Swatantrya Veer Savarkar: Controversy erupts over Savarkar film
Savarkar's ideology and the ideology of Netaji were diametrically opposite, says Chandra Kumar Bose.
A fresh controversy has erupted around the founder of the Hindutva philosophy, Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, over the claim by the promotion team of the upcoming film ‘Swatantrya Veer Savarkar’ that Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, Bhagat Singh and Khudiram Bose were inspired by him. This has led to considerable resentment by social media users, members of the Bose family and also the author of ‘Savarkar’ Vikram Sampath.
When asked, biographer Vikram Sampath told irate netizens: “That’s a question you need to ask him & his film writer! I am not responsible for everything that anyone says, writes or utters about Savarkar, especially when I have explicitly clarified that none of these films are inspired/adaptations from my books nor did anyone consult me.”
Reacting to actor Randeep Hooda’s claim, the grandnephew of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, Chandra Kumar Bose, said that Netaji was inspired by only Swami Vivekananda, who was his spiritual Guru, and freedom fighter Deshbandhu Chitranjan Das, who was his political mentor.
“Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose was inspired by only two great personalities. One is Swami Vivekananda, who was his spiritual Guru, and the second person was freedom fighter Deshbandhu Chitranjan Das, who was his political mentor. Apart from these two people, I don’t think Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose was inspired by any other freedom fighters,” Chandra Kumar Bose told India Today.
“Savarkar was a great personality, a freedom fighter, but Savarkar’s ideology and the ideology of Netaji were diametrically opposite. So, I don’t see any reason why Netaji would follow Savarkar’s principles and ideology. He actually opposed Savarkar,” he added.
Chandra Kumar Bose also said the filmmakers should not distort history to get mileage, which is an offence, and it should not be allowed.
“Netaji had met Sarvarkar. But he was not very impressed by Savarkar’s attitude. He (Savarkar) was basically a Hindu leader… Netaji was Bharatiya leader, not a Hindu or a Muslim leader. In Netajji’s Azad Hind Fauj, people from all religions had participated,” the grandnephew said.
The first teaser of Hooda’s biopic, Swatantrya Veer Savarkar, was launched on Sunday, to mark the 140th birth anniversary of Savarkar. The teaser showcases actor-turned-director Hooda in various avatars as he dons the role of the freedom fighter in the film.
The teaser opens with Savarkar walking towards the gallows as he says, “The struggle for freedom went on for 90 years, but only a few fought this war. The rest were hungry for power.”
