Independence Day 2023: From Sunny Deol to Akshay Kumar, actors and their tryst with patriotism

Nationalism, patriotism, and jingoism barely fail to burn the box-office. And our actors have milked these emotions over and over again. The names include the likes of Sunny Deol, Akshay Kumar, John Abraham, and Vicky Kaushal. Back in the 90s, when Kumar was busy making a career out of his action potboilers, Deol was the go to hero for writing love letters to India. He took the baton from Manoj Kumar and his Shaheed (1965) and Kranti (1981).

It all began with the blockbuster Border in 1997, based on the Indo-Pak war of 1971, where he unleashed his explosive side and took on the whole army of Pakistan. Of course, he had a solid cast as his support like Suniel Shetty, Punit Issar, Akshaye Khanna, and Sudesh Berry as the unforgettable Mathura Das.

It was 2001, when he created history and wrecked havoc in Pakistan and at the box-office with Gadar-Ek Prem Katha. But before this Tara Singh uproots hand pumps, he’s a bumbling truck driver who falls in love with a Pakistani girl named Sakeena. The sequel has just hit the screens, and in these 22 years, Singh has not taken Ameesha Patel’s name even once, she’s still Madam ji for him. Deol has always been shy and reticent in real and on reel, but the slightest of provocation means destruction, again both on reel and in real.

The star couldn’t replicate the success of Gadar in these many years but he did give us many other films in the same vein as Indian, The Hero, Heroes, Maa Tujhhe Salaam, and Jaal- The Trap.

All of a sudden, after dabbling with action and comedy, Akshay Kumar joined forces with patriotism to tell stories about his love for the country. The list is endless, so much so that he’s known as the new-age Manoj Kumar. Hear them out- Holiday, Baby, Gabbar Is Back, Airlift, Rustom, Kesari, Gold, Mission Mangal, Bell Bottom, Sooryavanshi. It’s not over, until it’s over.

Next in line is John Abraham, who began with the erotic thriller Jism, did the esoteric and experimental No Smoking, flashed his butt in Dostana, gave his best in comedies like Garam Masala, and then began channeling the emotions of being an Indian. See this- Force, Force 2, Parmanu, Satyameva Jayate 1 and 2, Batla House, even the climax of Pagalpanti, and Romeo Akbar Walter. What next?

And from the young guns, it’s Vicky Kaushal with films like URI, Sardar Udham, Sam Bahadur, Raazi, and maybe many more in future.