Cinema has always served as an impactful medium through which events of cultural and historical significance are brought to the masses. The Indo-Pak wars have been such events that have been revisited through Bollywood films many times. The tensions, sacrifices and struggles have inspired films for decades. Many Indian filmmakers have crafted stories based on shocking true events that took place during the wars. 

Unsung heroes who sacrificed their lives for the sake of the country were finally given the recognition that they deserved after films depicting their struggles were made. Indian war films have also been successful in bringing the lesser-known side of these wars to the public. So, here are some of the best Indo-Pak war movies that are based on true stories. 

Border told the story of 120 soldiers during the Indo-Pak War of 1971 

Written, directed and produced by J.P Dutta, Border was released in 1997. The film told the story of the ‘Battle of Longewala’ that took place in 1971, during the Indo-Pak War. In the film, 120 Indian soldiers engaged in a fierce battle with the Pakistani side to defend their border post of Longewala in the Thar desert. Though the main premise of the story was based on one night of battle between both sides, the film dived deep into the backstories of all the main leads. These backstories featured family members, lovers and past struggles of the soldiers fighting in the battle, depicting an old mother, a newly-wed wife and a waiting fiancee. This helped the viewers to connect with the main leads emotionally. 

Border starred an array of top Bollywood actors, such as Sunny Deol, Jacky Shroff, Akshay Khanna, Suniel Shetty, and Pooja Bhatt. The film was well-received by the public, and one of its songs, Sandese Aate Hai, sung by Sonu Nigam and Roop Kumar Rathod, became an unforgettable war song. The film won many awards and was also the highest-grossing film of the year 1997. 

LOC: Kargil was based on the Kargil War fought between India and Pakistan 

LOC: Kargil was a film based on the battle fought between the Indian troops and the Pakistani forces, in Kargil district, situated along the Line of Control. The war was fought in 1999, and a few years later, J.P Dutta made this film, which was released in 2003. The film told the story of Operation Vijay and how the Indian side successfully eradicated Pakistani intruders that had taken over the strategic points of Kargil, which is situated in India. 

The film, made by the same filmmaker as Border, did not receive the same success. Stars like Sanjay Dutt, Ajay Devgn, Saif Ali Khan, Suniel Shetty and many more shared the screen in this movie. But the movie was a box office flop and was not well received by critics either. It is also one of the longest Indian films ever, with a run time of 4 hours and 25 minutes. 

The Ghazi Attack was the first Indian film to feature an underwater battle with submarines

Many films have been made showcasing the bravery of the Indian Army and border forces. However, only a few have explored the courage of the Indian Air Force and Indian Navy. The Ghazi Attack, made by Sankalp Reddy and released in 2017, was the first Indian movie made on the theme of underwater war. The film tells the story of an executive naval officer and his team who remained underwater for 18 days during the Indo-Pak War of 1971 and sunk the PNS Ghazi, a fast attack submarine of the Pakistan Navy. 

The film starred actors, Kay Kay Menon, Rana Daggubati, Atul Kulkarni and Taapsee Pannu. Upon its release, the film was praised a lot. It also won the National Award for Best Feature Film that year. The movie was declared a box office hit. 

Uri: The Surgical Strike was a high-energy action film that resonated with the audience 

Aditya Dhar was still a newbie director, when he wrote and directed the war film, Uri: The Surgical Strike, released in 2017. The film was based on the surgical strike carried out by the Indian Para Forces in retaliation against terrorists hiding in Pakistan, who had carried out a fatal attack in Uri which had killed 19 Indian soldiers. The movie showcased the planning and the strategic execution of the surgical strike. It also touched the audience’s heart by showing the emotional side of army officers and their families. 

The film had energy packed performances from Vicky Kaushal, Yami Gautam and Paresh Rawal. The movie was a blockbuster hit and earned more than Rs.300 crore, while its budget was Rs. 44 crore. It was the highest-grossing film of the year and launched Vicky Kaushal’s career as a serious main lead actor with phenomenal acting skills. 

Sherhshah told the story of soldier Vikram Batra, who was martyred during the Kargil War 

Shershah was released in 2021 under Dharma Productions and directed by Vishnuvardhan, who primarily worked in Tamil cinema. It was a war film as well as a biography. The film told the life story of Captain Vikram Batra of the Indian Army. It depicted his childhood, college days, enlisting in the army and eventually fighting in the Kargil War, where he became a martyr in the line of duty. The film also touched an emotional chord with its depiction of Captain Batra’s family life and his relationship with his girlfriend, Dimple Cheema. 

The film starred actor, Sidharth Malhotra in a double role, as both Captain Batra and his twin brother Vishal. Kiara Advani played the role of Dimple Cheema. The film was highly acclaimed, with the performances, music, action sequences, and direction getting a lot of praise. 

Sam Bahadur paid tribute to the Indian Army officer who fought in five different wars 

Directed by Meghna Gulzar, Sam Bahadur was released in 2023. The film was a biography of the real-life Indian Army officer, Sam Manekshaw, who served in the army for more than four decades and fought five different wars. From World War II in the early 1940s to the Indo-Pak War of 1971, Sam Manekshaw fought in all the wars in between and did his best to protect the country.

The film starred Vicky Kaushal in the titular role of Sam Manekshaw. Fatima Sana Shaikh and Sanya Malhotra also shared the screen in the movie. Sam Bahadur was a box office hit, and all the actors were praised for their performances. Vicky Kaushal and Fatima Sana Shaikh were especially acclaimed for their perfect embodiment of Field Marshall, Sam Manekshaw and former Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi. 

What are your thoughts on films based on true events from the Indo-Pak wars? Let us know. 

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