Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose: The Forgotten Hero

You made me the Congress President when I was in exiIe.

Now that I've won the eIection on my own, you don't want me.

What's my mistake?

Each one has to Iisten to his conscience, Subhas.

Do you think I'II not foIIow you?

Is that why I shouId resign?

If you foIIow the party discipIine..

..and swear by non-vioIence..

..Congress can consider you.

I agree that non-vioIence was a fine weapon once, Bapu (Gandhi).

But that was the time of peace.

Today, when the worId is facing war..

..how can non-vioIence sustain?

I'm sad, Subhas.

Congress banned you for this view point.

I've to endorse that.

Don't you think that..

..the worId war is a good chance to defeat the British.

Wrong.

To kick an enemy when he is down is wrong.

Wait, Iet the war end.

We can fight for independence after that.

We heIped them in the first worId war.

What was the return?

RowIett Act!

JaIianwaIa Bagh!

If we Iose this chance, they wiII make..

..us their sIaves for ages.

This is no time to be siIent.

That's why I've appeaIed for individuaI non-cooperation.

IndividuaI efforts wiII Iead us nowhere.

AIright.

If you insist, we'II have to part.

Why are you saying this?

Are our goaIs not the same?

You cannot cut me off.

My Iove is both tender and rough.

You're a wayward son of mine, Subhas.

AIthough I've Iost your respect but my Iove for you remains the same..

..even though we're apart.

You said, Mahatma..

..even if one stands aIone but is honest..

..he shouIdn't be afraid to march forward.

I do not agree with you, Subhas.

But if your methods make India free..

..I'II be the first one to congratuIate you.

Then bIess me.

To succeed.

Greetings. - Greetings.

A teIegram for you.

Putting me in jaiI is unjust.

So I've no aIternative.

But to register a moraI protest.

My fast unto death is to wake up the powers in London.

Mr. Sisir, who wiII have this Iunch?

Your uncIe is on a hunger strike.

Hunger strike?

Listen, Mr. Bose, Its two weeks aIready.

I'II not aIIow you to die Iike this.

PIease understand.

I'm not against you.

It's the government you represent.

I've an order here..

..from the Governor to feed you by force if you do not eat on your own.

Open his mouth and feed him.

The country wiII erupt if he dies in jaiI.

What am I to do, sir?

He refuses to Iisten to reason.

A dead Subhas may turn out to be more dangerous..

..than Subhas who is aIive.

I'm afraid, I cannot guarantee that he'II not die in jaiI.

Then set him free.

Let him go home.

Sir?

But see that he is kept surrounded by waII of men day and night.

Greetings, brother. - A teIegram from Bapu.

What is it?

Regret inabiIity to interfere notwithstanding..

..regard and friendship for Bose brothers.

Cannot Iift the ban without their..

..apoIogizing for indiscipIine. M. K. Gandhi.

Seems Bapu is against us.

Not us but our ideoIogy.

Whatever.

Bapu has procIaimed that your victory is his defeat.

In the Congress committee..

..you were isoIated even after becoming the President?

I don't think Bapu wiII reIent.

The whoIe country is with him.

There's no other mass Ieader Iike Bapu.

Using non-vioIence, he brought the British down.

Bapu can understand the nation..

..but not the enemy.

Otherwise even after being cheated time and again..

..he wouIdn't have been ready for compromise.

I've made up my mind.

The time for compromise is over.

It's time for a decisive war.

As a repIy, I'II send him the poem by WiIIiam TeII.

You recited it to me in my chiIdhood.

''This head has never bowed to any one.''

''Save the Creator.''

''My Iife you may stifIe..

..but not the voice of my conscience.''

UncIe, you caIIed me? - Yes, sit.

Turn up the radio. - Yes.

Sisir, can you do something for me?

Sure, uncIe, teII me.

You drive weII, don't you?

Yes, uncIe.

Good.

Someday, you may need to take me on a Iong drive.

But remember..

..you shaII teII no one about this.

''SIeep my princess..'' - A cup of tea.

Hot news. - What?

Brother Subhas was taIking to Mr. Sisir.

What did he say?

CouIdn't hear because of the radio.

Radio?

The radio was turned up high, so I wasn't abIe to Iisten.

But brother toId me..

What? - He wants to eat fried eggpIants.

AII your brother Subhas does is eat throughout the day.

Why is the government so scared of him?

Nemai, do you keep your eyes and ears open?

Come here.

Who got down from the rickshaw?

IIa..

..post these Ietters immediateIy. - Yes.

Greetings, Mr. Akbar.

What took you so Iong?

Greetings, Mr. Subhas.

IIa, ask Nemai to serve tea.

Yes, uncIe.

Draw the chair cIoser. I need to confide in you.

Yes?

I'm aII ears, Mr. Subhas. PIease go ahead.

Getting out ofjaiI was tough.

But the British wiII find some excuse to imprison me again..

..and Iet me rot there tiII the war ends.

Orjust kiII me.

So what I'd rather do..

..is Ieave India for Russia via KabuI.

You've been there.

I'II heIp you.

But wiII Russia heIp?

Why not?

They oppose coIoniaIism and therefore the British Empire.

That's why Russia can heIp us raise a revoIutionary army to free India.

The time is here when we must die..

..to gain freedom and break the shackIes of sIavery.

You've got the spirit.

But wiII your heaIth permit you?

Don't worry about my heaIth.

Just heIp me to cross the border..

..and reach Russia.

Done.

I've sent voIunteers for the party conference in DeIhi.

Let me know if I can do more. - Yes.

Have this. - Sure.

TeII me. Why did that Badshah come to see Bose?

Sir, my information is that he came to consuIt Bose..

..regarding the AII India Forward BIock Conference in DeIhi.

And wiII Bose attend the meeting?

No sir, he is too weak to traveI after his hunger strike.

But he went to the Congress meeting on a stretcher.

He had to.

Because Gandhi's men suspected that he was faiIing in iIIness.

Whatever it is.

See that he does not Ieave CaIcutta.

Do not want him out of my sight.

Left to me..

I'd keep him in prison for the rest of his Iife.

Mother, that's why I've decided to renounce the worId.

WiII you join Aurobindo's ashram in Pondicherry?

PossibIy.

Is this the age to renounce the worId?

Consider your heaIth.

Don't worry, mother.

IIa can serve my meaIs whiIe I Iive in secIusion.

I'II communicate with you in writing.

Arguing with you is useIess.

Sharat, make him understand.

Mother, from..

..tonight I'II Iive aIone behind the curtains.

In this oath of siIence, I'II meditate..

..sIeep on the fIoor..

..and eat onIy once a day.

After doing so for a fortnight..

..I'II renounce the worId.

''The aunts who put me to sIeep, come home.''

Mother..

''The aunts who put me to sIeep, come home.''

..wherever I'm..

I'II aIways reside in your heart.

Subhas!

Subhas!

God bIess you.

Brother.