This Republic Day weekend, get ready to witness the valour and sacrifices of Indian soldiers on the big screen in Anurag Singh's Border 2. Set against the backdrop of the 1971 Indo-Pakistani War, the film features Sunny Deol, Varun Dhawan, Diljit Dosanjh and Ahan Shetty in lead roles. If you have already watched the film and your heart is craving more war dramas, here is a curated list of Bollywood gems that you can stream this weekend.
Border (1997) – YouTube
A prequel to Border 2, the film is based on the real-life Battle of Longewala during the 1971 India-Pakistan war. It depicts a small company of 120 Indian Army and BSF soldiers holding their post through the night against a massive Pakistani infantry and tank assault force. The ensemble cast includes Sunny Deol, Suniel Shetty, Akshaye Khanna, Jackie Shroff and others.
LOC: Kargil (2003) – Prime Video
The film narrates a dramatic version of Operation Vijay, the Indian Army's efforts to reclaim strategic heights in the Kargil sector from Pakistani infiltrators who had crossed the Line of Control. The cast features Sanjay Dutt, Ajay Devgn, Saif Ali Khan, Abhishek Bachchan and Suniel Shetty in key roles.
Lakshya (2004) – Prime Video
Set against the backdrop of the 1999 Kargil War, the film follows the transformation of an aimless young man into a disciplined army officer. He matures into a Lieutenant who leads a mission to capture a strategic peak during the conflict.
Ab Tumhare Hawale Watan Saathiyo (2004) – ZEE5
The film revolves around three generations of a military family, their personal sacrifices and a mission to thwart a terrorist attack on the Amarnath Yatra. It features Amitabh Bachchan as Major General Amarjeet Singh, while Bobby Deol plays a dual role as Captain Kunaljeet Singh and Lieutenant Commander Vikramjeet Singh.
The Ghazi Attack (2017) – Netflix
The film is based on the mysterious sinking of the Pakistani submarine PNS Ghazi during the 1971 Indo-Pakistani War. The story follows the crew of the Indian submarine INS Karanj on a critical reconnaissance mission.
Uri: The Surgical Strike (2019) – Zee5
Vicky Kaushal won hearts with his breakout performance in Aditya Dhar's Uri: The Surgical Strike. He bagged the Best Actor award at the 2019 National Film Awards for portraying Major Vihaan Singh Shergill. The story centres on the covert surgical strikes across the Line of Control carried out by the Indian armed forces.
Kesari (2019) – Prime Video
Headlined by Akshay Kumar, Kesari is a tale of unwavering bravery by Havildar Ishar Singh, a British Indian Army soldier. He led 21 courageous Sikh soldiers who fought valiantly against 10,000 Pashtun invaders in the 1897 Battle of Saragarhi. Parineeti Chopra also features in the film.
Shershaah (2021) – Prime Video
Sidharth Malhotra steps into the role of Captain Vikram Batra, a real-life war hero martyred during Operation Vijay. Featuring Kiara Advani as his love interest, the film is set during the 1999 Kargil War and chronicles Vikram Batra's courage, leadership and sacrifice.
Sam Bahadur (2023) – Zee5
This Meghna Gulzar directorial shines a spotlight on India's first Field Marshal, Sam Manekshaw, portrayed by Vicky Kaushal. Manekshaw played a pivotal role in India's victory in the 1971 India-Pakistan war. The film also offers insights into his personal life, highlighting his wit, love for cooking and fondness for ballroom dancing.
120 Bahadur (2025) – Prime Video
Farhan Akhtar delivers a powerful performance as Major Shaitan Singh Bhati of the Kumaon Regiment. Posthumously awarded the Param Vir Chakra, the film, inspired by real-life events, revisits the 1962 Sino-Indian War. Bhati, along with 120 soldiers, fought against overwhelming odds during the heroic Battle of Rezang La.
