Playing a national hero is a huge responsibility. To portray that valour and bravery on screen in the right way and staying true to their personality is not an easy job. But some actors have really gone on to do a great job at it! From Ajay Devgn as Bhagat Singh to Rajkummar Rao as Subhash Chandra Bose, we have seen some rather talented actors play national heroes to perfection.
This Independence Day, here’s 6 actors who we loved in these rather amazing movies depicting our national struggles for independence:
Aamir Khan as Mangal Pandey in Mangal Pandey: The Rising (2005)
Mangal Pandey was an soldier in British occupied India who rebelled against the British because of a new kind of bullet that Indian soldiers were forced to use that was lined with animal fat as a lubricant. This was what led to the Indian mutiny of 1857. Directed by Ketan Mehta, the movie starred Aamir Khan in the lead role as Mangal Pandey and how can he not do it to perfection, right?
2. Ajay Devgn as Bhagat Singh
Ajay Devgn played the revolutionary war martyr, Bhagat Singh, in the 2002 film, The Legend Of Bhagat Singh, directed by Rajkumar Santoshi. It told the story of the 23-year-old revolutionary who planned a strategic bombing at the British assembly to get back at the British for the death of Lala Lajpat Rai. Ajay played the role of the young hero to perfection and is one of those performances where you forget the actor and experience the acting.
3. Rajkummar Rao as Subhash Chandra Bose in Bose: Dad/Alive (2017)
Another one of those performances where you forget the actor because he is literally living the part. Rajkummar Rao played the role of the legendary Indian freedom fighter, Subhash Chandra Bose in the web series, Bose. The series talks about the mystery behind the death of the Bose and chronicles his story.
4. Ben Kingsley as Mahatma Gandhi in Gandhi (1982)
Ben Kingsley looked, walked, and smiled like Mahatma Gandhi in every frame he was in. We all might have extensive knowledge about all that Gandhi did for our independence, but this film is a detailed account on the person that we was, brought to life by Mr Kingsley. The films chronicles Gandhi’s journey in fighting for the independence of our country.
5. Paresh Rawal as Sardar Vallabbhai Patel in Sardar (1993)
Sardar Vallabhai Patel was an Indian hero, also popularly known as the Iron Man of India. Paresh Rawal played him to perfection, giving us a glimpse of his life and his vision for the independence movement. We all know the absolutely amazing actor that Paresh Rawal is, so he did complete justice to the story of this mighty leader.
6. Mammooty as Dr. Ambedkar in Dr. Babsaheb Ambedkar (2000)
Dr. Babsaheb Ambedkar, who is also called the Architect of the Indian constitution, is someone we all might not know extensively about. But veteran actor, Mammooty‘s portrayal of the hero brought us closest to understanding his life and contribution to the Indian independence movement. Mammooty even won a National Award for his performance in the film.
Which one of these films do you plan on watching today?