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The Forgotten Army - Azaadi ke liye Season 1 Episodes
Season 1 Episode Guide
5 Episodes 2020 - 2020
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.
Episode 2
POW
Fri, Jan 24, 202033 mins
After surrendering a winning battle to the British in the Battle of Singapore, all the Indians and Australian soldiers of the British Indian Army are taken as Prisoners of War and displayed in a march to the city of Singapore, by the Japanese. Their fate depended on the mercy of the Japanese Army. Amongst the many onlookers, we see Rasammah in the crowd. Rajan, a petty thief, is also seen very intrigued by this whole performance. Amar and Old Sodhi dive deeper into the past as Amar takes Old Sodhi to the Singapore Archives, where old pictures and newspaper articles trigger a chain of stories. About how a chance encounter with a photographer (Maya) changed his life. How their relationship grew. How, a sudden turn of events one night led the Indians to be a part of an army that wanted to free India. About the soldiers who were left in utter confusion and began to question whom their loyalties lay with. Stories of the time when the Indian National Army was formed. The day that transformed these soldiers was when they heard Netaji speak for the very first time. Netaji called out for the support of all Indian soldiers as well as civilians, men and women, to join this freedom army that sought to liberate India from the British. This was the turning point in the lives of the soldiers who joined this army and went on to form the Indian National Army. Maya, an aspiring photographer, is also very driven to join this freedom army and her chance meeting with Sodhi at her family owned photo studio, sparked a sequence of events that led her closer to this freedom movement and to Sodhi. Maya's constantly at loggerheads with her mother who ideally wants her to marry Sridhar, a doctor, and a close family friend. But Maya always finds ways to bypass her family to sneak out for speeches and rallies. Rasammah finds her peace by burning down the house of the English plantation owner who had been abusing and exploiting her for years.
Episode 3
Challo Dilli
Fri, Jan 24, 202036 mins
Episode 3 dives deeper into the formation and workings of the INA and the numerous conflicts that arose. In an attempt to escape a few Japanese soldiers, Rajan and his flunkies, find themselves enlisting in the INA, by chance. Sodhi is confronted by Maya on how illogical and regressive British military traditions are and that it takes time to break away from them. Sodhi is left speechless yet again and introspects about the ways of the British Army. Maya and many other women civilian recruits enroll in the INA and Sodhi is proud and relieved to see Maya come to join as well. Arshad and he are given the responsibility to train the women recruits who were also called 'Ranis'. Rigorous training sessions begin for all the recruits. They go through hell, there are misunderstandings and fights but they keep on training. Daichi, the Japanese officer, is apprehensive about the training of women and brings it up with Sodhi. While, in 1996 Amar struggles to convince his dad to let him go to Burma to complete his assignment for the photo essay competition. Despite all hardships, the INA recruits keep training and they keep getting better with each passing day. Even when confronted with threats and danger, they don't shy away. It's a moment of pride when all the Ranis march the city of Singapore. Dressed in their uniforms, ready for battle. Amar reaches Burma along with Old Sodhi and they meet Rani (Amar's Burmese friend). Circumstances lead to Old Sodhi shooting down a Burmese soldier in self-defense and this paves the way for a chain reaction of dangerous events.
Episode 4
Harakiri
40 mins
While Old Sodhi, Amar and Rani make a run for their lives from the Burmese soldiers, Maya and young Sodhi embark on their freedom journey from Rangoon towards India. Things take an unfortunate turn when their trains are bombed by British bombers. Even in the face of death, the INA soldiers do not give up hope and begin their march to Delhi in the historical Epic March. Old Sodhi and gang find themselves somewhere in the jungles of Rangoon where, a contemplative Old Sodhi recalls the way to the Indian border. Thus giving them an escape route. While in 1944, the soldiers of the INA are given orders where one of the brigades is asked to march ahead to Imphal, where they defeat the British Army in the Battle of Imphal. Prior to the battle we witness the growing bonds between Sodhi, Maya, Rajan and Rasammah. On their way upstream on a boat, towards the Indian border, Amar urges Old Sodhi to share more about his time with the INA in Imphal. This opens an array of past events that take us further into the lives of the soldiers. The issues they faced there, their conflict with the Japanese orders, brainwashing ways of the British and yet, how they stuck on, true to the cause. But the rains are what destroyed them. Rains like nobody had ever seen. How it was the rains that stopped the supplies, stopped all communication. Yet Maya and the Ranis kept looking for them. Under these tough circumstances, the Japanese were ordered to retreat and with that, their hopes died a little bit more. Thus began the retreat from Imphal of the brave but dying soldiers of the INA and in 1996, Old Sodhi, Amar and the others just barely escape being found by the Burmese soldiers.
Episode 5
Maya
45 mins
Maya along with a team of ranis and other soldiers keeps patrolling the hills and jungles in the hope that they would stumble upon the other soldiers retreating from Imphal (India). When on one day, on one of their regular patrols, they find the soldiers! Sick, wounded and barely alive, but they find them. Old Sodhi, in the meantime, while crossing through the jungles escaping the Burmese soldiers, is suddenly reminded of something, something triggers a memory and he begins to follow his gut- trail. Maya takes Sodhi to the cave, in the hope that he finds the same solace as her whenever she visits this place. As Maya takes Sodhi to the cave, Old Sodhi discovers the same cave, after many years, that Maya had taken him to. The few moments of peace and love that Maya and Sodhi share in the cave is interrupted by an attack on the advanced base camp by the British. As Maya and Sodhi makes a run for the base camp from the cave, Old Sodhi makes his way to the school, in the hope of reuniting with Maya after many years. The attack leaves many soldiers wounded, many dead, with ammunitions over, but that doesn't deter the soldiers to march ahead to stop the British from advancing. Their moto, "Give me blood and I will give you freedom." Sodhi orders all the wounded to retreat along with the Rani Jhansi Regiment. As Sodhi, Arshad and the rest of the regiment prepare to leave the base camp, Old Sodhi reaches the school, only to find out that Maya is no more. Unfortunately, Old Sodhi injures his leg, which renders him immovable. He coaxes Amar to rush to the Indian border along with Rani and get help while he tries to hold the Burmese soldiers back. As the Burmese soldiers close in, Old Sodhi fires at them, they retaliate. Amar and Rani keep running towards the top of the waterfall, where the Indian border is but are stopped on their tracks by the sound of a loud blast. They turn to see a ball of black smoke rising up slowly, from the same spot Old Sodhi was in.
