Kargil Vijay Diwas: From Hrithik Roshan's Lakshya to Sidharth Malhotra's Shershaah, films to revisit on the occasion

Today marks the 24th anniversary of the Kargil Vijay Diwas, when India won the war against Pakistan in 1999. The occasion is imbedded in Indian history as the moment of pride but also pain and anguish. Many Hindi films have revisited the war of 1999, both the events that led to it, and the aftermath. Here are some of them: LOC Kargil (2003) [caption id=“attachment_12915852” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] LOC Kargil[/caption] After a part-fiction and part-real depiction of the 1971 war against the neighboring country, filmmaker JP Dutta made a much grander and more ambitious film in LOC Kargil, which came out in 2003. Arguably one of the biggest ensembles in Hindi movie history, the war drama chronicled the journey of Indian soldiers putting their lives on the line and displaying an unforgettable act of bravery and fearlessness. For the expanse of the film and the unheard magnitude of the ensemble, this can be a good rewatch. It’s also one of the longest films of Hindi cinema, with a duration of over 240 minutes. Lakshya (2004) [caption id=“attachment_12915892” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] Lakshya[/caption] It’s more of an internal journey than an external. A slacker discovers a burning ambition to serve his nation and transforms into a daredevil soldier. Before he can prove his worth to his country, he wants to prove the woman he loves and his parents. Farhan Akhtar films the war scenes in darkness and yet allows his film and leading man Hrithik Roshan to shine through. Shershaah (2021) [caption id=“attachment_12915932” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] Shershaah[/caption] This was a biopic on Captain Vikram Batra. Abhishek Bachchan played the same character in LOC Kargil. This time, it was Sidharth Malhotra . It’s considered to be his finest hour in films in a decade-long career. Gunjan Saxena- The Kargil Girl (2020) [caption id=“attachment_12915942” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] Gunjan Saxena- The Kargil Girl[/caption] There’s something about the Kargil War that movies based on them always bring out the best in people yet to be considered actors. If Malhotra’s ache was palpable in Shershaah, Janhvi Kapoor ’s fragility and naïveté seamlessly blended into the innocence of Indian Air Force officer Gunjan Saxena. Dhoop (2003) [caption id=“attachment_12915962” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] Dhoop[/caption] This was a film that chose to depict the aftermath of the 1999 War. Caption Anuj Nayyar, who was martyred in the war, has aging parents at home that struggle with life of their own and death of their son. It’s one of the most restrained and rousing films against the backdrop of war that shows how steering clear from jingoism can also create an impact. Mausam (2011) [caption id=“attachment_12915972” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] Mausam[/caption] Shahid Kapoor and Pankaj Kapur’s film Mausam had glimpses of the Babri Masjid demolition, the 9/11 in New York, and the 1999 Kargil War too. It was ambitious and sweeping, and driven by an earnest performance by Shahid Kapoor. Kaatru Veliyidai (2017) [caption id=“attachment_12915992” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] Kaatru Veliyidai[/caption] Mani Ratnam’s stunningly shot film also had shots of the Kargl War but it wasn’t entirely a war film. Ratnam wove the narrative with a love story at its heart.