Vicky Kaushal, Kangana Ranaut, Aamir Khan: Actors who invoked patriotism by playing freedom fighters onscreen

Bollywood has time and again delivered some brilliant performances in the patriotic genre. Top actors like Ajay Devgn, Aamir Khan, Vicky Kaushal and others, have been successful in invoking patriotism by stepping into the shoes of great freedom fighters onscreen. On this Republic Day, we take a look at FIVE actors who played freedom fighter's roles and have gained immense applause for their performances.

Bhagat Singh’s inspirational life and his role in the freedom movement of India have inspired many filmmakers to etch his life on the celluloid. While many actors have portrayed his character on the silver screen, it is Ajay Devgn in ‘The Legend of Bhagat Singh’ who has managed to impress many and stand apart from the rest. The actor also received the National Film Award for Best Actor for this role. Other actors who have donned this iconic character onscreen are Manoj Kumar and Bobby Deol.

Kangana Ranaut aced the iconic character of Rani Lakshmibai in her 2019 film, ‘Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi’. Born as Manikarnika, she was christened Lakshmibai after she got married to King of Jhansi, Gangadhar Rao. She was one of the leading figures in the Revolt of 1857. Kangana reportedly underwent extensive training in horse riding and sword fighting to get into the skin of her character. The film received positive reviews from the audience and the critics alike. The actress also bagged the National Award for Best Actress in 2021 for ‘Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi’.

In ‘Mangal Pandey: The Rising’, Aamir Khan played the titular role of the Indian soldier who rebelled against the British in the Revolt of 1857. It was also reportedly known as the first war of Indian independence. Pandey was executed for rebelling against the British. The actor received immense praise for his brilliant portrayal of the character.

Sardar Udham Singh is known for assassinating Michael O'Dwyer, the former lieutenant governor of Punjab in India after the Jallianwala Bagh massacre in Amritsar in 1919. Actor Vicky Kaushal portrayed the iconic personality on-screen in Shoojit Sircar’s ‘Sardar Udham’. The film received positive reviews from the audience and the critics alike. The filmmaker had earlier approached Irrfan Khan to essay the role. However, owing to Irrfan’s illness, he couldn’t go through with the project and Vicky stepped in.

Read Also: Vicky Kaushal remembers Sardar Udham Singh on his 122nd birth anniversary

Rajkummar Rao essayed the role of Subhash Chandra Bose in a mini series ‘Bose: Dead/Alive’ that was released on an OTT platform in 2017. Rajkummar left no stone unturned to get into the skin of the character. He garnered praise for his performance in the series from all quarters. The character of Subhash Chandra Bose was also portrayed on screen by Sachin Khedekar in ‘Bose: The Forgotten Hero’.