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Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose’s legend, his life, and personality, even death, never ceases to astonish filmmakers. Over the decades, various facets of his life have been explored on large and small screens, and many more are waiting to be told. Netaji’s mystique is still being unravelled, more than seven decades after his death. Exploring any biopic beyond just the subject’s life story has become easy with the advent of OTT. In the Netaji case, more so. His is a life that naturally lends itself to drama.
From being haunted by Kolkata’s prestigious Presidency College for his famous assault on collective memory Professor EF Oaten for his racist comments against “natives” To the great escape from house arrest at his home on Elgin Road under the guise of a Muslim insurance agent, and from his departure to Germany via Afghanistan and the Soviet Union, to the mystery that remained associated with his death for years after his death, Netaji’s story was never short of intrigue. Above all, there was the undying love of the land that made him a national hero.
We take a look at the notable cinematic efforts based on the life of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose on the 125th anniversary of Netaji’s birth on January 23:
DEAD/ALIVE BOSE
Rajkummar Rao was cast as Netaji by creative producer Hansal Mehta’s 2017 miniseries, based on Anuj Dhar’s 2012 book, “India’s Biggest Cover-Up”.The show, created by Ekta Kapoor, tries to investigate the mystery behind the death of the freedom fighter, recalling how his family in Kolkata received a telegram from Mahatma Gandhi shortly after his death to not perform his last rites. The show is an attempt to understand the disappearance of Netaji.
Mehta had said at the time of the show’s release, “Our intention is to portray Bose as a contemporary hero, a rebel who worked in different ways, thereby making him relevant and a part of today’s youth,”
GUMNAAMI
In addition to shedding light on his political beliefs and vision for India, New-Age Bengali maverick Srijit Mukherji’s 2019 film stars Bengali superstar Prosenjit as Netaji and explores responses to various elements of mystery surrounding Netaji’s disappearance and death.
Based on the Mukherjee Commission Hearings from 1999 to 2005, the story follows a journalist investigating the death of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose and focuses on the unusual resemblance of the freedom fighter to the controversial figure of Gumnaami Baba. Upon release, the movie kicked up a minor storm, with Netaji’s family objecting to such an allusion.
AZAADI KE LIYE: THE FORGOTTEN ARMY
Through the web series, filmmaker Kabir Khan focused on Bose’s Indian National Army (INA) or Azad Hind Fauj in 2020. The show narrates the true story of the men and women who fought for India’s independence as part of the INA, with Sunny Kaushal and Sharavari leading the cast.
NETAJI SUBHAS CHANDRA BOSE: The Hero Forgotten
Shyam Benegal’s biopic featured Bose as Sachin Khedekar. The 2004 release has been the leading film production to date. Through his perspective, the film primarily explores India’s freedom struggle. The effort by Benegal was a mid-term success and at the BFI London Film Festival, it received critical acclaim. Kulbhushan Kharbanda, Rajit Kapur, Arif Zakaria, and Divya Dutta are also featured in the film.
