The portrayal of the Indian Army in our films and television shows has probably never been very close to reality but what these movies and shows lack in realism, they compensate in emotion. The fervour with which our soldiers protect the national borders against enemy forces is inspirational to watch and even though we might never come close to understanding the scope of their sacrifice, we will always be thankful to them.

Based on the Indo-China war of 1962, Disney+ Hotstar’s upcoming series 1962 The War In The Hills follows the story of 125 Indian soldiers who were outnumbered by the Chinese army during a battle in the Galwan valley. The show stars Abhay Deol, Sumeet Vyas, Mahie Gill, Meiyang Chang, among others.

Before you watch 1962 The War In The Hills, take a look at these 8 shows that are based on those soldiers who protect our country. These include fiction, as well as non-fiction series.

1. Avrodh: The Siege Within (Sony LIV)

Starring Amit Sadh in the lead role, Avrodh was based on the 2016 Uri surgical strike. The military drama is a nine-episode series where we get to see the dramatised retelling of the careful planning that went into the strike. The later episodes detail the events that happened during the mission. While the film on the subject was a massive hit, the series tries to maintain its own identity by expanding on the story. The series also stars Vikram Gokhale, Neeraj Kabi, Darshan Kumar among others.

2. The Test Case (ALTBalaji)

Starring Nimrat Kaur in the lead role, this series by Vinay Waikul and Nagesh Kukunoor followed the fictional story of the first woman in a combat role in the Indian Army. The 10-episode series was one of the early shows to have premiered on ALT Balaji back when the Indian web series space was still in its early days. The series received positive reviews for its performances by Kaur, Atul Kulkarni, Akshay Oberoi, among others.

3. The Forgotten Army (Prime Video)

This series by Kabir Khan was based on true stories of men and women who joined Subhash Chandra Bose’s Indian National Army. Starring Sunny Kaushal and Sharvari in lead roles, the war drama followed their love story as they fought for India’s independence. The series did not get many positive reviews but is an interesting watch for those who enjoy watching lesser-known tales from the pre-independence era.

4. State of Siege: 26/11 (ZEE5)

Starring Arjun Bijlani, Arjan Bajwa, Mukul Dev in key roles, this thriller is based on the terrorist attack that happened in Mumbai in 2008. One track follows the security forces and the other one unfolds at the terrorist camp. While the show is a dramatised retelling of actual events, one does get a sense of the horror that unfolded in Mumbai in 2008.

5. Jeet Ki Zid (ZEE5)

Starring Amit Sadh in the lead role, this ZEE5 series is based on the real-life story of a Kargil war hero Major Deep Singh Senger. After sustaining a few injures in a mission, Major Senger was left wheelchair-bound. The show proceeds in various timelines that follow his training, his time during the Kargil war and his life during his rehabilitation.

6. Tales of Valour (Discovery+)

This documentary series on Discovery+ recounts the stories of battles that the Indian Army has fought since independence. The episodes also narrate the stories of courageous soldiers who went above and beyond their line of duty to serve the nation. The 30-minute episodes of the show serve as a crash course in modern history.

7. Mission Frontline with Rana Daggubati (Discovery+)

This Discovery+ original featuring Rana Daggubati has the Telugu star spending time with the Border Security Forces at an outpost in Jaisalmer. The show follows Daggubati as he spends takes part in a simulated mission along with the other BSF members and learns what goes into guarding our borders 24X7.

8. Regiment Diaries (Netflix)

This documentary series on Netflix tells the story of various regiments of the Indian Army. The episodes comprise of interviews of soldiers who talk about their unique traditions, war stories and the many memories they have formed with their regiment over the years.