Indian Films to Watch on Independence Day 2023 – Hindi, Telugu and Tamil

Indian Films to Watch on Independence Day: India celebrates its Independence Day on August 15th every year. This is a day to remember the sacrifices that were made by our freedom fighters to achieve independence. It is also a day to celebrate the diversity and rich culture of India.

There are many great Indian films that can be watched on Independence Day. These films can help us to understand the history of India, the struggles of our freedom fighters, and the diversity of our culture.

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Indian Films to Watch on Independence Day 2023

Here are some of the best patriotic films to watch this Independence Day:

Movie Title	Releasing Year	Lead Actor	Director	Relevance to Independence Day
Rang De Basanti	2006	Aamir Khan	Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra	Explores patriotism and youth activism
LOC: Kargil	2003	Multiple Actors	J.P. Dutta	Depicts the Kargil War
URI: The Surgical Strike	2019	Vicky Kaushal	Aditya Dhar	Showcases military operation
Raazi	2018	Alia Bhatt	Meghna Gulzar	Espionage during the Indo-Pak War
Border	1997	Sunny Deol	J.P. Dutta	Celebrates valor of Indian soldiers
Shershaah	2021	Sidharth Malhotra	Vishnuvardhan	Biopic of Captain Vikram Batra
Lakshya	2004	Hrithik Roshan	Farhan Akhtar	Focuses on a young man finding purpose in the Kargil War
Swades	2004	Shah Rukh Khan	Ashutosh Gowariker	Explores an NRI’s connection to India
Roja	1992	Arvind Swamy	Mani Ratnam	A story set against the backdrop of Kashmir conflict
Parmanu: The Story of Pokhran	2018	John Abraham	Abhishek Sharma	Depicts India’s nuclear tests
Chak De! India	2007	Shah Rukh Khan	Shimit Amin	Focuses on women’s field hockey team
Bhuj: The Pride of India	2021	Ajay Devgn	Abhishek Dudhaiya	Recounts the Indo-Pak War of 1971
Gandhi	1982	Ben Kingsley	Richard Attenborough	Biopic of Mahatma Gandhi
Airlift	2016	Akshay Kumar	Raja Krishna Menon	Evacuation of Indians from Kuwait during the Gulf War
Sardar Udham	2021	Vicky Kaushal	Shoojit Sircar	Biopic of Udham Singh, a freedom fighter
Lagaan	2001	Aamir Khan	Ashutosh Gowariker	Set during the British Raj, revolves around a cricket match
Article 15	2019	Ayushmann Khurrana	Anubhav Sinha	Addresses caste-based discrimination
Chittagong	2012	Manoj Bajpayee	Bedabrata Pain	Chronicles the Chittagong uprising
Major	2022	Adivi Sesh	Sashi Kiran Tikka	Biopic of Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan
A Wednesday	2008	Naseeruddin Shah	Neeraj Pandey	Deals with terrorism and the common man’s response
Rocketry: The Nambi Effect	2022	R. Madhavan	R. Madhavan	Biopic of ISRO scientist Nambi Narayanan
RRR	2022	N/A	S.S. Rajamouli	Fictional story with freedom struggle backdrop
Mission Mangal	2019	Akshay Kumar	Jagan Shakti	Depicts ISRO’s Mars Orbiter Mission
Madras Cafe	2013	John Abraham	Shoojit Sircar	Involves the Sri Lankan civil war
Sye Raa Narasimha Reddy	2019	Chiranjeevi	Surender Reddy	Biopic of Uyyalawada Narasimha Reddy, pre-independence rebel
Phantom	2015	Saif Ali Khan	Kabir Khan	Counter-terrorism operations
Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose	2004	Sachin Khedekar	Shyam Benegal	Biopic of Subhas Chandra Bose
Gadar: Ek Prem Katha	2001	Sunny Deol	Anil Sharma	Set during the Partition of India
Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi	2019	Kangana Ranaut	Kangana Ranaut	Biopic of Rani Lakshmibai, a freedom fighter
Gold	2018	Akshay Kumar	Reema Kagti	Chronicles India’s first Olympic gold medal as a free nation
Gunjan Saxena	2020	Janhvi Kapoor	Sharan Sharma	Biopic of Indian Air Force’s first female combat pilot
The Legend of Bhagat Singh	2002	Ajay Devgn	Rajkumar Santoshi	Biopic of Bhagat Singh and his struggle for independence
Mangal Pandey: The Rising	2005	Aamir Khan	Ketan Mehta	Revolves around the Indian Rebellion of 1857
Bombay	1995	Arvind Swamy	Mani Ratnam	Addresses religious and communal tensions
Hey Ram	2000	Kamal Haasan	Kamal Haasan	Set against the backdrop of the partition and Mahatma Gandhi
Satyamev Jayate	2018	John Abraham	Milap Zaveri	Deals with corruption and social issues
Thuppakki	2012	Vijay	A.R. Murugadoss	Involves a soldier’s mission against terrorism
Neerja	2016	Sonam Kapoor	Ram Madhvani	Biopic of Neerja Bhanot, a flight attendant and hero
Indian	1996	Kamal Haasan	S. Shankar	Explores corruption and vigilantism
Baby	2015	Akshay Kumar	Neeraj Pandey	Counter-terrorism operations
Deewar	1975	Amitabh Bachchan	Yash Chopra	Explores the relationship between two brothers
Anand	1971	Rajesh Khanna	Hrishikesh Mukherjee	Celebrates life and friendship
Sarfarosh	1999	Aamir Khan	John Mathew Matthan	Fight against terrorism and the dedication of law enforcement
Independence Day	1996	Will Smith	Roland Emmerich	Celebrates American Independence, indirectly relevant
We Play With Our Lives	1973	Parikshat Sahni	Rajendra Bhatia	Reflects on social issues and personal choices
Mother India	1957	Nargis	Mehboob Khan	Portrays a woman’s struggle and dedication
1942: A Love Story	1994	Anil Kapoor	Vidhu Vinod Chopra	Set against the backdrop of India’s struggle for freedom
Purab Aur Paschim	1970	Manoj Kumar	Manoj Kumar	Explores cultural differences between East and West
Kranti	1981	Dilip Kumar	Manoj Kumar	Set during the British Raj, depicts the fight for freedom
Krantiveer	1994	Nana Patekar	Mehul Kumar	Addresses corruption and injustice

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Here we have also covered Indian films to watch on independence day in Telugu and Tamil languages. Let’s dive deep into the best movies to watch on Indian independence day.

Rang De Basanti (2006)

Rang De Basanti is a 2006 Indian Hindi-language war drama film directed by Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra. The film stars Aamir Khan, R. Madhavan, Siddharth, Kunal Kapoor, Sharman Joshi, Ameesha Patel, Soha Ali Khan, and Atul Kulkarni. The film is set in the backdrop of the Kargil War and tells the story of a group of college students who are inspired by the life and work of Bhagat Singh to fight for their country.

LOC: Kargil (2003)

LOC: Kargil is a 2003 Indian Hindi-language war film directed by J. P. Dutta. The film stars Sanjay Dutt, Ajay Devgn, Saif Ali Khan, Abhishek Bachchan, Manoj Bajpai, Suniel Shetty, Sanjay Kapoor, and Paresh Rawal. The film is set during the Kargil War and tells the story of the Indian Army’s fight against the Pakistani Army.

URI: The Surgical Strike (2019)

URI: The Surgical Strike is a 2019 Indian Hindi-language war film directed by Aditya Dhar. The film stars Vicky Kaushal, Yami Gautam, Kirti Kulhari, and Paresh Rawal. The film is based on the 2016 Uri attack and tells the story of the Indian Army’s surgical strikes against Pakistan.

Raazi (2018)

Raazi is a 2018 Indian Hindi-language spy thriller film directed by Meghna Gulzar. The film stars Alia Bhatt, Vicky Kaushal, Rajit Kapur, and Jaideep Ahlawat. The film is based on the life of an Indian spy, who is sent to Pakistan to gather intelligence during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971.

Border (1997)

Border is a 1997 Indian Hindi-language war film directed by J. P. Dutta. The film stars Sunny Deol, Jackie Shroff, Sunil Shetty, Akshaye Khanna, and Saif Ali Khan. The film is set during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 and tells the story of the Battle of Longewala.

Shershaah (2021)

Shershaah is a 2021 Indian Hindi-language biographical war film directed by Vishnuvardhan. The film stars Sidharth Malhotra, Kiara Advani, and Shiv Panditt. The film is based on the life of Captain Vikram Batra, who was posthumously awarded the Param Vir Chakra for his bravery during the Kargil War.

Lakshya (2004)

Lakshya is a 2004 Indian Hindi-language war film directed by Farhan Akhtar. The film stars Hrithik Roshan, Preity Zinta, Abhishek Bachchan, and Farhan Akhtar. The film is set during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 and tells the story of a young man who joins the Indian Army to fight for his country.

Swades (2004)

Swades is a 2004 Indian Hindi-language drama film directed by Ashutosh Gowariker. The film stars Shah Rukh Khan, Gayatri Joshi, Rani Mukerji, and Kishori Kulkarni. The film is set in the United States and tells the story of an Indian-American who returns to India to find his roots.

Roja (1992)

Roja is a 1992 Indian Tamil-language romantic thriller film directed by Mani Ratnam. The film stars Madhavan, Arvind Swamy, and Roja. The film is set in the backdrop of the Sri Lankan Civil War and tells the story of a young woman who is kidnapped by the Sri Lankan Army and her husband’s efforts to save her.

Parmanu: The Story of Pokhran (2018)

Parmanu: The Story of Pokhran is a 2018 Indian Hindi-language biographical drama film directed by Abhishek Sharma. The film stars John Abraham, Boman Irani, Dimple Kapadia, and Sanya Malhotra. The film is based on the Indian nuclear tests of 1998 and tells the story of the scientists and engineers who made it possible.

Chak De! India (2007)

Chak De! India is a 2007 Indian Hindi-language sports drama film directed by Shimit Amin. The film stars Shah Rukh Khan, Vidya Malvade, Shikha Talsania, and Tanya Abrol. The film is set in the backdrop of women’s international field hockey and tells the story of a former Indian hockey captain who coaches the Indian women’s national hockey team to victory at the World Cup.

Bhuj: The Pride of India (2021)

Bhuj: The Pride of India is a 2021 Indian Hindi-language historical war film directed by Abhishek Dudhaiya. The film stars Ajay Devgn, Sanjay Dutt, Sonakshi Sinha, Nora Fatehi, Ammy Virk, and Sharad Kelkar. The film is based on the true story of the 360 women of the Indian Air Force who sewed and painted the runway of Bhuj airport during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971.

Know About Wars Fought By India Post Independence

Gandhi (1982)

Gandhi is a 1982 British biographical film directed by Richard Attenborough. The film stars Ben Kingsley, Candice Bergen, John Gielgud, Martin Sheen, and Trevor Howard. The film is based on the life of Mahatma Gandhi, the leader of the Indian independence movement.

Airlift (2016)

Airlift is a 2016 Indian Hindi-language historical drama film directed by Raja Krishna Menon. The film stars Akshay Kumar, Nimrat Kaur, and Purab Kohli. The film is based on the true story of the evacuation of 170,000 Indians from Kuwait during the Gulf War.

Sardar Udham (2021)

Sardar Udham is a 2021 Indian Hindi-language biographical film directed by Shoojit Sircar. The film stars Vicky Kaushal, Shaunak Sen, and Amol Parashar. The film is based on the life of Sardar Udham Singh, the revolutionary who assassinated Michael O’Dwyer, the former Lieutenant Governor of Punjab in British India.

Lagaan (2001)

Lagaan is a 2001 Indian Hindi-language sports drama film directed by Ashutosh Gowariker. The film stars Aamir Khan, Gracy Singh, and Rachel Weisz. The film is set in 1893 and tells the story of a group of villagers who challenge the British to a game of cricket in order to save their village from being taxed.

Article 15 (2019)

Article 15 is a 2019 Indian Hindi-language crime drama film directed by Anubhav Sinha. The film stars Ayushman Khurrana, Isha Talwar, Manoj Pahwa, Kumud Mishra, and Sayani Gupta. The film is based on the 2017 Badaun gang rape case and tells the story of a police officer who investigates the rape and murder of two young Dalit girls.

Chittagong (2012)

Chittagong is a 2012 Indian Bengali-language historical thriller film directed by Anjan Das. The film stars Dev, Jaya Ahsan, and Rahul Bose. The film is based on the Chittagong armoury raid, which was carried out by a group of young revolutionaries in 1930.

Major (2022)

Major is a 2022 Indian Hindi-language biographical action film directed by Sashi Kiran Tikka. The film stars Adivi Sesh, Saiee Manjrekar, Sobhita Dhulipala, Prakash Raj, and Revathi. The film is based on the life of Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan, the NSG commando who was martyred in the 2008 Mumbai attacks.

A Wednesday (2008)

A Wednesday is a 2008 Indian Hindi-language thriller film directed by Neeraj Pandey. The film stars Naseeruddin Shah, Anupam Kher, Jimmy Shergill, and Tisca Chopra. The film tells the story of a man who calls the police and threatens to bomb a public place unless his demands are met.

Rocketry: The Nambi Effect (2022)

Rocketry: The Nambi Effect is a 2022 Indian biographical drama film written and directed by R. Madhavan in his directorial debut. The film stars Madhavan as Nambi Narayanan, a former scientist and aerospace engineer of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) who was falsely accused of being a spy.

RRR (2022)

RRR is a 2022 Indian Telugu-language action film written and directed by S. S. Rajamouli. The film stars N. T. Rama Rao Jr., Ram Charan, Ajay Devgn, Alia Bhatt, Olivia Morris, Samuthirakani, Alison Doody, Ray Stevenson, and Shriya Saran. The film is set in 1920s India and tells the story of two freedom fighters who team up to fight against the British Raj.

Mission Mangal (2019)

Mission Mangal is a 2019 Indian Hindi-language science fiction drama film directed by Jagan Shakti. The film stars Akshay Kumar, Vidya Balan, Taapsee Pannu, Nithya Menen, Kirti Kulhari, and Sharman Joshi. The film is based on the true story of the Indian Space Research Organisation’s (ISRO) Mars Orbiter Mission.

Madrad Cafe (2013)

Madras Cafe is a 2013 Indian political thriller film written and directed by Shoojit Sircar. The film stars John Abraham, Nargis Fakhri, and Anupam Kher. The film tells the story of an Indian intelligence officer who is sent to Sri Lanka to investigate the assassination of a Tamil politician.

Sye Raa Narasimha Reddy (2019)

Sye Raa Narasimha Reddy is a 2019 Indian Telugu-language historical action film written and directed by Surender Reddy. The film stars Chiranjeevi, Amitabh Bachchan, Vijay Sethupathi, Nayanthara, Tamannaah Bhatia, Sudeep, and Jagapati Babu. The film is based on the life of Uyyalawada Narasimha Reddy, a Telugu freedom fighter who fought against the British Raj.

Phantom (2015)

Phantom is a 2015 Indian Hindi-language action thriller film written and directed by Kabir Khan. The film stars Saif Ali Khan, Katrina Kaif, and Irrfan Khan. The film tells the story of an Indian intelligence officer who is sent to Pakistan to investigate the activities of a terrorist group.

Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose: The Forgotten Hero (2013)

Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose: The Forgotten Hero is a 2013 Indian Bengali-language biographical film written and directed by Shyam Benegal. The film stars Prosenjit Chatterjee, Anupam Kher, Manoj Bajpai, and Rani Mukerji. The film is based on the life of Subhas Chandra Bose, the Indian independence leader who founded the Indian National Army.

Gadar: Ek Prem Katha (2001)

Gadar: Ek Prem Katha is a 2001 Indian Hindi-language action drama film directed by Anil Sharma. The film stars Sunny Deol, Ameesha Patel, and Utkarsh Sharma. The film tells the story of a Sikh man who falls in love with a Hindu woman and then has to fight for her freedom during the Partition of India.

Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi (2019)

Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi is a 2019 Indian Hindi-language historical action film written and directed by Radha Krishna Jagarlamudi. The film stars Kangana Ranaut, Athiya Shetty, and Jisshu Sengupta. The film is based on the life of Lakshmibai, the queen of Jhansi who fought against the British during the Indian Rebellion of 1857.

Gold (2018)

Gold is a 2018 Indian Hindi-language sports drama film directed by Reema Kagti. The film stars Akshay Kumar, Mouni Roy, and Amit Sadh. The film tells the story of the Indian men’s hockey team that won the gold medal at the 1948 Summer Olympics.

Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl (2020)

Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl is a 2020 Indian Hindi-language biographical drama film directed by Sharan Sharma. The film stars Janhvi Kapoor, Pankaj Tripathi, Angad Bedi, and Vijay Raaz. The film is based on the life of Gunjan Saxena, the first woman combat aviator in the Indian Air Force.

The Legend of Bhagat Singh (2002)

The Legend of Bhagat Singh is a 2002 Indian Hindi-language biographical film directed by Rajkumar Santoshi. The film stars Ajay Devgn, Amrita Rao, and Dimple Kapadia. The film is based on the life of Bhagat Singh, a revolutionary who fought against the British Raj.

Mangal Pandey: The Rising (2005)

Mangal Pandey: The Rising is a 2005 Indian Hindi-language historical action film directed by Ketan Mehta. The film stars Aamir Khan, Rani Mukerji, and Toby Stephens. The film is based on the life of Mangal Pandey, a sepoy in the British East India Company’s Bengal Army who is credited with sparking the Indian Rebellion of 1857.

Bombay (1995)

Bombay is a 1995 Indian Hindi-language crime drama film written and directed by Mani Ratnam. The film stars Arvind Swamy, Manisha Koirala, and Nandita Das. The film tells the story of two young lovers from different religious backgrounds who are caught up in the violence of the Bombay riots of 1992-93.

Hey Ram (2000)

Hey Ram is a 2000 Indian Tamil-language political thriller film written and directed by Kamal Haasan. The film stars Kamal Haasan, Urmila Matondkar, and Om Puri. The film tells the story of a Tamil Hindu man who travels back in time to the period leading up to the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi to investigate the conspiracy behind his death.

Satyamev Jayate (2018)

Satyamev Jayate is a 2018 Indian Hindi-language action thriller film directed by Milap Zaveri. The film stars John Abraham, Manoj Bajpai, and Aisha Sharma. The film tells the story of a police officer who takes the law into his own hands to punish criminals.

Thuppakki (2012)

Thuppakki is a 2012 Indian Tamil-language action film written and directed by AR Murugadoss. The film stars Vijay, Kajal Aggarwal, and Sudeep. The film tells the story of a RAW agent who goes undercover as a gangster to stop a terrorist attack.

Neerja (2016)

Neerja is a 2016 Indian Hindi-language biographical drama film directed by Ram Madhvani. The film stars Sonakshi Sinha, Shabana Azmi, and Jimmy Shergill. The film is based on the life of Neerja Bhanot, a flight attendant who was killed in the 1986 hijacking of Pan Am Flight 73.

Indian (2001)

Indian is a 2001 Indian Hindi-language action thriller film directed by Shankar. The film stars Salman Khan, Preity Zinta, and Sohail Khan. The film tells the story of a man who is framed for a crime he did not commit and then sets out to clear his name.

Baby (2015)

Baby is a 2015 Indian Hindi-language action thriller film written and directed by Neeraj Pandey. The film stars Akshay Kumar, Anupam Kher, and Taapsee Pannu. The film tells the story of a RAW agent who leads a team of black ops agents to stop a terrorist attack.

Deewar (1975)

Deewar is a 1975 Indian Hindi-language crime drama film written by Salim–Javed and directed by Yash Chopra. The film stars Amitabh Bachchan, Shashi Kapoor, and Jaya Bachchan. The film tells the story of two brothers who grow up on opposite sides of the law.

Anand (1971)

Anand is a 1971 Indian Hindi-language drama film written by Hrishikesh Mukherjee and Gulzar and directed by Mukherjee. The film stars Amitabh Bachchan and Rajesh Khanna. The film tells the story of two men who become friends despite their different backgrounds.

Sarfarosh (1999)

Sarfarosh is a 1999 Indian Hindi-language action thriller film written and directed by John Matthew Matthan. The film stars Ajay Devgn, Suniel Shetty, and Sonali Bendre. The film tells the story of an Indian Police Service officer who goes undercover to stop a terrorist attack.

We Play With Our Lives (1967)

We Play With Our Lives is a 1967 Indian Hindi-language drama film directed by Chetan Anand. The film stars Dharmendra, Saira Banu, and Pran. The film tells the story of two brothers who are involved in the Indian independence movement.

Mother India (1957)

Mother India is a 1957 Indian Hindi-language epic drama film directed by Mehboob Khan. The film stars Nargis, Sunil Dutt, and Rajendra Kumar. The film tells the story of a woman who sacrifices everything for her family.

1942: A Love Story (1994)

1942: A Love Story is a 1994 Indian Hindi-language romantic drama film written and directed by Vidhu Vinod Chopra. The film stars Anil Kapoor, Madhuri Dixit, and Jackie Shroff. The film tells the story of two lovers who are torn apart by the Partition of India.

Purab Aur Paschim (1970)

Purab Aur Paschim is a 1970 Indian Hindi-language action thriller film directed by Manmohan Desai. The film stars Amitabh Bachchan, Dharmendra, and Zeenat Aman. The film tells the story of two brothers who are on opposite sides of the law.

Kranti (1981)

Kranti is a 1981 Indian Hindi-language action film directed by Manoj Kumar. The film stars Manoj Kumar, Hema Malini, and Shatrughan Sinha. The film tells the story of a freedom fighter who fights against the British Raj.

Krantiveer (1994)

Krantiveer is a 1994 Indian Hindi-language action film directed by Mehul Kumar. The film stars Sanjay Dutt, Raveena Tandon, and Danny Denzongpa. The film tells the story of a young man who becomes a vigilante to fight against corruption.

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