Kolkata: Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose's grandnephew Chandra Kumar Bose has criticised the director of the upcoming film "Fauzi" for allegedly distorting historical facts about the freedom fighter's meeting with Adolf Hitler, demanding an apology to the people of India.
 
Speaking to IANS, Chandra Bose said filmmakers are free to portray India's freedom struggle and its leaders, but stressed that creative liberty should not come at the cost of historical accuracy.

"Distorting facts and resorting to fiction while dealing with national icons is, I think, a crime," he said, alleging that the film presented a distorted account of Netaji's interaction with Hitler and demeaned the freedom fighter's stature.

On the historical context of the meeting, Chandra Bose said Netaji had approached Hitler in pursuit of support for India's independence.

"Netaji recognised that Germany's Hitler and Japan's Hideki Tojo could provide assistance to India's freedom movement at that juncture."

“He vehemently opposed fascism and believed in democracy and people's democratic rights,” Bose added.

According to Chandra Bose, Netaji dealt with Hitler as an equal rather than a subordinate and asserted his own position while seeking support for India's independence. He said Hitler recognised Netaji's patriotism and agreed to support him, including by providing the submarine that took him to Southeast Asia.

Addressing Hitler in his remarks, Chandra Bose said the German dictator's views about India, as expressed in his autobiography 'Mein Kampf', reflected a lack of understanding of the country's history, heritage, and culture.

He said both leaders were initially pursuing the independence of their respective nations, but Hitler later became a megalomaniac.

Chandra Bose alleged that the director of "Fauzi" had sensationalised Netaji's meeting with Hitler to create controversy rather than present the historical context accurately.

He said Netaji had a gigantic personality and should not be portrayed in a manner that diminished his stature. The film, he added, failed to reflect the truth about the freedom fighter's interaction with Hitler.

"The director should apologise to the people of India and all those who value the country's freedom struggle."

The trailer of the upcoming film has drawn criticism for allegedly portraying Subhas Chandra Bose as introducing the protagonist, played by Prabhas, to Adolf Hitler, seemingly elevating the fictional character while diminishing Bose’s historical stature.

The film, presented as an Indian period war-action, is directed and written by Hanu Raghavapudi.