Bollywood gets patriotic on Republic Day

Mumbai, Jan 26 (IANS) On Republic Day, patriotism is running high in Bollywood. Here the stars share some of their favourite patriotic films and songs:

Priyanka Chopra: My favourite patriotic song will have to be 'Mile sur mera tumhara'. Every time I'd see all the stalwarts of the country from Lataji to Pandit Ravi Shankar to Shabana Azmi come together on television to sing that song, I'd get goose bumps. My favourite national figure is late prime minister Rajiv Gandhi. He was a truly remarkable visionary. He dreamt of taking India into the new millennium but couldn't live to see that dream come true. Believe me, we haven't even realised 10 percent of our full potential as yet.

J.P. Dutta: My favourite patriotic song is 'Hum laayen hain toofan se kashti nikal ke' from the film 'Jagriti'. My favourite patriotic film will have to be my own 'Border'. And I'd say the true national figure is the soldiers of the armed forces. They represent the true spirit of India.

Shabana Azmi: Favourite song has to be 'Kar chale hum fida' from 'Haqeeqat' - Jiyo Kaifi Azmi. Jiyo Madan Mohan. Jiyo Mohammed Rafi! Favourite national figure? Undoubtedly Mahatma Gandhi, though Nehruji (Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru) was also a remarkable visionary.

Hema Malini: My favourite patriotic songs are the national anthem and Lataji's 'Ae mere watan ke logon'. And Bapuji (Mahatma Gandhi) is my favourite national figure.

Himesh Reshammiya: Favourite patriotic film 'Upkar' and song 'Ae mere watan ke logon'. National figure? Gandhiji, of course!

Rahul Khanna: I thought 'Chak De! India' was incredibly patriotic. My favourite song is predictably our national anthem. It's a truly beautiful piece of music and verse. My favourite national figure is Indian soldiers who toil selflessly at the border to protect our country.

Bhavna Talwar: My favourite song is 'Ae mere pyare watan' from 'Kabuliwala'. Though many great patriotic films have been made, I'd choose my own 'Dharm' for its message of national integration at a time when rappers are singing about hatred. My favourite national figure is former president A.P.J. Abdul Kalam.

Ravi Kishan: My favourite song is 'Mera rang de basanti chola' from 'Shaheed'. And my favourite national personalities are Anna Hazare and Sunil Dutt.

Suneel Darshan: I'm a big Manoj Kumar fan and my favourite film is 'Upkar'; favourite song is 'Hai preet jahan ki reet sadaa' from 'Purab Aur Pachhim'.

Mahesh Bhatt: Favourite patriotic song would have to be 'Kar chale hum fida' by Kaifi Azmi. And favourite film is Chetan Anand's 'Haqeeqat'. My favourite national figure? Rabindranath Tagore.

Satish Kaushik: Manoj Kumar's 'Upkar' and favourite patriotic song is 'Kar chale hum fida'. National figure is Shah Rukh Khan in 'Chak De! India'.

Anubhav Sinha: Chetan Anand's 'Haqeeqat'. And the personality would have to be Mahatma Gandhi.

Diya Mirza: My favourite song is Hemant Kumar's 'Insaaf ki dagar pe' from 'Ganga Jumna' because it addresses itself to children and tells them their responsibility as Indian citizens. I also love 'Vande mataram'. Richard Attenborough's 'Gandhi' is my favourite patriotic film. I watched it when I was very young. I realised for the first time what love for the country is. The national figure who evokes a deep sense of patriotism in me is Mahatma Gandhi.

Apoorva Lakhia: Favourite patriotic film is 'Border' and song 'Mera rang de basanti chola'. My favourite patriotic character is Ben Kingsley as 'Gandhi' fighting against all odds and sacrificing himself for the greater cause that is the country.

Raveena Tandon: I love Bharat (Manoj Kumar) in 'Purab Aur Pachhim' and that song in the film 'Hai preet jahan ki reet', especially the line 'Jab zero diya mere bharat ne'.

Imtiaz Ali: Favourite patriotic film 'Rang De Basanti', favourite song Rahman's 'Vande mataram'. And the national figure? Mahendra Singh Dhoni.

Boman Irani: Without a doubt my favourite patriotic song is 'Ae mere pyare watan' by Manna Dey. I sing it all the time. It just makes me cry. It's a song dedicated to the country.

Alka Yagnik: Lataji's 'Ae mere watan ke logon' is my all-time favourite song.