Vicky Kaushal In Sam Bahadur To Varun Dhawan In Border 2, 5 Bollywood Actors Who Brought Real-Life Heroes To Life On The Big Screen

Bollywood has a long history of celebrating patriotism in ways that stay with the audience long after the credits roll. And it need not be a patriotic war drama necessarily! Over the years, Bollywood has served us patriotism of different flavours, with actors bringing real-life heroes to the big screens. Take a look:

Real Life Heroes To Reel Life Heroes

Vicky Kaushal – Sam Bahadur

In Meghna Gulzar’s Sam Bahadur, Vicky Kaushal played the legendary Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw with authority and charisma so striking that he blurred the lines between the reel and real! From the uniform, steel eyes to the intensity in his body language, Vicky not only portrayed the character, he committed.

Varun Dhawan – Border 2

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Varun Dhawan is all set to capture the passion and resolve of Colonel Hoshiar Singh Dahiya PVC, and his intense looks in the poster, teaser and the recently released song prove that the actor is going all guns blazing. The Actor pays tribute to the bravery of Col. Hoshiar Singh Dahiya, who led his troops with unflinching courage during the 1971 Indo-Pakistan war and was awarded the Param Vir Chakra, India’s highest military honour.

John Abraham – The Diplomat

John Abraham’s character in The Diplomat is based on Indian Foreign Service (IFS) diplomat Jitender Pal Singh, who helped Uzma Ahmed return from Pakistan. Known for inclining towards patriotic spectacles in recent years, John added another substantial title to his body of work.

Janhvi Kapoor – Gunjan Saxena

In Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl, Janhvi Kapoor stepped into the shoes of Gunjan Saxena, an Indian Air Force officer, a former helicopter pilot, a 1999 Kargil veteran and the first woman to fly in a combat zone during the Kargil War. Janhvi made a bold addition to her body of work with this film and displayed her potential for stepping beyond conventionality.

Alia Bhatt – Raazi

Alia Bhatt’s character in Raazi is based on the real-life story of the female Indian spy named Sehmat (in Raazi) who was married to a Pakistani officer to draw information about the rival countries’ war strategy. She delivered classified information to India during the Indo-Pakistan war. Alia, celebrated for her range and versatility, served one of her best performances and even made a strong addition to her body of work.

With fine acting skills and conviction, these actors disappeared behind characters, blurring the lines between reel and real.

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Varsha Tiwari

Varsha Tiwari is a budding content writer passionate about Bollywood, pop culture, and the stories behind the spotlight. She enjoys breaking down trends, celebrity moments, and film narratives into engaging, reader-friendly content. Always curious and observant, she is currently pursuing a Master’s in Communication and Journalism. Outside of writing, she enjoys painting because storytelling doesn’t always need words to make an impact.