80th Independence year: 2026’s big films on partition, war and undercover agents

India will be celebrating its 80th Independence Day on Aug 15. And what better way to celebrate it than by sitting and watching war and military movies that remind us of Partition and the turbulent times our country has gone through, when the enemy struck, and our military came in full force to protect our nation.

This Independence Day weekend, the newest release is Sunny Deol’s Batwara 1947, a film that tells the story of Partition and how it affected people on both sides. But it’s not just Batwara. This year has been full of patriotic releases, and it started right in January. On Jan 1, Dharmendra’s last film Ikkis was released, followed by Border 2, Main Vaapas Aaunga, and others.

In the spirit of patriotism, here’s a look at the movies released this year that are the best watch for you:

Sriram Raghavan’s film is set in the aftermath of the 1971 war between India and Pakistan. Starring Agastya Nanda, the movie tells the story of the valour of Second Lieutenant Arun Khetarpal during the Indo-Pak war in 1971. The film is also special because it was legendary actor Dharmendra’s last film. He played the role of a father grieving his young son’s death. The movie is streaming on Prime Video.

The high-octane patriotic spectacle is the second part of J.P. Dutta’s war classic Border. Set in 1971, it highlights the Indian Army’s brave defence at the Battle of Longewala during the Indo-Pak war. Showcasing the power of the Army, Navy, and Air Force, the movie stars Sunny Deol, Varun Dhawan, Diljit Dosanjh, and Ahan Shetty in a multi-front war drama.
The movie is streaming on Amazon Prime.

Ranveer Singh returned to the big screen as Hamza Ali Mazari. But this time, his real identity as undercover agent Jaskirat Singh Rangi was revealed, along with how he was chosen to be part of Dhurandhar. While the film does not focus on war or an Indian military officer, it shows another side of patriotism that many often miss. It showed how a person risks his life to keep his country safe. Streaming on Netflix and Jio Hotstar.

Imtiaz Ali’s film is not a chest-thumping patriotic drama. Instead, it tells the story of what people lost after Partition, how it affected thousands of lives. Starring Diljit Dosanjh, Vedang Raina, and Sharvari, the movie is set against the backdrop of displacement and longing during 1947. Streaming on Netflix.

Directed by Rajkumar Santoshi, the film stars Sunny Deol and Preity Zinta. It is an adaptation of the acclaimed play Jis Lahore Nai Vekhya, O Jamya Hi Nai. The story revolves around a man who has to leave India and settle in Pakistan after Partition. However, the house allotted to him in Lahore belongs to a Hindu woman who refuses to leave her home. How the man and his family end up saving the old woman during communal tensions forms the rest of the story. Available in theatres.