Veer Pratap Singh (played by Shah Rukh Khan) is a senior pilot in the Indian Air Force who is imprisoned in Pakistan for 22 years on false charges of being an Indian spy. During his imprisonment, he befriends a young Pakistani lawyer named Saamiya Siddiqui (played by Preity Zinta), who takes up his case and fights for his release. Meanwhile, the story of Veer's past is revealed through a series of flashbacks.
Veer falls in love with Zaara Hayaat Khan (played by Rani Mukerji), a Pakistani woman who is on a journey to India to fulfill her grandmother's final wish. They meet on the train to India and develop a strong bond over the course of the journey. However, when they reach India, they must part ways due to their differing cultural backgrounds and the political tensions between their countries.
Veer tries to visit Zaara in Pakistan, but their reunion is cut short when she is engaged to a wealthy Pakistani man and he is accused of being a spy. After his release from prison, Veer travels to Pakistan with Saamiya to fulfill his promise to reunite with Zaara. The two lovers finally meet, but must face the obstacles of their families, society, and political boundaries. The film ends with a hopeful message about the power of love and how it can conquer all obstacles.
Veer-Zaara was directed by Yash Chopra and released in 2004. It was a critical and commercial success, winning numerous awards and becoming one of the highest-grossing Bollywood films of all time. The film's soundtrack, composed by the legendary musician duo of Laxmikant-Pyarelal and later finished by the younger generation composer duo, the late Madan Mohan's son Sanjeev Kohli and Jatin-Lalit, was also a major hit.
