#IndependenceDay: Parambrata Chatterjee on his upcoming film: The idea of Bangali Asmita started from the Partition of Bengal in 1905

As India gears up to celebrate the 75th Independence Day, Parambrata Chatterjee talked about his next directorial project, Barud O Adalat: The Alipore Bomb Case. The film that is slated to begin in February next year is based on the Arrest and court proceedings of Aurobindo Ghosh. Chittaranjan Das valiantly fought in the court and Aurobindo was freed.

Talking about the film, Parambrata said, “That idea came to me when we were discussing something about Bangali Asmita – the idea of Bengali nationalism. I think it all started granulating from the historic event of the attempt of the Partition of Bengal in 1905 (Banga Bhanga movement).” In fact, the militant nationalistic movement in Bengal started since then. “The movement was spearheaded by very important figures, Aurbindo Ghosh being one of them,” said the director.

Parambrata’s film will focus on the courtroom drama between CR Das and Britishers. “I find the people who did not exactly align with Aurobindo in his ways of working did have the same goal – the freedom of the country. People like CR Das were probably slightly different from the ideologies of Aurobindo Ghosh. However, CR Das fought tooth and nail to free Aurobindo from the clutches of the British. These two people are the backbone of my film. The court case that ensued is the backbone of my story,” he said. 

In 1908, Alipore Bomb Case saw the trial of several members of Anushilam Samiti, under charges of waging war against the Government of the British Raj. Aurobindo Ghosh and his brother Barin Ghosh were among the charged members. All the accused nationalists were apprehended in the Presidency Jail, Alipore. Before the trial, crown witness Narendranath Goswami was shot dead by Kanailal Dutta and Satyendranath Bose – two other nationalists – within the jail premises. The death of the crown witness collapsed the case against Aurobindo.