As the country observes “Vijay Diwas,” a look back at movies influenced by the Kargil War

The arduous triumph in the Kargil War, one of Independent India’s largest and most significant turning points, is commemorated every year on July 26 as the “Kargil Vijay Diwas.”

It’s a chance for us to reflect on the movies that were influenced by the conflict; the most recent being the blockbuster ‘Shershaah’ from 2021, which stars Sidharth Malhotra as the slain military hero Captain Vikram Batra and Kiara Advani.

Although each of these films had a different tack—some went for a more realistic and grounded approach, while others followed the conventional cinematic path—each blended a variety of aspects, including dancing, drama, romance, military action, patriotism, and, most importantly, a sense of pride in one’s country.

 

The pandemic-era award-winning biographical film “Shershaah,” which is available on Amazon Prime Video, tells the tale of Captain Vikram Batra of the Jammu and Kashmir Rifles, who earned the moniker “Shershaah” from his superiors due to his outstanding bravery in battle and successful capture of pivotal strategic peaks like Point 4875 and 5140.

During the combat, Captain Batra was killed while engaged with enemy forces. He is regarded as one of the top troops in the Indian Army and received the Param Vir Chakra for his gallantry.

Despite being regarded as one of Bollywood’s finest Kargil War-inspired movies and a cult classic, “Lakshya” (2004; starring Hrithik Roshan and Preity Zinta) did not do well at the box office when it was first released.

The story of the film centers on a fictitious character, portrayed by Hrithik, who hails from a wealthy family but lacks any sense of direction in life. When he decides to retake one of the war’s most important peaks, which had fallen into Pakistani hands and caused a blockade of Indian Army convoys, delays in the supply of ammunition, weapons, food, and even logistical information, he discovers his purpose—or “lakshya”—later.

While not entirely based on the conflict, “Tango Charlie” devotes a significant portion of its narrative to it. It depicts in cinematic form the lesser-known role performed by the Border Security Force (BSF) in the conflict, which included protecting the borders against terrorists and Pakistani forces into Kashmir.

Despite having an all-star cast that included Ajay Devgan, Bobby Deol, Suniel Shetty, and Sanjay Dutt, the 2005 movie bombed at the box office. This is perhaps due to the fact that it blended too many different historical events, such as the Kargil War and the Bodo insurgency in Assam.

In contrast, “LOC Kargil” has a laser-like concentration on the conflict, concentrating on a number of key moments such as the struggle to retake Tiger Hill and other crucial peaks while also defending Points 4835 and 5714 in the Dras sector of Ladakh.

The 2003 film, which is based on true events and stars Ajay Devgn, Sanjay Dutt, Saif Ali Khan, Suniel Shetty, and Rani Mukerji, also describes the roles that various Indian Army units, including the Rajputana Rifles, Gorkha Rifles, Jammu and Kashmir Rifles, Jat Regiment, and Sikh Regiment, played in the incident. Once again, it hardly made back its investment at the box office.

In the 2008 Malayalam film “Kurukshetra,” directed by Major Ravi, a former Indian Army officer, Mohanlal plays Colonel Mahadevan once again. He first appeared in this character in the 2006 film “Keerthi Chakra.”

The battle of Tololing, which took place on a peak that overlooks the Srinagar-Leh Highway, is the subject of the movie. Indian soldiers from the 2nd Rajputana Rifles defeated a numerically superior force of Pakistani soldiers from the Northern Light Infantry unit, as well as mercenaries and terrorists, and achieved a resounding victory that resulted in the deaths of over 125 Pakistani soldiers.

In the 2017 Tamil film “Kaatru Veliyidai,” starring Karthi and Aditi Rao Hydari, Mani Ratnam depicts the tale of the fighter pilot Varun as he remembers his love for Leela while imprisoned in Pakistan during the Kargil War. Despite being more about love than battle, the film was a huge hit in the South.

The 2020 Netflix film “Gunjan Saxena,” starring Jahnvi Kapoor, Angad Bedi, and Pankaj Tripathi, is about an ambitious Indian Air Force pilot and the challenges she encountered because of her age and the fact that she was a woman in a patriarchal society.

Gunjan Saxena played a crucial part in the Indian Air Force (IAF), becoming a helicopter pilot and providing transportation and logistical assistance throughout the conflict, for which she was well-respected. However, the film rarely had the same level of success as “Shershaah.”

It tells the tale of an Indian Army Subedar who, after valiantly battling terrorists in Kashmir, must decide whether to go to the front lines of battle or retire and take up farming in his village as suggested by the father of the woman he loves. “Sainika” is a 2002 Kannada romance drama set against the backdrop of the Kargil War, minus the action.

A young guy who joins the Indian Army and departs for the Kargil War to exact revenge on terrorists for his father’s murder and defend his nation is the subject of the Marathi movie “Maratha Battalion.” The Maratha Light Infantry bravely participated in the Battle of Tololing with the Rajputana Rifles, Jat Regiment, and Jammu and Kashmir Rifles, working together to seize the crucial Points 5140 and 4700.

However, no film—no matter how well-made—can ever completely do honor to the overall legacy of the war’s warriors. The Kargil War is recognized as one of the Indian Army’s finest wins in history. It also demonstrated the Indian Army’s prowess in conducting a successful campaign in the highlands.