Story: This is the untold story of Neera Arya (Roopa Iyer), India’s freedom fighter and first woman spy from Netaji Subash Chandra Bose’s (Shreyas Talpade) Indian National Army’s (INA) Rani Jhansi Regiment.
Review: India’s freedom struggle is replete with lesser-known anecdotes and unsung heroes who deserve as much attention as the great leaders and famed tales of valour. Director and lead actor Roopa Iyer’s Azad Bharath is one such film. It retells the story of India’s first woman spy, who murdered her own husband to save Netaji’s life, was captured and tortured by the British rulers, and later lived and died in obscurity. The story opens at a fashion house in present-day London, where Neera (also played by Roopa Iyer) misappropriates the traditional Netaji Subash Chandra Bose cap and is reprimanded by her senior Indian boss. This episode leads her to research the significance of India’s fight for independence, and the contribution of Netaji and the Rani Jhansi Regiment.
Thereon, the narrative touches upon most of the pivotal aspects of this chapter of Indian history. It portrays Netaji’s unwavering faith in the country’s women as fighters, his belief that they could lead from the front, and the crucial role they played in the freedom movement. Alongside this, the film depicts the arduous task of recruiting women in a social milieu where in-laws, parents, and gurus were reluctant to send women of the household to fight alongside men, and where battlefields were seen as a male bastion. It shows the rift that develops among the soldiers of the Jhansi Regiment due to a life of deprivation in the forest, and how they wrestle with personal desires. While the film addresses these aspects, one would have liked to know more about Neera’s background, especially how the spark to join the army and fight for the freedom struggle was ignited in her. Instead, her story begins with her marriage to a British Army officer and CID inspector, Shrikant Ranjan Das (Priyanshu Chatterjee). With loyalties on opposite sides, their conflict is acknowledged but not explored in depth.
The film’s treatment and execution leave much to be desired. Throughout the film, rousing speeches struggle to create the intended impact. Scenes showing Neera and other women being tortured in prison are meant to disturb, but instead come across as distasteful. Captain Neera’s descent into obscurity and her eventual death feel rushed, while the parallel track of the London-based Neera visiting the former’s village to retrace her life remains ineffective.
Roopa Iyer is passable as the protagonist, though her performance tends to become over the top in several moments. Shreyas Talpade, as Netaji, delivers an earnest performance and largely looks the part, but the patchy make-up is often too apparent. Priyanshu Chatterjee is sincere despite the limitations of his role.
Although the film takes up an important and powerful chapter of history, its treatment and execution make it an underwhelming outing.