Kargil Vijay Diwas 2023: Bollywood movies that paid homage to the armed forces

The Kargil Vijay Divas on 26th July, every year reminds us of the valourous tales of our armed forces. Let's celebrate the day with movies that celebrate the resilience of our armed forces---by Amrita Ghosh

Kargil Vijay Divas is a proud occasion for Indians to celebrate the valour and sacrifice of the brave hearts who laid down their lives for our motherland. The indomitable spirit of the Indian Army is celebrated and we as a nation have a lot to celebrate on this momentous occasion. The tales of bravery echo through the valleys of Kashmir as our soldiers fought in the tricky and harsh mountainous terrains of Kargil in Jammu and Kashmir. Over the years, quite a many film has been made that pay tribute to our Kargil heroes and to the armed forces in general. ‘Shershaah’, ‘Uri: The surgical strike’, ‘Major’ are films in recent times that celebrate the valour of our soldiers.

Shershaah

A biographical film on Captain Vikram Batra, the movie was released in 2021. The movie takes us through the life of Captain Vikram Batra, a young officer of the Indian army who laid down his life during the Kargil War. Directed by Vishnuvardhan and starring Siddharth Malhotra in the lead role, Sher Shah takes us through the journey of this young captain from humble beginnings to heroic sacrifice. The movie unfolds with Captain Batra's unwavering determination to protect his country's sovereignty. It highlights the audacious mission during the Kargil War, where he led his troop in the battle to recapture Point 4875, which was a turning point in the conflict. The film showcases the camaraderie among soldiers, their emotional turmoil, and the sacrifices made to defend the motherland. "Sher Shah" not only celebrates Captain Batra's bravery but also portrays the human side of a soldier who loved his family and nation with equal passion.

URI: The Surgical Strike

The movie released in 2019, directed by Aditya Dhar, starring Vicky Kaushal in the lead. He played the role of Major Vihaan Singh Shergill who played a covert operation against a group of militants who attacked an army base in Uri killing many soldiers. Though not directly related to the Kargil War, the film stands as a poignant reminder of the continuous valor displayed by our forces in safeguarding the nation's security. The movie resonates with the pride of Indians and reinforces a message that India would never bow down to terrorism.

Major

This too is a biographical drama based on the real-life character of Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan, who laid down his life fighting militants and led the task force to save hostages at the Taj hotel. The movie is a heroic tale of Major Sandeep from his childhood to being martyred in action on that fateful day of the Mumbai attacks. The movie has been directed by Shashi Kiran Tikka with Adivi Shesh portraying the role of Major Sandeep.

Bhuj

The Pride of India depicts the Indian military's triumph over Pakistani forces during the 1971 war. The voyage of Indian Air Force Squadron Leader Vijay Karnik, who attempted to reconstruct an IAF airbase with the assistance of 300 women from the surrounding villages, served as the impetus for the creation of the film.

LOC Kargil

It's possible that LOC Kargil is the most in-depth movie ever made about the Kargil War. It is produced and directed by JP Dutta, and it was released under the massive banner of JP Films. Sanjay Dutt, Abhishek Bachchan, Sunil Shetty, Ajay Devgn, Sanjay Kapoor, Manoj Bajpayee, and Akshaye Khanna appeared in the main roles in the film.