The Forgotten Army - Azaadi Ke Liye Season 1 Review
Amazon Prime’s The Forgotten Army - Azaadi Ke Liye is a web-series based on the struggles and sacrifices of Azad Hind Fauj, also known as Indian National Army.
Most content created these days is for entertainment purposes. Even the audience demands something in genres of drama, romance and comedy. The result is that though we are entertained, what we see does not have a high retention value.
Rarely does it happen that a show influences you to a level that it becomes imprinted in your memory. And I’m convinced that the mainstream genres do not hold this power.
The Forgotten Army - Azaadi Ke Liye is a historical fiction drama directed brilliantly by Kabir Khan. It follows the story of Captain Sodhi from his days as an INA soldier fighting in Burma to going back to the same war torn country with his nephew, Amar.
The story has two timelines running congruously with each other, one in the past and the other describing the current events taking place. The scripting is so perfect that dual timelines weave a narrative that completely embroils the audience’s attention.
The story is interesting not only because it is based on our country’s history but also because it has not followed the common format used in movies and shows on freedom struggle. The story is not from the perspective of a famous historical figure. The main theme is of the forgotten sacrifice of INA soldiers. Their struggles, the problems they faced and how they interpreted the war - these topics are at focus.
Even though Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose’s name is forever linked to the success of INA, he is only given a fleeting mention. And this was not a bad decision. The screentime is devoted to informing the viewers of the places INA had grown from and fought and also situations they had to deal with. These snippets of information are most probably not known to viewers and hence in the process of entertainment, also educates the audience.
Before any battle, the place and the date it took place on is clearly mentioned. And since there are two timelines, aside from the INA’s battles in Burma, student protests in the same country around the year 1996 is also mentioned. The show is well researched and even the creative liberties taken to fictionalise some characters do not change the historical events or undermine the sacrifice of the soldiers.
I liked all the characters and was personally invested in the relationship between Sodhi and his love interest. It was beautifully crafted. The female characters in this show are strong women who are not afraid to correct people when they have a disagreement. The men are shown to take criticism positively and we see a lot of character development as the show progresses.
Sodhi’s character is written as a die-hard patriot. Generations of his family have served in the British Army. He has suffered considerable brain-wash by the imperial rulers. We see his character overcoming the delusions he has faced throughout his life.
INA receives several fallbacks and betrayals along their way. Death and destruction follow them everywhere but it never discourages them. It really pains me to learn that these bravehearts were branded as traitors by the same country they were ready to give up their lives for.
I loved this historical fiction. Even if you are not a history buff, you should watch it.
Series Rating- 5/5