This Republic Day, Amazon Prime's The Forgotten Army is sure to give you all the patriotic feels!

One of the scenes in the Forgotten Army has an old and now retired Colonel Sodhi telling his young nephew “Azaadi Kayam Rakhne ki ladai zyaada mushkil hai, aur wo ladai ab tumlogon ko ladni hai”, a metaphor perfectly resonating with the present-day state of affairs in India. The Forgotten Army- Azaadi Ke Liye , by Kabir Khan, an unequivocal critic of the contemporary nationalist regime is an unbiased depiction of a peripheral chapter of India’s colonial history. The 5-part series takes a trip down history where along the margins of the Indian independence movement, Subhash Chandra Bose forges the formation of the Indian National Army in Japan to contest the British rule in India. 

The narrative depicted through the recollections of Surinder Sodhi an officer in the Indian National Army, traverses back and forth where a young Sodhi (Sunny Kaushal) is inducted in the Azad Hind Fauj stirred by the war cry Challo Dilli made by Netaji in Singapore while the present day Sodhi has aged and revisits those memories with his nephew. The Indian National Army whilst in the making not only battled the turbulence of war but the emotional and psychological implications of it have been craftly demonstrated. The show’s leading lady Maya (Sharvari Wagh) highlights INA’s women infantry regime, a first of its kind in the world.  An entire episode exemplifying the robustness and tenacity embodied in these young women rising to the way cry concocting the Rani Jhasni Regiment of the INA is both moving and motivating. The screenplay, however, undermines its own feminist undertones as Maya or any other woman is never shown engaging in combat rather performing ancillary roles supporting men. 

Kabir Khan in his retelling of history navigates away from jingoism, creating a landscape pillared on longing and emancipation where objectivity trumps nationalistic pride. With his casting on-point the show is embellished with power packed performances whose plausibility siphons you into the pre-independence era. Sunny Kaushal as a young Sodhi exudes commitment to his homeland bereft of fanaticism while Sharvari as Maya blends naivety with fervor. Their love story is subtle and nuanced although thrusted with impertinent tropes of hidden letters and lovemaking in the caves. Another trope manifests in hero’s best friend Arshad played by an effervescent Rohit Chaudhary who carries comic relief whilst generating apprehensions of a tragic conclusion to his character. Several other formulaic arcs including a one-sided-lover who let go, a reformed pervert at the expense of a woman, a disillusioned youngster lend the story an essential bollywoodization. 

The run-time of the series at a little over three hours is too little to allow the viewer to delve into the intricate layers of the story. Khan’s attempt at keeping it crisp and real is laudable but leaves most of the characters under-explored. Despite the overwhelming sub-plots, the narrative isn’t convoluted but deprived of the scope of an emotional investment as it cuts from frame to frame abandoning all room for settlement. This, strips the story of the customary depth which constitutes an indispensable element of an account of patriotism.  The action sequences are well directed but the cinematography appears obviously plastic with mostly wide-angle shots lacking the requisite focus.  The, background score by Pritam however, is a major redeeming factor giving nothing short of goosebumps. A personal highlight for me, I found myself crooning long after I finished watching the show

Meri nass nass bahe tu watan

Meri nass nass kahe ae watan

Mera saara.. tujhpe vaara..