A short film on Aurobindo Ghosh will be screened abroad to mark Indian Independence Day and the freedom fighter’s 150th birth centenary

Indian Missions, a body under the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), will be screening the short film ‘Sri Aurobindo: The Beginning of Spiritual Journey’ this Independence Day to mark the 150th birth anniversary of Sri Aurobindo in France, Switzerland, Colombia & Ecuador, Bahrain, the UK and other places. The screening will be under the government initiative: Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav. Directed by filmmaker Suraj Kumar, the short is based on a screenplay by Manish Kumar Pran. The film stars Vikrant Chauhan in the titular role. 

Based on Sri Aurobindo Ghose’s prison life between 1908 and 1909), the short film was shot in Alipore Jail, Kolkata, where his spiritual journey started. Sri Aurobindo was arrested for conspiracy on May 5, 1908, and spent a full year in prison. The British Government, in a protracted court trial, tried to implicate him in various revolutionary activities. Historically known as Alipore Bomb Case, Aurobindo Ghosh was finally acquitted and released on May 6, 1909, after a valiant court fight by his lawyer CR Das. 

This year, Independence Day also marks the 150th year of Sri Aurobindo, who was born on August 15, 1872. The film puts the spotlight on an important chapter of Sri Aurobindo's journey that often gets overlooked when one talks about his exemplary life and work.

Sharing his thoughts about the film, Suraj Kumar said, “While Sri Aurbindo Ghosh was lodged in jail, his spiritual transformation started just after 2-3 days of prison life. My short film ‘Sri Aurobindo: The Beginning of Spiritual Journey’ documents the beginning of a spiritual journey in Alipore jail.”

Speaking about the film’s conception, Kumar added, “The idea of making the short cropped up when one of my IIMC friends and prison reformer Dr. Vartika Nanda discussed it with me back in early 2021. Subsequently, I visited the National Library of India in Kolkata to document and record the news articles published related to Sri Aurobindo’s imprisonment.” 

Sri Aurobindo: The Beginning of Spiritual Journey will be screened in various schools and colleges all across the country over the next year.