raazi stars Alia Bhatt as an Indian spy who is on a mission and gets married to a Pakistani soldier. The movie was a poetic homage to a very inspiring figure and was loved for the simplistic on-screen translation of a very powerful script.
Sardar Udham (2021)
Cast: Vicky Kaushal and Banita Sandhu.
Director: Shoojit Sircar.
Streaming On: Prime Video.
The most underrated of them all, Sardar Udham, will always be that one film we regret not getting to watch on the biggest screen. A cinematic masterpiece, Shoojit Sircar set out to tell the story of a man who met a tragedy and chose to fight from the shadows. The movie was a bulletproof portrayal of an iconic figure, and the way the story was presented was loved by the audience. It will always have a special place in many hearts.
The Legend Of Bhagat Singh (2002)
Cast: Ajay Devgn, Sushant Singh, and D. Santosh.
Director: Rajkumar Santoshi.
Streaming On: Prime Video and YouTube
The Legend Of Bhagat Singh has found legendary status over the years and rightly so. It is one of the rare Rajkumar Santoshi directorials that is not just an unconventional movie for the industry but even in his own filmography. Starring Ajay Devgn, the movie was more about the three friends and the life that they left behind to free their motherland. The film was personal and that made it stand out.
Gandhi (1982)
Cast: Ben Kingsley, Rohini Hattangadi, Jon Geilgud, and Roshan.
Director: Richard Attenborough.
Streaming On: JioCinema.
Okay, we are all fascinated by a movie that took the world by storm and was at the Oscars, where it even lifted the trophy. The cult classic 1982 Gandhi was not exactly a Bollywood movie, but it was still a celebrated piece of art in the country. Ben Kingsley, an actor who was loved in the country over time, cracked the character of Mahatma Gandhi so perfectly that he almost looked like a clone. Rohini Hattangadi’s performance as Kasturba is considered a masterclass.
Chittagong (2012)
Cast: Manoj Bajpayee, Barry John, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Rajkummar Rao, and Jaideep Ahlawat.
Director: Bedabrata Pain.
Streaming On: Google Play and YouTube (on rent)
This is one movie that didn’t get the recognition it should have. It has an ensemble that a filmmaker can only dream of today. Actors as stellar as Manoj Bajpayee, Rajkumar Rao, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Jaideep Ahlawat, and more came together to make a movie about the distress in Chittagong. It isn’t an easy landscape to showcase in a movie, even cinematically, but Bedabrata Pain took the challenge and gave us a worthy movie.
Shaheed (1965)
Cast: Manoj Kumar, Kamini Kaushal, Nirupa Roy.
Director: S. Ram Sharma.
Streaming On: Zee5.
Manoj Kumar’s Shaheed is a movie that walked so the rest could fly. Some of the most legendary people got together to make a movie about Bhagat Singh. It is interesting how three movies with different perspectives about the same freedom fighter have all turned out to be rewarding. Back in the day, the movie managed to create massive buzz, and there is no way it wouldn’t make it to this list.
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