Nobody raised any question about Shyam Benegal’s 2005 film's title ‘Bose - Ek Gumnaam Daastan’: Srijit

Srijit Mukherji is being dragged into one after another controversy over ‘Gumnaami’, the latest being an open letter from 32 members of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose’s family alleging the noted director altered his film’s name from ‘Gumnami Baba’ to ‘Gumnaami’ to get the Censor Board’s clearance.
The thriller which stars Prosenjit Chatterjee as Netaji has attracted controversies for exploring theories over Bose’s mysterious ‘disappearance’.
Srijit, who had screened ‘Gumnaami’s trailer at the office of the All India Forward Bloc (party founded by Bose) last Sunday categorically denied the allegations put up by a portion of the national hero’s kin. He has made it clear the film was never titled ‘Gumnami Baba’ in the first place. So, the allegation against him is entirely false.
When asked if ‘Gumnaami’ is driving home the conspiracy theory, the national-award-winning director points out an interesting aspect. “Ironically, in 2005 when Shyam Benegal’s film on Netaji was released, if you remember its Hindi title was ‘Bose — Ek Gumnaam Daastan’. Interestingly, at that time nobody raised any questions about it. People should see the film before drawing any conclusions about the content. Even the censor board saw it a balanced and objective work and decided to give my film a ‘U’ certificate without any cuts. It now should be left to the judgment of the viewers,” said Srijit.
The film, which has received the CBFC clearance without any cut, will release on October 2.
A statement, signed by Netaji’s niece Chitra Ghosh, his nephew Dwarka Bose and 30 other members of the Bose family, has stated: “For the past year, ever since Srijit Mukherji announced the film ‘Gumnami Baba’, he had said it is based on the book ‘Conundrum’ by Chandrachur Ghosh and Anuj Dhar and (he) had appeared with the authors (at events).
“Now he (Srijit Mukherji) has suddenly changed his stance to get past the Censor Board and says the film is based on the Justice Mukherjee Commission report. He has also changed the name of the film.”
Srijit Mukherji, in reply, clearing his stance wrote on social media: “What absolute nonsense and a bunch of lies! The name of the film from day one was Gumnaami, in all announcements including the teaser poster.
“And the decision to base the screenplay on the Mukherjee Commission report and not Conundrum, was made before the film was shot, “months before this controversy.”
“Clearly the Bose family thinks one can overnight change the screenplay of a film and shoot it,” the award-winning filmmaker’s post read.
The ‘Vinci Da’ director has time and again said that ‘Gumnaami’ without arriving at any particular conclusion delves deep into three theories over Netaji’s ‘disappearance’ – his alleged death in a plane crash in 1945, his death in Russia and the ascetic in Uttar Pradesh’s Faizabad in the 1970s, who many thought was Subash Chandra Bose in disguise – inspired by Mukherjee Commission’s report.
“The third theory (Gumnami Baba) is still a theory even if it was rejected by Mukherjee Commission due to lack of evidence,” Srijit explains.
He also insists people “deserve to know the Gumnami theory and its negation” beside the two other theories regarding Netaji’s disappearance, Mukherji said in his statements adding, a portion of the Bose family is “resorting to fascist arm twisting” technique.
The statement in question, under the title ‘Majority members of Bose family’, has claimed ‘Gumnaami’ should be stopped from screening on the scheduled date, saying, “It is imperative the AIFB (All India Forward Bloc) immediately dissociate themselves from this and actively oppose the screening which is nothing but denigrating Netaji.”
However, Srijit has said the senior AIFB leaders after seeing the trailer have agreed to watch the premiere of ‘Gumnaami’ and it's confirmed they are attending the premiere.