In Pics: 10 Bollywood actresses who have played strong, patriotic roles in showbiz

Ahead of Independence Day 2024, let's take a look at these 10 Bollywood actresses who have portrayed fearless, strong real-life heroes on screen. From Janhvi Kapoor in 'Gunjan Saxena' to Alia Bhatt in 'Raazi,' these actresses have managed to give us the most patriotic feels!

Updated On: 2024-08-14 07:08 PM IST

Compiled by : Tuhina Upadhyay

Happy Independence Day! (Pic Courtesy/IMDB)

Kangana Ranaut

Kangana Ranaut portrayed Rani Lakshmibai in Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi. Rani Lakshmibai was a fierce warrior and a key figure in the 1857 War for Independence. During the filming, Kangana had an accident while performing a sword fight, but just like the character she played, she was back on set shortly after.

Soha Ali Khan

Rakesh Om Prakash Mehra's Rang De Basanti is one of the most iconic patriotic films that Indian audiences have experienced. In a film-within-a-film setting, Soha Ali Khan's character portrayed Durga Vohra, a freedom fighter who assisted Bhagat Singh and Shivaram Rajguru in escaping after they killed British officer JP Saunders.

Deepika Padukone

Deepika Padukone portrayed Kalpana Datta in Khelein Hum Jee Jaan Sey (2010). Kalpana was a freedom fighter who joined Surya Sen's group in Chittagong, a region in Bengal that later became part of Bangladesh. Deepika skillfully brought to life the courageous fighter who played a significant role in the struggle for Independence.

In Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, a terrorist group led by Azhar Akhtar is planning an attack on India, with the Srinagar Air Force Station as their target. Group Captain Rakesh "Rocky" Jai Singh is tasked with countering the threat and assembles a team of elite fighter pilots called the "Air Dragons." The team includes Squadron Leaders Shamsher "Patty" Pathania and Minal "Minni" Rathore.

Alia Bhatt

'Raazi' is based on Harinder Singh Sikka’s novel ‘Calling Sehmat.’ Starring Alia Bhatt in a pivotal role, the film is about Sehmat Khan, a young woman who married a Pakistani military officer to serve as an undercover spy for the Indian intelligence agency

Janhvi Kapoor

The film revolves around the journey of an Indian Air Force (IAF) officer, essayed by Janhvi who takes on a mission to make her father proud and carve a niche for herself in the Armed Forces. Gunjan (Janhvi) seems to find that accomplishing her dream is not easy as she is reminded at every point that she is a woman and weak because of it.

Sara Ali Khan

Actress Sara Ali Khan, who debuted in 2018 with Kedarnath, has taken on a variety of roles in her career. She is set to portray freedom fighter Usha Mehta in Ae Watan Mere Watan, directed by Kannan Iyer and produced by Karan Johar, Apoorva Mehta, and Somen Mishra under Dharma Productions.

Shamita Shetty

Shamita's Bollywood career may not have been highly successful, but she'll always be remembered for her role as the first female Air Force officer on screen in Agnipankh. She looked elegant in the uniform and did justice to the role.

Nimrit Kaur

In The Test Case, Nimrit Kaur plays Shikha Sharma, the first woman chosen for a combat role. Nimrat's powerful performance in the first episode received praise, though the show was put on hold after that episode. She was highly convincing as an officer training for combat.

Manushi Chhillar

Former Miss World Manushi Chhillar is currently starring in Operation Valentine, an action thriller based on the 2019 Pulwama terrorist attack by Pakistan on India and the subsequent Balakot Air Strikes by the Indian Air Force. 

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