On January 11, 2019, when Aditya Dhar released his film starring Vicky Kaushal and Yami Gautam, it did not just perform well – it became a quick sensation. And why not? URI: Surgical Strike A Bollywood blockbuster was designed with the correct recipe.
Uri everything was. Nationalism, patriotism, a strong attire artists, and a war setting that hit an emotional raga with millions of Indians. Within any time, the 25 crore rupee film turned into one of the biggest hits of 2019. And the phrase “How is the passion?” Suddenly, every living room, school corridor, political rally and social media feed found their way. It became a cultural catchfrease.
Beyond drama and dialogue, what exactly made Uri A success was that it was already high among Indians Passion Of nationalism. The film was deeply echoed because at its core, it gave Indians both pride and tears – on the big screen, looking at a vengeance against our neighbor – and a well -made on it.
The film was based on the 2016 URI terrorist attack, by four heavy armed terrorists of the Pakistan-based group Jaish-e-Mohammed. He infiltrated the Indian territory and launched an early attack on an Indian Army Brigade headquarters near Uri city in Jammu and Kashmir.
This deadly attack claimed the lives of 19 Indian soldiers, while they slept in their barracks. It was one of the most deadly attacks on Indian security forces over the years, and left the nation in darkness for words. Worse was that it came a few months after the Pathankot Air Force Base Attack of January 2016 – another chilling reminder of the growing dangers faced by India. The URI strike gave rise to a strong change for cross -border terrorism in India’s military and political response. For the first time in decades, India changed its view.
Prior to 2016, both India and Pakistan somehow managed to maintain a brittle cultural and economic relations. Once there were cricket matches, business relations and artistic exchanges -Pakistani singers were giving their voice to Indian films, actors painted in Bollywood, and arts traveled independently. But after repeated terrorist attacks including URI, cultural boundaries also started getting solid and closed.
Strike back
Anyway, back on the morning of September 2016. The Government of India, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and directed by National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, decided that only one diplomatic response would not be sufficient. After this, something was unprecedented, carefully a range of orchestrated anti -anti -military operations, now known as Uri Surgical Strike.
These operations were the first of their kind in modern Indian defense history. They were not rash or impulsive, but were completely strategic. Agencies like ISRO provided satellite paintings, DRDO contributed to drone monitoring, and Raw helped collect accurate intelligence. The Indian Army crossed the Line of Control and destroyed several terrorist launch pads in Pakistan -occupied Kashmir. The mission was executed with remarkable accuracy – and no Indian casualties – sending a clear and bold message: Indian soil attacks will be found with direct results.
For many Indians, seeing Uri was not just about entertainment
Photo Credit: Photo: UriExactly one year later, the story was adapted to the big screen. URI: Surgical Strike It was declared by its growers in 2017, and released on January 11, 2019. It earned a large scale in the world for Rs 342 crore and stayed in theaters for 13 weeks. But even when the film celebrated the success of the surgical strike, the reality once again shocked the nation.
Pulwama 2019
On February 14, 2019, a month after the release of the film, India faced one of its most dark days. A suicide bomber of Jaish-e-Mohammed surrounded an explosive Laden vehicle in a convoy of CRPF personnel on the Srinagar-Jammu highway in Pulwama, killing 40 soldiers. It was one of the most deadly attacks in the recent history of Jammu and Kashmir, which provoked a clamor for nationwide resentment and vengeance. And we did retaliation.
On February 16, 2019, in another historic military action, India launched the Balkot aerial attack. This operation targeted a major terrorist training camp in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province – deep into the enemy’s area. This was the first Indian aerial attack in LoC since 1971, and it marked a new phase in India’s anti-terrorism theory.
Balakot airerike had an unexpected yet powerful wave effect UriBox office trip. Patriotism once again increased, and the audience returned to theaters. The film, which earned Rs 35 crore in its third week, saw a fresh interest and ended his dramatic run with Rs 342 crore. In fact, additional screens were added to many cities during this period.
How is excitement?
Another major reason was the film attracted national attention, Wing Commander Abhinandan Vartaman. You probably know who he is. If not, there is a quick recurrence here.
During the Balakot air strike, Wing Commander Abhinandan Varathman, operating a MiG -21 bison, found himself in a dogfite with Pakistani jets. His aircraft was shot, and he was safely captured by Pakistani forces after being taken out in LoC.
His brief imprisonment had pasted the country to updates from across the border. Social media, television channels and public discourses were all focused on just one thing – its safe return.
During its time in custody, the Pakistani Army released a (heavy edited) video, where Abhinandan mentioned “Height (High Passion, Uri It had already become part of the national terminology: how is the passion? You know the answer.
President Kovind presented the hero Chakra to Wing Commander (Now Group Captain) Worthman Abhinandan. He showed clear courage, disregarding personal protection, demonstrated valor in front of the enemy and demonstrated the extraordinary sense of duty. pic.twitter.com/zrmqjgfber
– President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) November 22, 2021
This phrase became so distinguished that even Prime Minister Narendra Modi used it during his 2019 general election campaigns and during the inauguration of the National Museum of Indian Cinema in Mumbai.
Josh is high, sir !! Such respect @Pmoindia https://t.co/rllevdyha3
– Yami Gautam Dhar (@Yamigautam) January 19, 2019
It symbolized the flexibility of the Indian Army – fearless and fearless in captivity – and another emotional layer pair in the film’s appeal. Many Indians saw or saw again Uri Only to remove that patriotism in theaters. Time could not be more correct. Uri A new lease of life was found in theaters.
And it was not just about Abhinandan or a film. It became about a nation, which was growing for every challenge. For many Indians, see Uri It was not just entertainment – it was a way to connect with the spirit of the moment, to remove a moment of pride, and to express solidarity with forces.
Since then, the style of military-based films and series has seen the revival. Avrodh: within siege (2020) Based on Uri Surgical Strike, Operating valentine (2024) On Balakot, Warrior (2024) On Pulwama and Balakot, and Ranneeti: Balakot & Beyond (2026) There are only a few titles on Balakot which are later UriAt the footsteps of. These films and series tapped into a new wave of audience’s interest in real -life bravery and military strategy.
But nothing shook Passion quite like UriIt is a cult classic, which is an emotional milestone in modern Indian cinema, even if it has a mixed review from critics. And now, with India’s latest vengeance against Pakistan, after Operation Sindoor, Pahalgam attack – who knows whether we get a retirement of Uri. This is a re -release season after all, and Bollywood is actually nothing great in its arsenal at this time.
Passion is high.
