From Lakshya to Shershaah, revisit 10 Hindi films and shows that captured the courage, sacrifice and emotional cost of the 1999 Kargil War.
Key Points
- Netflix’s new series Operation Safed Sagar, starring Jimmy Sheirgill and Dia Mirza, is based on the Indian Air Force operation during the 1999 Kargil War and premieres on August 7.
- Ahead of the Netflix show, revisit 10 Hindi films and OTT series inspired by the Kargil War and the soldiers who fought it.
- The list includes acclaimed titles: Lakshya, Shershaah, LOC Kargil, Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl and Jeet Ki Zid, each offering a different perspective on the conflict.
One of India’s most decisive victories in its long and prickly history of warfare against neighbouring Pakistan is the triumph in the Kargil War of 1999. Several movies and shows have paid tribute to the Indian military’s exploits during the conflict.
Netflix’s new series Operation Safed Sagar is based on the Indian Air Force operation during the war, where fighter jets were deployed to help eliminate enemy forces that had occupied vacated Indian positions in the treacherous terrain of Kargil.
Directed by Oni Sen, Operation Safed Sagar features an ensemble cast that includes Jimmy Sheirgill, Dia Mirza, Siddharth, Abhay Verma, Mihir Ahuja, Taaruk Raina, Adil Hussain, Vinay Pathak and Prajakta Koli. The show begins streaming on Netflix from August 7.
While we wait to see if Operation Safed Sagar does justice to the valour of the Indian Air Force, Sreeju Sudhakaran lists 10 Hindi movies and shows set against the backdrop of the Kargil War, and where you can watch most of them online.
LOC Kargil (2003)
Where To Watch: Prime Video
Probably the best known movie to be made on the Kargil War, which also makes its underwhelming box office performance quite ironic (but not unsurprising).
J P Dutta’s war drama, which came after the failure of Refugee (2000), was seen as a spiritual successor to his 1997 blockbuster Border (which was set during the 1971 War). The movie features a huge cast, which only added to the excitement around its release.
However, unlike Border, LOC Kargil doesn’t have a cohesive screenplay, instead relying on vignettes of bravery based on real-life soldiers. It is also far too long, despite being more realistic and polished in its battle sequences than Border.
It is not a bad film, and thanks to its star power, it doesn’t test your patience too much. But it does become repetitive after a point and never creates the same emotional impact as Border.
Dhoop (2003)
Where To Watch: Prime Video
Unlike the other films on this list, there are no war sequences here. It is not even a war film, but Ashwini Chaudhary’s Dhoop reflects what happens after the war and exposes the system’s apathy towards its heroes once the tributes are over.
Inspired by a real-life story, Sanjay Suri plays an Indian Army officer who loses his life during the Kargil War. The film then follows his grieving parents, played by Om Puri and Revathi, as they battle corrupt bureaucrats to secure the petrol pump they were promised as compensation.
It is a deeply moving story with incredible performances from the veteran actors. Suri’s character is modelled after the real-life hero Captain Anuj Nayyar, whose family faced a similar struggle. In LOC Kargil, he was portrayed by Saif Ali Khan.
Lakshya (2004)
Where To Watch: Not Available For Streaming
In my humble opinion, Farhan Akhtar’s second directorial is the best war drama made in Bollywood. There, I said it.
Taking a fictional approach, Lakshya tells the coming-of-age story of a young man who is considered irresponsible but discovers his true calling after joining the Indian Army and fighting in the Kargil War.
Hrithik Roshan is excellent in the lead role, while the war sequences, particularly the cliff-climbing sequence in the climax, are brilliantly staged.
The movie doesn’t resort to the jingoism that many films in the genre often embrace, which perhaps also explains why Lakshya unfortunately underperformed at the box office.
The film also stars Amitabh Bachchan, Preity Zinta, Om Puri and Boman Irani, and features a superb soundtrack by Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy.
Tango Charlie (2005)
Where To Watch: Prime Video, JioHotstar
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Mani Shankar’s Tango Charlie is a war film, but doesn’t follow the conventional format of the genre. Instead, it depicts the struggles and heroics of troops on the ground as they battle militancy and insurgency within the country, fighting both internal and external enemies.
Ajay Devgn and Bobby Deol play BSF soldiers, and the film follows their journey through various conflict-ridden regions before culminating in a tragic mission during the Kargil War.
Sanjay Dutt and Suniel Shetty also appear in extended cameos as rescue officers who discover the diary of one of the heroes, which narrates their entire story.
Heroes (2008)
Where To Watch: Eros Now
While Salman Khan’s latest attempt to play an Indian war hero in Maatrubhoomi is facing release hurdles, it has to be said that he does seem to have a jinx when it comes to war-based films.
Tubelight (2017) underperformed at the box office, and so did Heroes, where he played a war hero. Samir Karnik’s directorial is not a conventional war film per se, as it focuses on the lives of soldiers beyond the battlefield and the tragic impact of their deaths on their families.
The story follows two happy-go-lucky documentary filmmakers who are entrusted with delivering the final letters of three fallen Kargil heroes.
Apart from Salman Khan, the movie boasts an ensemble cast including Sunny Deol, Preity Zinta, Bobby Deol, Sohail Khan, Vatsal Sheth, Dino Morea and Mithun Chakraborty.
Mausam (2011)
Where To Watch: Not Available For Streaming
The Kargil War also becomes an important plot point in Pankaj Kapur’s directorial debut, even if the whole movie isn’t defined by it.
A romantic saga spanning several years, the film stars Shahid Kapoor and Sonam Kapoor as lovers whose relationship is repeatedly tested by circumstances that keep them apart.
In one instance, Shahid Kapoor’s character, an Indian Air Force officer, is recalled to duty during the Kargil War just as he is about to meet his lover’s family. That sets off another chain of events that keeps them separated for several more years.
While the film boasts some memorable songs, Mausam is too stretched for its own good, with flimsy writing that never fully justifies the prolonged separation of its lovers.
Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl (2020)
Where To Watch: Netflix
Janhvi Kapoor plays the lead in this heartwarming biopic about one of India’s first female pilots to serve during the Kargil War.
Directed by Sharan Sharma, the film depicts how Gunjan Saxena’s unconventional career choice proved challenging because of prevailing gender biases, both while growing up and after joining the service. Battling misogyny and sexism at every stage, the movie follows her journey as she proves her critics wrong while serving bravely as a rescue pilot.
Though Janhvi Kapoor is occasionally inconsistent in her expressions, she is otherwise convincing in the role. But it is Pankaj Tripathi, as her supportive father, who wins your heart.
Jeet Ki Zid (2021)
Where To Watch: Z5
This seven-episode OTT series stars Amit Sadh as the real-life war veteran Major Deependra Singh Sengar of the Para Special Forces.
The show traces his life through three phases: His childhood in the 1980s, where he loses a sibling in a terror attack, his rigorous training days, and finally his posting during the Kargil War, where he is severely injured during a mission and left paralysed from the waist down.
The series is high on patriotic fervour and jingoism, with the real-life Sengar appearing in every episode to share his thoughts on the events depicted.
Shershaah (2021)
Where To Watch: Prime Video
LOC Kargil had Abhishek Bachchan portray the brave and spirited Captain Vikram Batra, remembered for his Pepsi-inspired war cry, ‘Dil Maange More‘.
Vishnuvardhan’s Shershaah chronicles the life of this war hero, from his college romance to his martyrdom during the Kargil War. Sidharth Malhotra delivers one of the finest performances of his career in the lead role, with Kiara Advani playing his college sweetheart and fiancée.
The film balances its romantic portions beautifully with the emotionally charged war drama in the second half, culminating in a heartbreaking finale.
Laal Singh Chaddha (2022)
Where To Watch: Netflix
Laal Singh Chaddha, as you know, is a remake of Tom Hanks’ Forrest Gump (1994), adapted to an Indian setting with several liberal changes.
The Vietnam War, where Gump fights after joining the army, becomes the Kargil War in the Hindi adaptation, where Aamir Khan’s titular character displays immense bravery despite his low IQ and earns the Vir Chakra.
This portion became controversial upon release because the film shows him rescuing a Pakistani soldier (Manav Vij) and later befriending him as they engage in a joint business venture.
Telugu star Naga Chaitanya made his Bollywood debut in the film as a fellow Indian soldier and Chaddha’s close friend, who loses his life during the war.
Photographs curated by Manisha Kotian/Rediff
