Thanks Dvdunlimited for the excellent (but tricky) link.

BTW, I had to pretend highliting (trick) in order to see any text in the deeper links. Why would any one design a site like that??

The link gives a lots of insight into India's two main anthems. The link mentions Nehru, Rajendra Prasad, Maulana Mohammad Ali etc but no mention of Bose. Bose being from Bengal, I would think that he preferred Vande Matrum, like all others from Bengal??

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BTW, Bose must be more gripping and action heavy than Gandhi. Plus tons of suspense. Lots of controversies on top.

Can't wait to see this film on big screen. I hope they release it soon.

I remember reading about some conspiracy theories on Jana Gana Mana - here is the link

http://www.rediff.com/news/feb/22anthem.htm


I am looking forward to this one, personally I hope they explore his relationship with Japan and Germany ( the "bad guys" of WW II) . I belong to the Gandian school of thought and feel proud that we inherited an independence that was won by turning the other cheek. I respect Benegal and feel confident that he would treat the material with respect it deserves. Now if I can get my hands on the Soundtrack (sounds very very promising)

Music review of some sorts -
http://us.rediff.com/movies/2005/mar/24bose.htm

Soundtrack is good, but not great. Since you are travelling you can pick it up for le$$

The Bose music is more to go along with the film rather than as a standalone album.

http://www.ndtv.com/ent/newstory.asp?se ... ji&Id=3532

Benegal pays tribute to 'The Forgotten Hero'
Wednesday, April 13, 2005:

Netaji - The Forgotten Hero, Shyam Benegal's film on Subhash Chandra Bose, is finally ready after three years in the making.

The release is planned for May 6.

Netaji - The Forgotten Hero, Shyam Benegal's film on Subhash Chandra Bose, is finally ready after three years in the making.

The release is planned for May 6. But one day before that, a special premiere will be held in Kolkata, home of the hero where he is anything but forgotten.

Those who have seen previews warn that the film may spark all kinds of controversies

But for Benegal, it was an extraordinary story that just had to be rescued from the pages of history and told to the world.

"Bengal of course knows. But as far as the rest of India is concerned, he has remained simply a name. People know so little about it. You have the great pantheon of Gandhi, Nehru and then suddenly one figure is missing. I think that's what we are doing. We are making amends for that," he sayd.

Life changing experience

Bringing Netaji to life, Sachin Khedekar, for whom playing the role has been a life changing experience. His most difficult lines these – "Give me blood, I'll give you freedom. Jai hind"

"Its an amazing film. Its three hours and a few minutes and I promise you won't get up from you seat. It's a beautiful film, with very good performances," says Rajeshwari Sachdev, actress.

The music for the film has been composed by A R Rehman. The maestros music sweeps you back into the throes of Netaji's struggle for independence - History, that the forgotten hero brings right back to life.

Seems they're going for the Guinness record






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Kolkata, April 13 (IANS): Shyam Benegal's magnum opus "Bose The Forgotten Hero", the much awaited film on the life of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, aims to find a name in the Guinness record book with a record turnout at its May 5 premiere.

Sahara One Motion Pictures, the producers, are organising a mega premiere at Kolkata's sprawling Eastern Command Ground in their bid to get into the Guinness Book of World Records on the basis of the headcount.

On May 5, the film would be shown before an audience that would surpass the figure of 23,930 people who, according to the current Guinness, record witnessed the premiere of an Americna movie, said Priti Shahani of Sahara.

"For the next three weeks, we would launch a promotional blitz. We would distribute free tokens to the people, especially youngsters, in colleges, coffee shops and other places," she said.

"We know the Guinness regulations and accordingly we have appointed Ernst and Young to audit the premiere attendance. Technicians from Britain have been brought to arrange the show free from glitches," she added.

The movie is an epic on Bose, one of the architects of India's freedom movement. It has been made with a budget of Rs.220 million ($5 million) with an additional outlay of Rs. 130 million for its promotion.

The film captures the remarkable journey of Bose from 1941 to 1945 in the backdrop of the Second World War and the exploits of the Indian National Army he founded to fight the British rule in India.

The film has been directed by renowned filmmaker Shyam Benegal. Hindi film actor Sachin Khedekar plays the Netaji.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/arti ... nness~book

Excerpts:

The period drama, starring Sachin Khedekar as Bose, would be vying with Brewster McLout , a production from Texas, USA, which holds the Guinness Book record of the biggest premier ever with 23,930 people attending its opening show.

The grand premier, to be held at the Eastern Command ground in the heart of the city, is expected to draw around 30,000 people, she said.


Technicians from the UK and India will put together the gala event with a giant screen showing the movie that depicts the most eventful years of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, West Bengal's most revered freedom fighter.


"This is a long film of three and half hours. But I could not have settled for any less to portray the extraordinary life, travels, trauma and achievement of one of the greatest Indians who remained unsung even in his own country," Benegal told reporters.

The Rs 35 crore venture, which took three years for completion, would be Benegal's third biographical film after Nehru and Gandhi.

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Hope, they do or did a transfer on a 70mm film (or I-Max or Omni-Max) for the huge screen??

If the did, it would be a wonderful experience. Thumbs Up.

http://hindi.galatta.com/entertainment/ ... negal4.txt

Benegal in trouble

The depiction of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose's marriage in a new film on the national hero has landed its director Shyam Benegal in controversy.
Five researchers on Bose in Bengal plan to take Benegal's Bose - The Forgotten Hero to court for showing him married in the film. They claim they have proof that Netaji never married Austrian Emilie Schenkl, as shown in the movie.

According to researchers, Netaji's application for a visa to visit China on November 23, 1939, mentioned his marital status as 'single.' Netaji's family says he married Schenkl secretly in 1937.

Researchers also urged Benegal to desist from showing that Netaji died in the 1945 air crash.

Bose and Schenkl's daughter Anita Pfaff and her husband Professor Martin Pfaff, a former member of the German parliament, have visited India several times.

http://sify.com/movies/bollywood/fullst ... d=13735490

Shyam Benegal's 'Netaji' cooks up a storm
Friday, 06 May , 2005, 09:15


Kolkata: Shyam Benegal's much-awaited film Netaji, a Forgotten Hero is cooking up a storm in the patriot's homeland Bengal with some deponents of the Mukherjee Commission of Inquiry demanding that the director scrap scenes showing Netaji's marriage.

Ten deponents to the commission inquiring into Netaji's disappearance are up in arms against Benegal saying his movie showing the legendary leader's romance with and marriage to German Emily Shenkl was historically distorted. Editor's Choice

"We have written to the Censor Board as well as secretaries of Union Home and I & B ministries to put a stop to the release of the film since the question of his marriage to Shenkl is disputable," one of the deponents and Netaji researcher Jayanta Chowdhury told PTI.

The group Netaji Bhabna Mancha, which had earlier objected to screening of the movie in its present form, has also raised questions on the rendition of the INA song Hum Dilli Dilli Jayenge in the film.

"While Kadam Kadam Badhaye Ja has been picked up absolutely in the INA format, Hum Dilli.. has been distorted from its original version," Chowdhury said.

Meanwhile, a Sahara spokesperson said they had rescheduled the premiere to May 11 instead of May five and were not attempting to get into the Guinness Book anymore as announced at a press conference in Kolkata last month. Chowdhury said the Mancha had send a legal notice to Benegal on these grounds but had not received any reply till date.

"We are not saying that Netaji would become any less a freedom fighter if he had a love affair or had married. It is absolutely human to have a relationship. But when a commission is inquiring into all these debatable points, does it become a great film-maker like Benegal to record for posterity issues that might turn out to be wrong later," he said.

The group had seen a premiere of the movie on German television in late 2003 and had begun a movement against it ever since.

Another deponent and legal expert Rudrajyoti Bhattacharya said they would jointly move court if the film was released in its present form.

The Sahara spokesperson said the film could not be premiered on the due date due to non-availability of the Eastern Command grounds in the city where they had scheduled the show.

It was for the same reason, the spokesperson asserted, that the record attempt to assemble over 30,000 people had also been done away with.

Meanwhile, Bose's family members and select leaders of the Forward Bloc had seen the movie in sneak previews. While his relatives, including his nephews wife and former MP Krishna Bose, had approved of the film the political party leaders were said to have had mixed reactions.

"But we will let people decide if they accept it or not," Forward Bloc MP Debabrata Biswas said.

Shame! They missed a chance to be in the guinness book of records. Producers were willing to give up revenues from 30,000 viewers, spend on world class projection equipment & technicians and real estate not available for political reasons??

Article on BBC online;


Ali

Bose - The Forgotten Hero ´ May Release Next Week
By: Abid
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It seems like Shyam Benegal´s ´Bose - The Forgotten Hero ´ may release next Friday ( May 13) in some parts of India , despite objections from the left parties about the portrayal of certain aspects of Netaji´s life in the movie .

According to our sources , the powerful business group ´Sahara India´ , who have produced the movie under their banner ´Sahara One Motion Pictures´ , have managed to work out some sort of a compromise formula to facilitate the release of the movie .

Will this be released in the US? Sahara distributed the Hindi version of Mumbai Xpress, which never showed up in my city. I want to see it on the big screen and not on some crappy Venus DVD.

Ayieeeeeeee, I hope its not the dreaded scissors they are talking about ! , I have a bad feeling we will see a butchered version of BOSE

Very intersting - just what i was looking forward to.

The complete article is here
http://specials.rediff.com/entertai/200 ... 9bose1.htm

Now just hope they release it in a theater near me !