Gadar: Ek Prem Katha

Gadar: Ek Prem Katha (transl. Rebellion: A Love Story) is a 2001 Indian Hindi-language romantic period action drama film directed by Anil Sharma, based on a story by Shaktimaan Talwar. Set against the backdrop of the Partition of India in 1947, the film stars Sunny Deol, Ameesha Patel, and Utkarsh Sharma in lead roles, with Amrish Puri, Lillete Dubey, and Vivek Shauq in supporting roles. Loosely inspired by the real-life story of Boota Singh, the narrative follows Tara Singh, a Sikh truck driver, who falls in love with and marries Sakina, a Muslim woman, only to face separation and political upheaval as she is taken back to Pakistan by her family.

The film was produced on a budget of approximately ₹190 million (US$4.03 million) and was released theatrically on 15 June 2001, alongside Ashutosh Gowariker’s Lagaan. Principal photography took place in various locations across North India, with cinematography by Najeeb Khan and production design by Nitin Desai. The music was composed by Uttam Singh, with lyrics by Anand Bakshi. The soundtrack became one of the most successful albums of the year.

Upon release, Gadar: Ek Prem Katha received mixed-to-positive reviews. Critics praised its dramatic intensity, action sequences, and performances—particularly those of Deol, Patel, and Puri—though some noted its melodramatic tone. The film emerged as a major commercial success, grossing over ₹1.33 billion (US$28.19 million) worldwide and emerging as the highest-grossing Hindi film of its time, surpassing the record held by Hum Aapke Hain Koun..! (1994). It recorded over 50 million footfalls in India, making it the second most-watched Indian film since the 1980s after Baahubali 2: The Conclusion (2017). According to Box Office India, its adjusted domestic gross as of 2017 stood at ₹4.86 billion (US$103 million).

At the 47th Filmfare Awards, the film received nine nominations, including Best Film, Best Director (Sharma), Best Actor (Deol), Best Actress (Patel), and Best Music Director (Singh), with Patel receiving the Filmfare Special Performance Award. Over time, the film has attained cult status for its patriotic themes and larger-than-life storytelling.

A sequel, Gadar 2, was released theatrically on 11 August 2023, with Deol, Patel, and Sharma reprising their roles. The sequel was also a commercial blockbuster.