Bose - Forgotten Hero Movie Review

Cast: Sachin Kedekar as Netaji, Kulbhushan Kharbanda as Uttamchand Malhotra, who gave Netaji shelter in Kabul, Rajit Kapoor as Netaji’s trusted lieutenant Abid, Illa Arun as Kulbhushan Kharbanda’s wife,Udo Schenk as Adolph Hitler, Anna Pruste as Emillie, Divya Dutta as Nethaji's Nephew's wife.
Duration: 3hrs 35 min
Cost of Production: US$5.03 million
Music: A R Rahman
Lyrics: Javed Akthar
Direction: Shyam Benegal
Production: Sahara International
Dialogue: Atul Tiwari
Cinematography: Rahen Kothari
Art: Samir Chanda
Story: Shama Zaidi and Atul Tiwari

Movie on India’s - Mahatma Gandhi described him, as patriot of patriots - most enigmatic character from the bank of river hoogly by India’s best director Shyam Benegal, will surely create some expectation. Shyam Benegal started his career in 1974 by directing the movie ‘Ankur’. After that there was no looking back for him, almost collecting a dozens of national awards and other awards. He is well supported by music director A R Rahman, lyricist Javed Akthar and cameraman Rajan Kothari.

Story starts from the first scene itself with Tripura congress meeting in 1939. Clash of ideologies between Netaji and Gandhiji. Netaji had to give up his Congress president post, after being elected democratically, as he believed in war against British while Mahatma believed in non-violence. Then he was arrested and he took a decision to fast till death. This forced the British to exonerate him. Instead they house-arrested him.

This movie is divided into three sections - Aitemad, Ittefaq, and Quarbani three motto of INA -, divulge and delve the life of Netaji and many INA soldiers.

Part 1 Aitemad (Urdu) - Vishwas (Hindi) - Faith (English)

This part shows the faith of Netaji that he could liberate India from British. It also explains us the various step that he took to achieve his goal. His plan was to reach Moscow, through Peshawar and Kabul and to free India with Russians help. He requested his friend from Peshawar to help him to reach Moscow. For that he had to reach Peshawar, which he achieved by diverting the attention of British through a letter, which conveyed that Netaji had taken sanyas and he had left to Pondicherry, Arabindo ashram. All this he did through a small drama played by him and his nephew’s family. He changed his look, his attire and also his name, to look like a Peshawar Muslim, so as to deceive British.

There he was introduced to Bharatram Talwar (played by Rajpal Yadav) who knew the route to Moscow and promised Netaji that we would help him to get the help from Russians. Then they both landed in Kabul in Afghan attire and again they changed their name to resemble an Afghan Pathan. There, Netaji was highly moved by the patriotism of a mad monk (He is the one who chanted the ‘zikr’ song) and other Afghans and their dislike to be a slave under British. But Russians didn’t respond to Bharatram’s proposal and Netaji started to look for some help from Germans, though he was against the German’s Nazi attitude. At one point Netaji even stated that he was ready to have an alliance with ghost, if that ghost could free India. His only aim was to free India. Germans was not willing and they asked for some time.

Next he went to Italian embassy and requested their help, which they said they would help him only if Independent India supports them in all issues, which Netaji rejected. They said they would consult with their Axis power friend Germans and would tell their decision. In the mean time, Netaji got help from Uttamchand Malhotra, an Indian gold smith who settled in Afghanistan, and from his wife (Played by Illa Arun). Finally Germans, through Italians, came forward to help him and asked him to spend some day in Germany so as to plan and defeat the British. He then dressed like a German and changed his name and reached Germany through Rome. There he started to work for German government.

Part 2 Ittefaq (Urdu) - Ektha (Hindi) - Unity (English)

Here director tries to explain how Netaji created unity among the Indians who were living in Germany and Japan as POW (Prisoners of War, WW1) to form INA. While working for Germans, he created awareness among Indians lived in Germany to free India and he formed a small group Azad Hind Fauj. At that time WW2 was started and German unnecessarily attacked Russian, which spoiled the plan of Netaji who thought that he could free India with the help Germans through Russia.

When he was working, he wanted a personnel secretary who could aid him in completing a book, which would create patriotism among the Indians. At this juncture, he was introduced to Emilie Schenkl with whom he studied during his college days. Slowly romance started to burgeon between them and they got married unofficially, typically in Indian way with a Brahmin reciting the Vedas. Their marriage was not registered and was done as secret, as Hitler was against a German marrying a foreigner, ‘cause Emilie would lose her citizenship and might be deported from the country. Hitler was highly skeptic, director depicts that in a situation when one of Bose’s friends said that only place to criticize Hitler and his governance was while driving in your private car as Germany had more Spy than police. So they married secretly.

Then he met Adolph Hitler, requested him to support directly to free India. But Hitler responded negatively and even he abused all Indians by saying Indians were coward and they didn’t have any pride. Netaji, with a smiling face, responded that it only one among those Indian was speaking boldly before the world’s most feared personality. Also he stated that it was wrong on Hitler’s part that he attacked Russia and he would pay the price for that wrong decision. Hitler, became restless, and said that he would not help him. Then Netaji, working for Germans, asked to help him to reach India as he could not reach India through Russia. So Hitler arranged a submarine using which Bose could escape to Thailand from there he could reach India.

So he left Germany, his wife Emillie (who gave birth to a child, which they named as Anita Bose) to Thailand. He gave a letter to Emille and asker her to send it to his brother. In that letter, he asked his brother to take care of his wife, if he didn’t return to his motherland. When he sailed under water he had to fight with few enemy’s ship, which was picturized very well by the cinematographer by keeping the camera inside a periscope. There he met Japanese, who not only were ready to help him but also freed all the Indians who were arrested as POW. He went to Japan through Singapore and there he formed INA using these POW. For the first time, our national anthem was sung in the parade that was headed by Bose in Japan.

Part 3 Quarbani (Urdu) - Balidan (Hindi) - Sacrifice (English)

Here sacrifice of every soldier was shown very well. Netaji, after forming INA, put Laksmi - who contested against ABJ Abdul Kalam in presidential election - as the head for female warriors and Abid Hasan, his trusted lieutenant, and Seghal, husband of Laksmi, as the head for the other group. It is considered that it was Abid who coined ‘Jai Hind’ which became the saying of every patriot. With Japan providing food and weapon, he was able to capture 4 places near Manipur and successfully hoisted our national flag.

At this point, Japan did the biggest mistake by attacking Pearl Harbor, which forced the US to enter WW2. Unexpectedly the support given by Japan was stopped, as they knew that they were in danger after attacking US, and Japanese asked Netaji to stop. But he refused. So he continued to fight against the British and tried to prevent them from entering the place, which they captured, through the river with small group of army. British were surprised to see the INA soldier’s skills and even wondered how very few INA soldiers could effectively prevent them from crossing that river? So they planned and arranged some boats with effigies placed in those boats. There aim was to empty the arsenal of INA. After emptying the INA’s weapon, British did them through air attack. At this time US bombed Japan’s Hiroshima and Nagasaki. WW2 was over. Axis power succumbed to defeat. Finally Bose tried to escape through plane, which was crashed.

Everyone thought that Netaji’s was died in that air crash (still to be proved) and it was announced all over the world. Emilie got this through radio. British, then, hanged Abid, Seghal to death in Delhi before declaring freedom to India. Initially free Indian did not accept INA commanders. Thanks to that incident, Indians realized their value, started to respect INA soldier but still Netaji has to get his quota.

Sachin Kedekar as Netaji is at his very best. Don’t know whether he imitated Netaji’s body language and mannerism correctly. But he is successful in presenting Netaji in his own way. His dialogue deliver is fine and he excels in most of scenes, whether the scene between him and Hitler or when he addresses INA where he stresses the importance to capture Delhi (Punch line is ‘Give me your blood, I will give you freedom’). Lot of good performance from Kulbhushan Kharbanda as Uttamchand Malhotra, Rajit Kapoor as Netaji’s trusted lieutenant Abid, Illa Arun as Kulbhushan Kharbanda’s wife. Rajpal Yadav as Bharatram Talwar was disappointing. He overacted in many places.

A R Rahman’s theme music (mainly Afghanistan theme and War theme) is good. The song ‘Ekla chalo’ (Meaning of the song is that ‘I will fight alone even if all the Indian doesn’t support me. Whatever happens let it happens and it will happen. I am not afraid of anything. Only aim is to free India. Even if everyone heeds me, I will walk alone and do the job for my country’) is played in the BGM whenever Netaji leaves a place or country. ‘Desh ki mitti’ (appears when he thinks about freedom of India), Goomparani (when they elaborates the Mother-son sentiment) is used well. Two-march fast songs enhance the situation. When the movie ends, ‘Azaadi’ song appears when cast and crew are scrolled. (Similar to ‘Vellai pookal’ in Mani Ratnam’s peck on the cheek)

Directed very well by Shyam Benegal. Main plus point is that director doesn’t dilute any scenes particularly the marital scene between Emille and Bose. Art direction played a very important role in this movie. Screenplay is not bad. Cons are duration and lack of publicity. Film runs for 220 min.

A nice movie to watch. Schools and convents can support this movie by taking their kids (from 2nd standard to 7th standard) to watch this movie. It will be interesting for those kids and at the same time it is highly educational one. You can’t expect the youngsters of today’s India to support this movie.

Pros : Direction, Set, Camera, Music,Lyrics, Cast
Cons : Duration (3:45 min), Lack of publicity
Plot : Very Good - One of the best
Cast Performance : Very Good - Natural acting by all
Soundtrack : Superb - The best I've listened todate
Camera Effects : Wow - Best effects I've ever seen
Watch this movie with : Alone