Singapore’s link with the Indian freedom movement is being rekindled through a new documentary on Subhas Chandra Bose, to be screened at the RELC International Hotel auditorium in Orange Grove Road today.
Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose: A Singapore Saga captures the Indian nationalist’s “Dilli Challo” battle cry, which he made while standing on the steps of the majestic building overlooking the open space at the Padang here in July 1943.
It was a call to march on the centre of power in Delhi — with the aim of ousting the British colonial government from India.
His words galvanised the people in this region, ignited the “Free India” movement, caused a surge in the ranks of the Indian National Army (INA) that he led and triggered the final push for India’s independence, which came four years later.
Commissioned by the Tagore Society Singapore, the documentary was written and directed by Lakshmi Raman Venkat, and has DBS Singapore and DBS India as its main sponsors.
The background narration is by Siddhartha Basu, the voice familiar to many Indians as the quiz master of Mastermind and other quiz shows.
The documentary production team from Ms Lakshmi’s company, Gravitas Media, includes Rajendra Nanoskar, Prakash Parmar, Santosh Mithbawkar and Wilson Thomas.
Tagore Society Singapore creative director Dolly Davenport said the documentary provides a glimpse into how ordinary people in this region were drawn to Netaji and the cause of India’s freedom.
She pointed out that women shouldered equal responsibilities with men in the INA, and she wanted their achievements and glorious feats to be commemorated and remembered.
The documentary team’s research unearthed remarkable stories about Netaji in Singapore.
It also found a rich repository of songs created by the INA band under its music director Ram Singh Thakuri.
There are several other interesting facets from the period.
Essentially, the documentary commemorates the intertwined histories and strong cultural ties between India and Singapore.
