Republic Day has come and gone, but there are some outstanding movies that highlight the struggle for India’s independence and becoming a Republic.

IMDb editors’ curate a list of top-rated and popular movies celebrating stories about Indian patriotism and independence. See how many you have watched. The movies have put in chronological order, yearwise.

Mother India (1957) (IMDb Rating 8.1)

Radha, raises her sons through many trials and tribulations. But no matter the struggles, always sticks to her own moral code.

Shaheed (1965) (IMDb Rating 7.9)

Shaheed (1965) presents the inspirational biography of one of India's greatest patriots Sardar Bhagat Singh.

Upkar (1967) (IMDb Rating 7.7)

Cult classic highlighting the contrast between Indian and Western values in the newly independent state.

Garam Hava (1974) (IMDb Rating 8.2)

In post-partition India, a Muslim businessman and his family struggle for their rights in a country which was once their own.

Gandhi (1982) (IMDb Rating 8.1) 

The historical story of Mahatma Gandhi, the leader of India’s non-violent independence movement.

The Legend of Bhagat Singh (2002) (IMDb Rating 8.1)

The story of a young revolutionary who raised an armed resistance against British rule in India.

Mangal Pandey: The Rising (2005) (IMDb Rating 6.7)

A story film about the leader of the 1857 mutiny and his fight against the British rule.

Rang De Basanti (2006) (IMDb Rating 8.2)

The story of six young Indian college students who assist an English documentary filmmaker to capture the story of freedom fighters from the past. Retelling the freedom fighter’s stories, leads the college students to relive the long forgotten saga of freedom.

Kerala Varma Pazhassi Raja (2009) (IMDb Rating 7.6)

Kerala Varma Pazhassi Raja is a 2009 Malayalam historical drama film based on the life of Pazhassi Raja, a Hindu king who fought against the British in the 18th century.

Chittagong (2012) (IMDb Rating 7.3)

Set in the turbulence of the 1930s British India, a 14 year old boy, Jhunku, and his journey to find where he belongs. For the first time in Indian history, the British army is defeated by a ragtag army of schoolboys and their teacher, Masterda. Called a traitor by his peers, and let down by a man he trusts, Jhunku impulsively joins the movement. As his world is turned upside down, Jhunku is forced to confront his self-doubts. As the leaders of the movement are progressively caught or killed, Jhunku battles against seemingly insurmountable odds to win a victory of his own.

 Collated by Verus Ferreira