RIFLE RANGE BOY

The Forgotten Army, Azaadi Ki Liye (For Freedom, Hindi; 2020) Amazon Prime. 26,000 Indians had died under the banner of Indian National Army (INA) while fighting for Independence of India. Their actions triggered the Royal Indian Navy mutiny, which nailed the coffin of the British occupancy in India. The plea for Independence and the spirit of Indianness were supported by the diaspora outside India just to be sizzled out by the historical turn of events. They say that history is written by the victors. This is one clear proof of this statement. History had vilified the efforts of INA and had labelled them as traitors. Their agitations had been marked, not as nationalism but as treason. Flag of  Azad Hind Their rebel yell, Dilli Chalo (Let's go Delhi), was not in keeping with the narrative of the day then, as dictated by the Father of India and supported by the Congress Party. These people wanted India to be a British dominion to be given crumbs by their colonial masters...

Manikarnika (2019) It is not a documentary, so do not expect factual accuracy. It is quite alright if you see the screen Jhansi Rani letting her hair down, getting into the groove and dancing with the villagers. At least they got the Mahishashura Mardini version of Queen Laxmibai right. Her unabated rage in fighting the tyranny of British can best be compared to the unstoppable fighting machine of Durga overpowering the Buffalo Demon of Mahishashura seen in the Mysore tradition. Living true to the feminine force of Nature which gives life and takes, Jhansi Rani has remained the Indian icon that spread nationalism and empowered women the world over, at least in the Indian diaspora. The 21st century has seen countries that used to be under the yoke of colonial powers in the previous centuries suddenly open their eyes to realise that their masters never left their shores. They had continued their grip on the newly developed economies through their web of deceit, control and mass hypn...