New Delhi: India is all set to celebrate its 80th Independence Day on August 15, 2026. This year’s celebrations are particularly significant with the national
song ‘Vande Mataram’ set to be sung from the ramparts of the Red Fort for the first time during the Independence Day ceremony.
While Independence Day celebrations traditionally include flag-hoisting ceremonies, patriotic songs and parades, cinema and streaming platforms have also become a way for audiences to revisit stories of sacrifice, freedom, and national parade.
From historical dramas about India’s freedom struggle and biopics of decorated soldiers, who displayed extraordinary courage, there is plenty of patriotic shows and movies on OTT to watch this Independence Day weekend.
Independence Day 2026: Patriotic movies to watch on OTT
Operation Safed Sagar: The Highest Air Force Mission
Where to watch: Netflix
About the show: Netflix’s latest offering Operation Safed Sagar: The Highest Air Force Mission is a six-episode series set against the 1999 Kargil War. The story follows the Indian Air Force’s Golden Arrows squadron as it takes on a dangerous mission during the conflict. It stars Siddharth, Jimmy Shergill, Dia Mirza, Abhay Verma, and Mihir Ahuja, among others.
Border 2
Where to watch: Netflix
About the movie: If you want to a big-screen spectacle, then Border 2 is a must-watch. The 2026 sequel to JP Dutta’s iconic Border is set against the 1971 India-Pakistan war and follows soldiers from the Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force as they confront a brutal combat conditions. The film stars Sunny Deol, Varun Dhawan and Diljit Dosanjh.
Dhurandhar
Where to watch: Netflix/JioHotstar
About the movie: Aditya Dhar’s Dhurandhar, starring Ranveer Singh follows Hamza as he enters the dangerous world of organised crime and espionage in Pakistan’s Lyari region while carrying out a high-stakes mission connected to India’s national security.
Sardar Udham
Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video
About the movie: Shoojit Sircar’s Sardar Udham starring Vicky Kaushal explores the trauma left by the Jallianwala Bagh massacre and revolutionary Udham Singh’s decade-long pursuit of justice.
Shershaah
Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video
About the movie: The Sidharth Malhotra-led film narrates the story of Param Vir Chakra awardee Captain Vikram Batra and his contribution to India’s victory in the 1999 Kargil War. The film also stars Kiara Advani.
Sam Bahadur
Where to watch: Zee5
About the movie: Meghna Gulzar’s Sam Bahadur brings the life of India’s first Field Marshal, Sam Manekshaw. Vicky Kaushal plays Sam Maneskshaw. The film traces the story of his military career and his role in India’s military history, including the 1971 war.
Uri: The Surgical Strike
Where to watch: Zee5
About the movie: “How’s the Josh?” is synonymous with the movie, Uri: The Surgical Strike. Aditya Dhar’s directorial dramatizes India’s 2016 surgical strikes following the Uri terror attack, with Vicky Kaushal playing Vihaan Singh Shergill.
Swades
Where to watch: Netflix
About the movie: We,, not every patriotic movie, needs a battlefield. Ashutosh Gowarikar’s Swades, starring Shah Rukh Khan follows Mohan Bhargava, an NRI scientist working at NASA, who returns to India and becomes involved in the problems faced by a rural community.
Chak De! India
Where to watch: Netflix
About the movie: Shah Rukh Khan stars in the sports drama. The film follows former hockey player Kabir Khan, who becomes coach of India’s women’s national hockey team and attempts to turn a divided group of players into a cohesive unit.
Kesari
Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video
About the movie: Akshay Kumar’s Kesari revisits the Battle of Saragarhi, one of the most celebrated battles involving Sikh soldiers during British India. The film follows follows Havildar Ishar Singh and the 21 Sikh soldiers who defended the Saragarhi outpost against a vastly larger force in 1897.
The Legend of Bhagat Singh
Where to watch: Prime Video
About the movie: Rajkumar Santoshi’s The Legend of Bhagat Singh is a must-watch. Ajay Devgn plays Bhagat Singh in the 2002 biographical drama, which explores the revolutionary’s political ideology, his journey towards armed resistance and his eventual execution.
Pippa
Where to watch: Prime Video
About the movie: Starring Ishaan Khatter, Mrunal Thakur and Priyanshu Painyuli, Pippa takes back to the 1971 India-Pakistan War and the birth of Bangladesh. The film is based on Brigadier Balram Singh Mehta’s memoir The Burning Chaffees.
Bharat Bhhagya Viddhaata
Where to watch: Zee5
About the movie: Kangana Ranaut’s Bharat Bhhagya Viddhaata is set to release on OTT on August 14. The 2026 thriller is inspired by the courage of doctors, nurses and hospital staff who protected patients during the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks at Cama Hospital.
