Fauji Film Row: Netaji's Kin Demands Apology From Director

Kolkata, October 25: A row has erupted over the upcoming film Fauji after Chandra Kumar Bose, great-grandson of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, questioned the film's depiction of Netaji's meeting with Adolf Hitler. He has demanded that the director apologise to the country.

Bose said the film industry has every right to explore India's freedom struggle and its heroes. However, he cautioned that creative liberty must not come at the cost of historical truth.

He described the distortion of facts concerning national icons and the use of imagination in such matters as an offence. In his assessment, the film gives a misleading picture of the meeting between Netaji and Hitler, which he said lowers the dignity of Netaji's persona.

The Netaji family member placed the meeting in its historical setting. He said Netaji met Hitler to seek support for India's independence. In Netaji's view, Hitler of Germany and Hideki Tojo of Japan were leaders who could help the Indian freedom movement at that time.

According to Bose, Netaji was firmly opposed to fascism and stood for democracy and the democratic rights of people. He insisted that Netaji never behaved as a subordinate before Hitler. Rather, the two engaged in talks as equals, with Netaji requesting support for India's freedom.

Bose asserted that Hitler recognised Netaji's patriotism and agreed to extend support, including the submarine that carried Netaji to South-East Asia.

He also commented on Hitler's autobiography, Mein Kampf, saying its remarks on India reflect that Hitler did not fully understand the country's history, legacy and culture. Bose observed that both leaders had initially worked for their nations' interests, though Hitler eventually became blinded by the arrogance of power.

He accused the makers of Fauji of dramatising the Netaji-Hitler meeting to stir controversy rather than presenting it accurately. Netaji, he said, was a towering figure who should never be shown in a way that makes his image seem smaller. He added that the true nature of Netaji's relationship with Hitler has not been faithfully depicted in the film.

The controversy has been fuelled by the film's trailer. Critics claim it shows a fictional character played by Prabhas being introduced to Hitler by Netaji, giving undue weight to an invented figure and diminishing Netaji's real historical role.

Fauji is a period war-action film, written and directed by Hanu Raghavapudi.