Five patriotic movies to watch on Republic Day 2021

Today is India's 72nd Republic Day

Indians across the world are celebrating the nation's 72nd Republic Day today. The special occasion focuses on cherishing the ideals which form the basis of the Constitution. Over the years, several filmmakers have paid tribute to the ‘Idea of India’ through their work. Here are five popular patriotic movies that enjoy a strong fan following.

Sye Raa Narasimha Reddy (Telugu, 2019)

The pan-India movie dealt with the life of a ‘forgotten hero’ while highlighting the dark side of the British rule. The film featured several hard-hitting dialogues that paid tribute to the undying spirit of the janta. The Chiranjeevi-starrer had a stellar cast that included Tamannaah, Nayanthara, Amitabh Bachchan, Sudeep and Jagapathi Babu. It opened to a good response in the Telugu states but failed to make an impact in other markets.

Namastey London (Hindi, 2007)

The film, which was a complete commercial entertainer, revolved around the differences between Indian and western cultures. The Akshay Kumar-starrer featured quite a few hard-hitting dialogues that clicked with the ‘desi’ audience. The Himesh Reshammiya-composed soundtrack proved to a highlight of the blockbuster. Namastey London starred Katrina Kaif as the leading lady and marked her first collaboration with the ‘Khiladi’. The biggie, interestingly, had shades of the yesteryear classic Purab Aur Pachhim.

Rang De Basanti (Hindi, 2006)

The Aamir Khan-starrer, which hit the screens on this day 15 years ago, revolved around the journey of three close friends and highlighted the need to question those in authority. The biggie, which featured tributes to freedom fighters, emerged as a big hit at the box office while receiving rave reviews.

Swades (Hindi, 2004)

Swades, director Ashutosh Gowariker’s labour of love, revolved around how a NASA scientist falls in love with his motherland all over again. Many feel it was a celebration of the ‘real India’ that is synonymous with warmth and tranquility. The Shah Rukh Khan-starrer proved to be a commercial failure despite positive reviews.

Indian (Tamil, 1996)

The Shankar-directed classic touched upon an ageing freedom fighter’s war against corruption and struck a chord with its effective presentation. The vigilante-drama had a stellar cast headlined by Kamal Haasan, Manisha Koirala and Urmila Matondkar. It was partially reshot in Hindi as Hindustani. Indian 2, a sequel to the classic, is likely to release in theatres sometime next year.