SYNOPSICS
Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose: The Forgotten Hero (2005) is a Hindi,English movie. Shyam Benegal has directed this movie. Vinay Anand,Ila Arun,Pankaj Berry,Nicolas Chagrin are the starring of this movie. It was released in 2005. Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose: The Forgotten Hero (2005) is considered one of the best Biography,Drama,History,War movie in India and around the world.
Born in a prominent Bengali family, Subhas had dedicated much of his younger years by being actively involved in ridding the British from India. For this purpose he joined hands with stalwarts such as Jawaharlal Nehru and Mohandas Gandhi, but expressed his frustration, especially with Gandhi's slowgan and painstaking way of trying to win over the enemy with love. This is the reason he decided to separate from the Congress Party. The British became weary of him, placed him under arrest, but when he started a hunger strike unto death, they let him go, but kept him under surveillance. Subhas eluded the police, under the guise of Pathan Mohammad Ziauddin, crossed the Indian border in Afghanistan so that he could enter Russia and form an Indian Army to oust the British. His efforts failed, he ended up as Italian Orlando Mashtar, with an office in Germany. He did manage to convince the Nazis, despite of Hitler's views in "Main Kempf" that he preferred India to remain colonized under the ...
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Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose: The Forgotten Hero (2005) Reviews
Witness few pages of unadulterated history, and cinema at its best.
Bose, a movie, an understatement that lingers starkly loud in the memory space. The brilliance of Benegal matches with the effortless éclat of some of the best names in the Indian movie industry to create this classic of sorts. Looking back at the attempts of Indian directors at recreating the lives and contributions of the few men that remain unforgotten in the Indian freedom struggle, this depiction of one of the most influential yet neglected heroes of those times, Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, stands apart for its simplicity and eye for detail and proximity with historical facts. A few movies that I can think of in this league would be The Legend of Bhagat Singh by Santoshi, Sardar by Ketan Mehta(a master piece, which I don't know why everyone seems to have forgotten), and of course Gandhi. Looking back, also at all these works makes me feel all these have been the best efforts of the respective directors. So is Bose Benegal's best work? Well I would agree that it is his most elaborate, ambitious work till date, and I am least interested in comparing his other works, because all his movies are so original and distinct in their genres, like Zubeidaa, Sooraj Ka Saatva Ghoda or may be Sardari Begum, for that matter. Bose works, and works magically, at various conscious and sub-conscious levels. It is a decent and honest attempt at depicting a forgotten phase in Indian history without even the slightest pinch of controversy or contempt, amidst the mist of Quit India and Gandhi, a phase no less substantial. It invokes a respect for the great work and ideals the man stood for, and still continues to inspire many generations alive and those yet to come. Another feat of the movie is the slick narrative and editing that holds the entire length of the movie with effortless flow. Khedekar is highly impressive, with his distinctive style of natural acting without any pretense or desperate attempts at imitating Netaji. But at the same time, he succeeds at the same with a surprising sensibility and spontaneity. A special mention for the mellifluous score by Rahman, which magnifies the grandeur and gives an identity to the plot. Take a bow, Benegal, Rahman and Khedekar! This one's for every Indian at heart!
Itmad, Ittefaq, Qurbani
Directors are usually reluctant to translate history on celluloid. They are instead inclined to offer new interpretations of history, shed light on little-known facts about their subjects, and even raise questions that were missed. On the contrary, the title of Shyam Benegal's film- Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose – The Forgotten Hero- itself tells a story! Nobody remembers what he did, except to say that he was a great big hero. Few people remember that he challenged Gandhi, or that he was married. The film's narrative is brilliantly broken into three parts. These are headed under Itmad, Ittefaq and Qurbani after the motto of the Indian National Army. The film brilliantly captures the vast canvas of its history, geography and political ambiance just before India's independence from British rule. The film is the product of painstaking historical, documentary and other research that spanned 18 months. The research team explored all available material, interviewed the people alive such as Netaji's Japanese interpreter, then in his late eighties. The film comepletely lacks loud and bombastic rhetoric, a common feature of most nationalist and biographical films made on national heroes. Its central focus is on the man behind the hero, the human being behind the mask of the national leader, a true lover of his country dedicated to get it liberated from foreign rule. The film is characterised as much by the patriotism and hero-worship that brought young men in hundreds to join their hero, as by its documentation of history. It is the film of a journey- ideological, political, historical and personal that uncovers almost by incidence than by connivance of history, a beautiful fictionalized documentation of one of the greatest national heroes Indian has ever produced.
The real Subhash 10/10. The movie subhash 5/10
To start off with I am the most ardent supporter of subhash chandra bose. I feel that if he had not died he would have definitely been the first prime minister off India. This movie is no way even close to what Subhash ever was. He was the only person to beat Gandhi in an election!! He had a blazing fire within him and this sense of desire to lead the Indians to Independence that just can not be matched by any other Indian. The Subhash in this movie is always nicely smiling and has no charisma off his own, well we don't expect it to match SCB's actual charisma, but the whole calm appeal shown is exactly opposite to what Subhash actually was. Plus there is no detail shown of Subhash's intelligence, which is in abundance, like 4th in ICS, his diplomatic and persuasive abilities to get the Bose-Tojo pact. He was the ideal person to be but after seeing this movie you will wonder where this lump of a figure would ever do anything, yes that is how he is portrayed in the movie. The special effects are the worst ever seen in Indian or any other movie. The only reason I am giving the score 5 is because it does contain historical facts. It is the only movie to ever cover the great hero, which is a real pity for Indian cinema. If you want to watch the movie. Watch it for the facts, not for what Subhash actually was.
Great story but...
Yes, the movie fails on a number of cases- especially character development of Bose himself. It seems to me the whole thing was written and directed in haste. Further, some of the scenes were absolutely unnecessary (what is the need for a showing a German U-Boat firing a torpedo at a ship in this movie). Some of the war scenes were also very badly done. One expected a lot more from a director of Benegal's reputation. I thought the lead actor was very good but again fell short of expectations. But I would ask all Indians to watch the movie. BeThe movie wakes you up to the life and struggles of this hero. Before this I didn't know too much about the man.
Better watch a documentary and save time.
The movie highlights the life of Subhash Chandra Bose for about last five years (1940 - 1945) of his life. The movie presents only one angle and that belongs to the leader Subhash. It would have been nice if what was going on in the country India and the world would have been highlighted as well. The take with Hitler too as per my knowledge was incorrect. Hitler said Indians belong to Aryan race, the race built to rule world. This makes me feel most of the things are stretched and shown. To add further Hitler would not have tolerated the kind of interaction shown. While invading the country again planning was shown. My complaint is why the maps were not highlighted so as general audience would understand (not only the ones who have read history or already known geography). Final Verdict: The movie is slow. The music (associated with land and history) seems nice but it alone cannot take the boredom. I would suggest watching a 45 minute documentary. You can watch music separately as well.