The Forgotten Army - Azaadi ke liye

Episode 1

Shonan

35 mins

On a rainy night, in 1945 Delhi, some Indian soldiers in khaki uniforms are brought into the Red Fort, chained and battered, on orders to be shot dead for being traitors. We travel ahead in time to 1996 Singapore, following a mysterious, introverted old man (Old Sodhi) in his 80s, who has come to visit his sister (Urmila) and her family, Subhash (Urmila's son) and Amar (Subhash's son) in Singapore. Old Sodhi takes some time to find his bearings in the new house and is perceived as a weirdo, especially by Amar. In an intervention by his older sister Urmila, Old Sodhi is catapulted into his past, the war of '42, the past he had kept in wraps. Amar is intrigued by Old Sodhi's past and is keen on finding out more. With his journalistic bent of mind, Amar does some research and draws connections between WWII, the INA, the Japanese Army and his grand Uncle and decides to take him to the INA Memorial. This triggers many memories in Old Sodhi and we travel back in time with him as he narrates to Amar about his time as a soldier in the British Indian Army and how they fought for the British in Singapore, in the Second World War. About Arshad, his best friend and about his time in battle. Stationed in Singapore, we journey through the lives of the soldiers in the British Indian Army and how the Indian soldiers were treated. We are exposed to the plight of Indian plantation workers in Singapore and follow a strong, young woman (Rasammah) in her journey. The controversial outcome of the Battle of Singapore and the fate of the soldiers of the British Indian Army.