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Bring back the days when patriotism was not something that was shoved in our faces but something that we felt seamlessly through these iconic movies and TV shows!
Showcasing India's rich culture via Bollywood movies is something that's deeply in built in our cinema for decades now simply because we have so much diversity all over our country that it acts as the perfect setting for storytelling. In today’s time, it’s a given that on Republic Day or Independence Day there will be a patriotic film that’ll be released on the big screen. But the truth is that, at least in the past few years, these films have felt less patriotic, and more violent for various reasons.
They simply aren’t sparking the ‘saare jahaan se acha Hindustan humara’ feeling in us. But you know who did? Anjali from K3G! Sometimes one small scene can ignite love for your country way more than an entire movie can. From NRI’s singing the national anthem to highlighting Indian classical music in the most beautiful way, there are a plethora of non-violent ways to feel all the pride and love for your country!
Also Read: 12 motivational scenes from Bollywood movies you might like to revisit this Republic Day!
Here’s how these movies and TV shows achieved that!
Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham
Anjali’s iconic ‘Jaya Jaya Jaya Jaya Hai’ will be etched in our hearts forever! That one scene makes you feel more proud about being Indian than most patriotic movies ever have. K3G played such a big role in proudly presenting India’s culture to the rest of the world. I mean, the Britishers singing our national anthem for us? It doesn’t get more patriotic than that! Also, how Rohan (Hrithik Roshan) dances to Vande Mataram in the beginning of the second half or how people from different religions co-existed with each other in this film through love. K3G was India in its best era!
Kal Ho Naa Ho
Aman was absolutely right when he said that we shouldn’t give the Americans what they already have, we should bring India’s swaad to the States! This scene was a rather fun way of introducing many dishes that India is popularly known for! It’s also the zest the characters show to unite and put India on the map!
Bandish Bandits
Radhe and his gharana portray Indian classical music with so much nuance in Bandish Bandits. The series is a testament to how much India has to offer to the world in terms of music and if Shankar Mahadevan’s voice won’t re-awaken your love for Indian culture and make you be proud of Indian music then I don’t know what will!
Laapataa Ladies
Laapataa Ladies was an impeccable introduction into what daily life looks like in small rural towns. The movie also puts forward a very honest representation of how women have to fight for their empowerment in our country. Phool and Jaya, who are at different walks of life, teach us much needed lessons on how we need to raise our girls! Patriotism isn’t just about chanting how good we are, it’s about recognizing where we’re lacking and working towards that as a whole, and Laapata Ladies is a great example of that!
Guru
Guru is a biopic on one of the most influential people in India who contributed to India's progress aka Dhirubhai Ambani, the man who created Reliance industries and shaped the world of telecom. Guru portrays his life from a young man till his old age, set against the backdrop of various parts in the country. Indians are primarily known for contributing to the IT industry and Guru is proof of the intellect we have to offer the world.
Main Hoon Na
Main Hoon Na reminds us of the good old days when the bad guy was the one who was trying to divide Indian and Pakistan, not the opposite that’s shown today! While Main Hoon Na isn’t a patriotic film outright, we felt every word that Major Ram said about India and what Project Milap stood for!
Bajrangi Bhaijaan
An Indian man helping a Pakistani child find her way back home is the India we all know and love. Bajrangi Bhaijaan will always be that film that tugs at our hearts and highlights the hospitality that we stand for! Through the course of bringing Munni back home safely, Bajrangi walks through beautiful parts of India and meet all sorts of people along the way. Some were beyond kind to him and some he had to fight in-order to keep the promise that he has made to a child; it stands in solidarity with the 'Athithi Devo Bhava' saying in India. He truly protected her the way we protect our faith.
Swades
Mohan, an Indian expatriate employed with NASA makes a trip to a small village in India to meet his childhood nanny, Kaveri amma. During the course of the trip, he falls deeply in love with his country and takes up the responsibility to reform electricity in that village. The minute someone mentions this film or whenever I see the poster, ‘Yeh Jo Des Hai Tera’ starts playing in my mind. It’s one of A.R. Rahman’s finest works till date, IMO. It is played at a pivotal point in the film when Mohan drinks his village’s water for the first time. That one scene is patriotism at its peak without any big dialogues in our face. It was pure emotions and lyrics that said it all!
Panchayat
An engineering graduate, Abhishek, is unable to find a job of his calibre. So, he ends up working for a panchayat in a remote Indian village and deals with several mundane challenges. The Panchayat system in India existed even before Indian independence and its a system we have preserved for millennia. To see it all unfold in the series is a huge take away for most of us living in the city, who have no idea how the rest of the country works.
Do you know any non-patriotic content that ignite your love for the country? Let us know in the comments below!
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