The Forgotten Army – Azaadi Ke Liye is a historical drama genre web-series based on the struggle of Indian National Army soldiers and how they sacrificed their lives for a country that branded them as traitors and does not even remember them as freedom fighters.

We first see Lieutenant Surinder Sodhi as an old man, still suffering from PTSD from the war. When he goes to Singapore to visit his relatives, he cannot help but remember his days in Indian National Army and the love of his life he had met in Singapore. He tells his nephew, Amar, about his past as an INA soldier. When he expresses his desire to accompany Amar to war-torn Burma, we learn that his patriotism and his desire for excitement are still alive.

As we progress through the episodes, we see Sodhi portrayed as a smart and logical man. He guesses the rubber plantation attack before his British army superiors but when they refuse to find his fears relevant, we see him accept his fate in silent resignation. 

When he first hears about the formation of INA and is given a chance to fight for the freedom of his country by the independent INA, he is enraged. He admonishes his men when they celebrate being free from the hold of British Army and is bewildered by his comrades' willingness to betray the British army. It was blasphemous to do anything against the rulers that he thought were governing his country.

This hints to the years of brain-washing he receives. Sodhi comes from a family with generations of men serving the British army as soldiers. He even has a British sponsored education. All this makes him unconsciously a psychological slave to his imperial rulers and he spends his life admiring them.

When a British general curses at him saying that he is a traitor even when Sodhi refuses to register in INA, he finally realises that he has been used by the British and that they treated Indians like cattle by unconditionally surrendering their army to the Japanese.

Maya, his potential love interest disagrees with him on his opinions of caste system supremacy in the recruitment of INA soldiers. Sodhi believes that warrior castes like him are genetically better than other castes who were not Kshatriya. Maya tells him that he is wrong and that every Indian is born equal, she informs him that the only requirement in INA recruitment should be patriotism. She asks Sodhi if he thinks that she is weaker than men. Sodhi disagrees and says that even women can be warriors. When we see him motivate Rasamma, we learn that he has accepted his mistake. This tells us an important aspect of his personality. Sodhi is not afraid of admitting his mistakes and inculcating positive changes in his behaviour. Sodhi and Arshad even volunteer to train the women’s regiment in INA.

Sodhi is also a romantic at heart. He keeps Maya’s pictures in his diary. When they are separated after the war, he goes back to Singapore to find her and even tries to cross the Burma border in search of her. We learn that he is very sentimental when we see him crying as he reads Maya’s old letters.

He is a great motivator and never lets his men lose hope. When their train is bombed by the British, he says that this unfortunate event is the symbol of the commencement of INA’s fight for freedom and motivates everyone with chants of Chalo Dilli!

Even when Sodhi grows old, his bravery and courage do not diminish. He is agile and with his fast reflexes saves Amar from the Burmese army. In the end, he refuses to surrender to the enemy and gives up his life with a pistol in his hand.

Sodhi represents the true spirit of the INA fighters - Their love for India transcends fear of dying and their steadfast courage is the stuff of legends.