For decades, the popular narrative of India’s struggle for independence has been dominated by the philosophy of Satyagraha (truth-force) and non-violent civil disobedience led by Mahatma Gandhi and the Indian National Congress. Consequently, the contributions of the revolutionaries who took up arms against the British Raj—specifically the Indian National Army (INA) led by Subhas Chandra Bose—were often relegated to the footnotes of history textbooks or viewed through a lens of controversy.
Released on Amazon Prime Video in January 2020, The Forgotten Army: Azaadi Ke Liye attempts to rectify this historical amnesia. Directed by Kabir Khan, who had previously explored this subject in his documentary The Forgotten Army (1999), the series is a hybrid of historical drama and documentary realism. It chronicles the journey of Indian soldiers who, captured by the Japanese during World War II, chose to fight for India’s independence under the leadership of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. This paper analyzes the series' role in rewriting historical memory and its efficacy in educating a modern audience about the INA.
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In the pantheon of Indian independence heroes, the names Gandhi, Nehru, Bose, and Patel echo through classrooms and cinema halls. Yet, for decades, a crucial chapter of the freedom struggle remained buried under political rivalry and post-colonial embarrassment: the story of the Indian National Army (INA) and the Battle of Singapore.
Enter Kabir Khan’s monumental web series, “The Forgotten Army - Azaadi Ke Liye -2020- S01.” Premiering on Amazon Prime Video on January 24, 2020, just two days before Republic Day, this five-episode war drama did not just aim to entertain. It was a cinematic exhumation. It asked a dangerous question: What if the “official” history of India’s independence is missing a war?
“The Forgotten Army - Azaadi Ke Liye” is a 2020 Amazon Prime Video war drama series created by Kabir Khan. It brings to life the untold story of Subhas Chandra Bose’s Indian National Army (INA) and its historic march from Southeast Asia to liberate India from British rule. Blending romance, patriotism, and brutal warfare, the series follows Lieutenant Sodhi and a group of young recruits who become part of the legendary Azad Hind Fauj — an army history nearly forgot.
Unlike the grand, familiar narratives of the Gandhi-Nehru-Jinnah political struggle, The Forgotten Army attempts to shine a cinematic light on the Indian National Army (INA) and its leader, Subhas Chandra Bose. Streaming on Amazon Prime Video, the show is a five-part limited series that blends period drama with a modern-day documentary framing device. The ambition is noble: to reclaim the "other" history of India’s armed revolution. The execution, however, is a complex mix of visual grandeur and narrative miscalculation.
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Released on 24 January 2020 on Amazon Prime Video, The Forgotten Army - Azaadi Ke Liye
is a five-episode historical war drama created and directed by Kabir Khan
. The series is a passion project for Khan, who based it on his 1999 documentary of the same name. Plot & Themes The show chronicles the true story of the Indian National Army (INA) , also known as the Azad Hind Fauj Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose
. It explores the journey of Indian soldiers who defected from the British Indian Army to join the Japanese in World War II, marching towards Delhi with the war cry "Challo Dilli" to liberate India. Key narrative elements include: Dual Timelines : The story oscillates between 1942–1945 , depicting the formation and battles of the INA, and
, where an aging veteran, Surinder Sodhi, visits Singapore and Myanmar amidst student protests. The Women's Regiment : It highlights the Rani of Jhansi Regiment
, the world's first all-women infantry unit, led by Captain Lakshmi Sahgal. Core Message
: The series focuses on themes of identity, sacrifice, and the "forgotten" nature of these soldiers, who were often labeled traitors by the British after the war. Cast & Crew Young Surinder Sodhi Sunny Kaushal Maya Srinivasan Sharvari Wagh (in her debut role) Old Surinder Sodhi : M.K. Raina Shah Rukh Khan (narrates the beginning of episodes) : Composed by with vocals by Arijit Singh
Critics generally praised the high production values, action sequences, and the importance of telling this "forgotten" chapter of history. However, some noted that the central The Forgotten Army - Azaadi Ke Liye -2020- S01 ...
between Sodhi and Maya occasionally distracted from the historical gravity, and the 1996 timeline was seen by some as less impactful than the wartime narrative.
Azaadi ke liye (TV Mini Series 2020) - Full cast & crew - IMDb
The Forgotten Army - Azaadi Ke Liye is a five-episode historical drama miniseries released on Amazon Prime Video in January 2020. Directed by Kabir Khan, it is based on the true events of the Indian National Army (INA) led by Subhash Chandra Bose during World War II. Core Premise & Plot
The series follows the journey of Indian soldiers who, after being captured by the Japanese during the fall of Singapore in 1942, joined the INA to fight against British colonial rule for India's independence.
Dual Timelines: The narrative intercuts between two periods:
1942–1945: The formation of the INA, their 3,884 km march from Singapore toward Delhi, and their intense battles in the Burma campaign.
1996: An elderly Colonel Sodhi (played by M.K. Raina) returns to Singapore and Burma, retracing his past while witnessing modern-day student protests for democracy.
Key Focus: It highlights the role of the Rani of Jhansi Regiment, one of the first all-female infantry units in modern military history. Cast & Production
The 2020 Amazon Prime Video original series The Forgotten Army – Azaadi Ke Liye , created and directed by Kabir Khan , serves as a cinematic tribute to the Indian National Army (INA) Azad Hind Fauj
. Spanning five episodes, the series revisits a pivotal but often overlooked chapter of the Indian independence movement: the armed struggle led by Subhash Chandra Bose against British colonial rule during World War II. Narrative Structure and Plot
The series employs a dual-timeline narrative that weaves together the past and the present: The 1940s Timeline: It begins with the Battle of Singapore
in 1942, where Indian soldiers in the British Indian Army surrender to the Japanese. Influenced by Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, these soldiers, including protagonist Lieutenant Surinder Sodhi (played by Sunny Kaushal ), defect to form the INA with the war cry " Challo Dilli " (March on Delhi). The 1996 Timeline: An aged Sodhi ( M.K. Raina ) visits his family in Singapore and travels to
with his nephew Amar, finding himself caught in modern-day student protests that mirror his own youthful fight for freedom. Historical Significance and Themes
The show focuses on the "forgotten" nature of these soldiers' sacrifices, who were often labeled as traitors by the British establishment but viewed as patriots in India. Prime Video The Rani of Jhansi Regiment:
The series highlights the INA's unique inclusion of the first-ever women’s infantry regiment. Maya Srinivasan Sharvari Wagh
), a photographer turned soldier, represents the courage of women who fought on the front lines. Moral Complexity: It explores the dilemma of soldiers allied with the Empire of Japan For decades, the popular narrative of India’s struggle
to fight a common enemy, the British, raising questions about identity and the heavy price of freedom. Production and Reception
The Echo of the Chalo Delhi March
The heat in Singapore was different in 1942. It wasn't just the tropical sun; it was the feverish heat of hope. For young Lieutenant Suraj Singh, standing in the formation at the Padang, the air smelled of rain and revolution.
For years, Suraj had been a soldier in the British Indian Army, a pawn in an empire that looked down on him. But today, standing before a man in a crisp military tunic and round glasses—Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose—everything had changed. The British had surrendered Singapore to the Japanese, but for the Indians gathered there, the real war was just beginning.
"Tum mujhe khoon do, main tumhe azadi doonga!" Netaji’s voice rang out, cracking the humid air like thunder. Give me blood, and I will give you freedom.
Suraj looked to his left. Standing shoulder-to-shoulder with him was Maya. She wasn’t a soldier by trade; she was a nurse from Rangoon who had watched the British retreat while her patients died. She had joined the Rani of Jhansi Regiment, the world's first all-female infantry fighting force. Her uniform was stiff, her eyes hard, but Suraj saw the tremble in her hand as she gripped her rifle.
"Nervous?" Suraj whispered, keeping his eyes forward.
"Terrified," Maya admitted without turning her head. "But terror is better than shame. I would rather die fighting for a free India than live kneeling under the Union Jack."
The March
The story of the Indian National Army (INA), or Azad Hind Fauj, was not written in the luxury of generals' tents, but in the mud of the Burma front.
Weeks turned into months as the INA pushed toward the Indian border. They were an army of the forgotten—former prisoners of war, plantation workers, shopkeepers—bound by a singular, desperate obsession: Delhi.
Suraj and Maya found themselves in the same battalion, trudging through the dense, leech-infested jungles of Burma. The monsoon turned roads into rivers and trenches into graves. The Japanese, their allies, were often distant and focused only on their own strategic gains. The INA was often left with meager supplies, rationing bullets and sharing rotting rations.
One night, huddled under a tarp while rain drummed a relentless rhythm, Suraj cleaned his rifle. "Do you think they remember us back home?" he asked.
Maya scoffed softly, wringing water from her hair. "The British call us traitors. They tell the villagers we are puppets of the Japanese. But when we reach Imphal... when we step foot on Indian soil, the truth will be undeniable."
The Crossing
The defining moment came at the Irrawaddy River. The British forces were entrenched on the opposite bank, their artillery zeroed in on the only crossing points. The order came down: Cross the river. Take the position. “The Forgotten Army - Azaadi Ke Liye” is
It was a suicide mission.
Suraj led his platoon to the riverbank. The water was a churning brown beast. "For Netaji! For India!" he shouted, signaling the charge.
They waded into the water, holding their rifles high. The night exploded. Muzzle flashes turned the dark river into a strobe light of death. Beside him, Maya wasn't just firing; she was directing the Rani regiment, covering the male infantry's advance. She screamed orders, her voice hoarse, refusing to duck even as the water around her boiled with the impact of bullets.
Suraj saw a British machine gun nest pinning them down. He looked at Maya. She nodded. They didn't need words. They were no longer individuals; they were the collective rage of a subjugated nation.
Together, they flanked the position. Suraj threw a grenade, silencing the gun. They scrambled up the muddy bank, planting the tricolour flag of the Azad Hind Government into the wet earth.
They had crossed the river. India was within reach.
The Silence
But history is cruel. Just as the INA tasted victory at the border, the tides of World War II shifted globally. The Japanese supply lines collapsed. The British reinforced their positions with overwhelming numbers and air superiority.
The INA was forced to retreat. It wasn't a defeat of spirit; it was a defeat of logistics. The march back was a funeral procession for a dream. Men and women fell not to bullets, but to malaria, starvation, and exhaustion.
In a makeshift hospital camp in the jungle, Suraj lay on a cot, a fever wracking his body. Maya sat beside him, her uniform stained with mud and blood. The war was effectively over for them. The British were recapturing the territory.
"They'll hang us, won't they?" Suraj whispered, his eyes glassy.
Maya took his hand. "They can hang our bodies, Suraj. But they cannot hang an idea. We lit the fire. Even if we die, the story of the Forgotten Army will reach the villages. It will reach the soldiers still serving the British."
The Legacy
The screen fades to black, and then flickers to a post-independence courtroom in 1945. The British, attempting to make an example, put the INA officers on trial at the Red Fort.
Suraj and Maya stand in the dock, emaciated but unbowed. The prosecutor calls them traitors. But outside the courtroom, the streets of Delhi, Bombay, and Calcutta erupt. The Indian sailors of the Royal Indian Navy mutiny. The British realization dawns: they cannot govern a country whose soldiers have stopped fearing them.
The narrator’s voice—aged and wise—speaks over the scene:
"History is written by the victors, they say. But sometimes, the defeated change the world. We were the Forgotten Army. We did not march into Delhi as conquerors. But because we marched, the British finally realized their time was up. We didn't see the sunrise on August 15th, 1947, but we were the ones who woke the dawn."
