Set in 1947 during the Partition of India, the film tells the story of a truck driver, Tara Singh [Sunny Deol], a Sikh, who falls in love with a Muslim girl, Sakeena [Amisha Patel], belonging to an aristocratic family. The story begins with Sikhs and Hindus being attacked by Muslims in Pakistan when trying to return to India on a train in response to the killing of Muslims going to Pakistan from India. To get revenge, the Sikhs and Hindus react by doing the same thing. During the Hindu-Muslim riots that erupted soon after the Partition, Tara saves Sakina from a murderous mob chasing her as she failed to get onto the train after being pushed and lost in the crowd. As the mob want to rape her and then murder her, Tara Singh defends Sakina and then converts her to Sikhism to protect her. While driving back to Taras house, the story has a major backflash showing the relationship between Tara and Sakina before this incident and how they knew each other. Tara is a lorry driver, but his real ambition is to become a singer. Some girls in college who are friends of Sakina fool Tara that they have got him a shot a annual music show in return for his doing a for favour for them. Tara performs badly in from of the music teacher, who is portrayed by Sakina [Amisha Patel]. His friend then gives him tablets that help him prove his singing skills. Soon after it is shown that Sakina is not the real music teacher, which saddens him. When performing on the music function Sakina announces that she will not do her act instead gives Tara a chance to sing despite the will against the seniors at the college. Subsequently and back to present, Sakina starts living in Tara''s house and their respect culminates into love. Sakina and Tara get married and become parents of a baby boy. Their life seems like a bed of roses, till Sakina sees an old newspaper that has a photograph of her father [Amrish Puri], whom she believes had been killed during the riots during the Partition. Her father is now the mayor of Lahore. When Sakina calls him from the Pakistani Consulate in Delhi, he arranges to fly her to Lahore. But Tara and their son, who are supposed to accompany her to Lahore, are told at the last minute that their visa formalities have not been completed, which compels them to stay in India. This does not stop Tara. He and his son accompanied by a friend enter Pakistan illegally at the border. There they find out that Sakina is getting married. They reach her before the marriage can start and reunite. Seeing this, Sakinas husband-to-be attacks Tara but is instead injured by him. A large fight was about to break until the priest stops them, as this can end up harming Sakinas fathers career in politics. Ashraf Ali [Amrish Puri] agrees for their marriage under two conditions: They should live in Pakistan, and Tara should adopt Islam. These conditions are accepted by Tara in public the next day which was against Ashraf Alis plans. He makes Tara insult his country to make him believe he is a true Pakistani, which enrages him and this makes him kill the mob that was hired by Ashraf to kill him. Tara, Sakina, their son, and friend escape. After a long turmoil they get a cotton mall train which will be their ticket to India. But Ashraf Ali finds out and he takes some men to stop them. In the fight Sakina gets shot by her own father. In the hospital Sakina in a coma which makes Ashraf Ali realise his mistake. Sakina gains consciousness after having a nightmare. The movie ends with Ashraf Ali accepting Tara as his son-in-law and they return to India.

See also

*List of highest-grossing Bollywood films

Box office

Gadar was a blockbuster and was nominated for several awards. The movie grossed almost Rs. 72,00,00,000 and is the 4th highest grossing Bollywood movie when adjusted for inflation of all time. The movie could also be outpointed as one of the highlights of the career of Sunny Deol.

Awards

Winner: *Filmfare Best Action Award - Tinnu Verma *Filmfare Special Performance Award - Amisha Patel *Sansui Best Actress Award - Amisha Patel *Annual Filmgoers Awards - Best Actress - Amisha Patel Nominated: *Filmfare Best Film Award - Nitin Keni *Filmfare Best Actor Award - Sunny Deol *Filmfare Best Actress Award - Amisha Patel *Filmfare Best Director Award - Anil Sharma *Filmfare Best Music Director Award - Uttam Singh *Filmfare Best Lyricist Award - Anand Bakshi *Filmfare Best Villain Award - Amrish Puri *Filmfare Best Male Playback Award - Udit Narayan *IIFA Best Film Award - Tinnu Verma *IIFA Best Director Award - Anil Sharma *IIFA Best Actress Award - Amisha Patel *IIFA Best Actor Award - Sunny Deol *Star Screen Best Film Award - Nitin Keni *Star Screen Best Actor Award - Sunny Deol *Star Screen Best Actress Award - Amisha Patel *Star Screen Best Director Award - Anil Sharma *Zee Cine Award for Best Film - Nitin Keni *Zee Cine Award for Best Actor - Female - Amisha Patel *Zee Cine Award for Best Actor - Male - Sunny Deol *Zee Cine Award for Best Director - Anil Sharma *Zee Cine Award for Best Actor in a Negative Role - Amrish Puri

Filming locations

A part of Gadar was shot at La Maritiniere College, Lucknow and at Imambara of Lucknow & Rudauli. Although the film is set in 1947, it features the music of "Que sera sera" which was first published in 1956.