Independence Day 2026: Actor Sadia Khateeb On What Freedom Means To Her

Actress Sadia Khateeb, who made her debut with Vidhu Vinod Chopra's Shikara, and was seen most recently in Dadi Ki Shaadi, told us what independence really means to her.

"Independence, for me, is not just something we remember once a year. It is something we carry in the choices we make every day. We often think of freedom as something that was given to us. But I think it is also something we have a duty to protect and pass on to others. India has stories, sacrifices, traditions and values that built the country we live in today. As a younger generation, our job is not just to keep everything the same. We need to understand what is worth keeping while having the courage to build something better. Progress means it remembers where it came from. For me, Independence Day is a reminder that freedom is not only about looking back at what was achieved. It is also about asking ourselves what kind of India we want to leave behind," Sadia told us.

Last year, Sadia had visited The Free Press Journal office and sat down with us in one of the interesting and animated podcasts, talking, crying and shouting all in the space of a few minutes. Check out the podcast link above to know what were talking about!