LOST AND FOUND: BENEGAL’S BOSE By Mihir Bose IN HINDI

Mihir Bose’s review of Shyam Benegal’s film, The Forgotten Hero, draws our attention
to both the merits and short comings of the film. Though he finds fault with the film on many
counts, he finds the film interesting in parts and applauds Benegal for having done something bold
and remarkable for Indian cinema. Some of the things he likes about the film are:
(a) The dramatic presentation of Bose’s journey, difficult as it was, from Germany to
Japan in a submarine and the comic elements in them as well.
(b) Bose’s escape from Kolkota to Berlin via Afghanistan.
(c) The fact that Benegal’s film will certainly lead to a better understanding and
rehabilitation of S.C. Bose.
47
Some of the things he did not like about the film are:
(a) Benegal’s derivations from the historical truths and too much fictionalization of
some of the incidents in Bose’s life especially the issue of his marriage and his
relationship with Hitler.
(b) Benegal’s attempt to glorify Bose’s personality so that it confirmed to popular
perception rather than historical truth.
(c) Glorification of the role of INA in the battles of Imphal and Burma.
Finally when we try and evaluate the review we do find that, Mihir Bose, has focussed
far too much on the historical authenticity of the film narrative and has ignored the cinematic
qualities of the film. Much of the review is informed by his own biography of S.C. Bose and
Richard Attenborough’s film Gandhi. What the review lacks is an analysis of the filmic qualities
like cinematography, acting, screenplay, etc. thereby making the review one dimensional. It seems
he is reading Benegal’s film more as a historical document and not as a fictional representation
of a part of S.C. Bose’s life as ideally it should be.