It is 72nd Independence Day of our country and the nation is washed with tricolour all over. The air all around is freedom is filled with the patriotic songs and this happens every year. However, what most of us are doing on this 'holiday' is sitting on the couch and doing things that are nowhere related to today's special day. Just like these characters in the Bollywood movies. However, these characters were living their lives just like you and me unless they came across a turning point, evoking patriotism into them.

Swades

Shah Rukh Khan plays Mohan Bhargava, an Indian scientist at NASA, returns to India to take along with his 'Kaveri amma' but instead falls in love with the nation here. His crush Gita, the simple people and the fragrance of his own country compels him to return to India to stay back permanently.

Lakshya

Hrithik Roshan's performance as an ambitionless Karan Shergill to a soldier is endearing. His girlfriend Romi (Preity Zinta) breaks up when she realizes that he left the military training. It is then when he turns into a soldier from a lazy brat.

Chak De! India

Shah Rukh Khan's Kabir Khan tries everything that he can to unite the hockey players. The lesson starts with introducing themselves as 'India' and not with their respective state names. However, when the girls find their strength against the boys and later against players from the other country, they unite as one team and win the medal for India.

Rang De Basanti

It takes a grand daughter of a British jailer to evoke patriotism in the hearts of this care free group of friends. The girl ropes them in a documentary on Indian freedom fighters but they take it lightly initially. They only understand the seriousness when their pilot friend (R Madhavan) crashes his plane to save other people.

These four films will always remain closest to the hearts of the Gen-X. The characters only teach us that it is never really too late to do your bit for the nation even after years after independence to the nation. Happy Independence Day!

 

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 14, 2018 04:02 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).