Turning 21 this week is Shyam Benegal’s biopic Netajji Subhas Chandra Bose: The Forgotten Hero. Sachin Khedekar, who turns 60 today, talks with Subhas K Jha on playing the lead character Subhas Chandra Bose.
Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose has always been a controversial figure. Filmmakers have shied away from delving too deep into Netaji’s life.
Shyam Benegal had spent barely 20 hours at Swadhinpur to shoot the biopic Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose: The Forgotten Hero, but the people of this dusty Birbhum village have not forgotten the filmmaker.
Released in 2004, the film written and directed by Benegal focused on the last five years of Netaji’s life. It is considered one of the best biopics on the freedom fighter.
When Shyam Benegal commenced the music recording for ‘Mujib: The Making of a Nation’, he was already undergoing dialysis. After his demise on Monday, the music composer of his final four films, Shantanu Moitra, recollected Benegal’s resilience and how he never mentioned his medical treatment if he arrived late for the music recording sessions. All he expressed was: “I may be a little late today for the recording. I hope that is OK with you”. Benegal was keen to attend the Dhaka premiere of the film last year, though health complications came in the way.
