The struggle of India for freedom is a theme that is also depicted in international cinema. Whereas Bollywood movies and regional cinema of India have used this theme quite extensively, many movies produced by Hollywood have also touched upon the struggles of India in its fight against the British Raj and depicted some significant events during this time period. These films present various viewpoints regarding the colonial history of India. Some of these films depict the struggle for freedom, while others use this theme as a key element in their plot.

1. Gandhi – Richard Attenborough's Powerful Historical Drama

Released in 1982, Gandhi is one of the most famous Hollywood movies made on the independence struggle of India. The movie was directed by Richard Attenborough and featured Ben Kingsley in the lead role of Mahatma Gandhi, who fought for the freedom of India through non-violent means. The movie covers the important events of India's independence struggle as well as the philosophy of non-violence of Mahatma Gandhi. The movie was critically acclaimed and also bagged several awards including Oscar for Best Picture, Best Director and Best Actor.

2. A Passage To India – India Under British Colonial Rule

In David Lean’s movie A Passage to India from 1984, the interactions of the Indians and British in the last years of colonial India are brought into focus. This movie is based on the popular novel of E.M. Forster and centers around the interplay created due to culture and colonialism. Even though the story does not portray the independence struggle, it certainly captures the spirit of the time and political climate prevailing in India when it was still under colonial British rule.

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3. The Man Who Would Be King – Colonial India In A Larger Adventure

The Man Who Would Be King was released in 1975 and is a film about adventures that take place in the period of British India. The lead roles in the movie were played by Sean Connery and Michael Caine. The plot of the film is about two British soldiers who venture deep into an area of the Indian sub-continent. Though The Man Who Would Be King does not depict the freedom struggle of India, it gives some idea about the colonial context and the relations of the British people with others around them.

4. Victoria And Abdul – A Different Look At British India

Victoria & Abdul was released in 2017 and focuses on the tale of the bond between Queen Victoria and Abdul Karim, a servant from India who came to Britain towards the end of her rule. The actors playing the leads in this film are Judi Dench and Ali Fazal. While India's struggle for freedom is not portrayed in the movie, viewers get a perspective about how the British imperial system worked and how there was an imbalance in the relations between Britain and India.

5. Viceroy's House – The Road To India's Independence

Viceroy's House is not a Hollywood movie but a movie that was produced internationally and which portrays the last years of the British colonial era in India. The movie, directed in 2017, has Hugh Bonneville, Gillian Anderson, and Manish Dayal as main actors. The film focuses on the final period in which Lord Mountbatten served as the Viceroy of India. This is one of the most important films in Indian history due to the discussions it addresses related to the country's independence and partition.

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