Sam Bahadur: 7 gripping Indian war and spy dramas based on real-life events

The Meghna Gulzar directorial Sam Bahadur is a Hindi biographical war drama film that serves as a tribute to India's first Field Marshal and a legendary Army General, Sam Manekshaw, MC, who was called “Sam Bahadur” by the men he led. From the World War II Burma campaign, the Sino-Indian War, and the 1971 Indo-Pakistani War that created Bangladesh, his illustrious career was instrumental in shaping India's borders. The film features Vicky Kaushal in the titular role, with Fatima Sana Shaikh, Sanya Malhotra, Neeraj Kabi, Edward Sonnenblick, and Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub in prominent roles. So, for today’s list, we have created a list of seven riveting dramas like Sam Bahadur that you can stream right now.

Sardar Udham (2021) - Amazon Prime Video

This 2021 Vicky Kaushal film, Sardar Udham, is directed by Shoojit Sircar. It is based on the life of the Punjabi freedom fighter, Udham Singh, who assassinated Michael O’Dwyer in London to avenge the Jallianwala Bagh massacre of 1919. The film also features performances from Shaun Scott, Stephen Hogan, Amol Parashar, and Kirsty Averton among others.

Raazi (2018) - Amazon Prime Video

Directed by Meghna Gulzar, Raazi is a 2018 film based on Harinder Sikka’s 2008 novel Calling Sehmat. The plot revolves around an Indian RAW agent who is married into a Pakistani family of military officers, to collect intel for India before the 1971 Indo-Pak war. The film features Alia Bhatt in the lead role alongside performances from Vicky Kaushal, Rajit Kapur, Shishir Sharma, and Jaideep Ahlawat. It was also a landmark box-office success for a female-led project

Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl (2020) - Netflix

Set against the backdrop of the Kargil War in 1999, Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl film depicts the inspiring tale of Gunjan Saxena, played by Janhvi Kapoor, who was one of India's first female combat aviators. The 2020 film is helmed by Sharan Sharma, and it is a tribute to the monumental achievements of Gunjan Saxena. It explores how Saxena broke societal norms by becoming one of the first Indian women to fly through a combat zone. The film also features Pankaj Tripathi and Angad Bedi in supporting roles.

Border (1997) - Amazon Prime Video

Border is a 1997 Hindi war drama film directed by JP Dutta, set during the 1971 Indo-Pakistan War.  The film depicts the real-life Battle of Longewala, which saw a small contingent of Indian soldiers valiantly defend their post against the onslaught of a much bigger Pakistani force. Sunny Deol leads an ensemble cast that includes Jackie  Shroff, Sunil Shetty, Akshaye Khanna, Puneet Issar, Sudesh Berry, and Kulbhushan Kharbanda in the lead roles.

Kesari (2019) - Amazon Prime Video

Set against the North-West Frontier Province backdrop, Kesari tells the tale of the Battle of Saragarhi; which saw 21 brave Sikh soldiers battling to defend against 10,000 Afghan invaders in 1897. Directed by Anurag Singh, the 2019 film features performances from Akshay Kumar, Parineeti Chopra, and Vikram Singh Chauhan among others.

The Ghazi Attack (2017) - Amazon Prime Video

The Ghazi Attack is a 2017 Indian war film inspired by the true events revolving around the mysterious sinking of PNS Ghazi during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971. The film revolves around how an executive naval officer of the Indian Navy and his team remained underwater for 18 days. Directed by Sankalp Reddy, the film stars Kay Kay Menon, Atul Kulkarni, Rana Daggubati, Taapsee Pannu, and Satya Dev.

Uri: The Surgical Strike (2019) - ZEE5

The directorial debut of Aditya Dhar is the 2019 film film Uri: The Surgical Strike. It serves as a fictionalised account of true events surrounding the retaliation to the 2016 Uri attack. The plot follows Major Vihaan Shergill of a Special Forces unit, played by Vicky Kaushal, as he leads his team on a dangerous mission. Yami Gautam, Paresh Rawal, Kirti Kulhari, and Mohit Raina essay other prominent roles in the film.

These seven films, much like Sam Bahadur, present a glimpse into the lives of extraordinary individuals and the indomitable spirit of the Indian armed forces.

Well that's the time we got for this episode, until the next it's your host Nikhil signing out.

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Written By Sidharth A R