Swatantra Veer Savarkar: Swastika Mukherjee and others criticise Randeep Hooda for false information

The film Swatantra Veer Savarkar, directed by and starring Randeep Hooda, will be released this year. On the 140th birth anniversary of this Hindu nationalist freedom fighter, Randeep shared the teaser and poster of the film. He also wrote that Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, Khudiram Basu, and Bhagat Singh took inspiration from him. Randeep also claimed that Savarkar's name was on the British' list as the Most Wanted Indian. His post incited criticism.

Swastika Mukherjee, Chandrachur Ghosh, and others were vocal against the post. Swastika wrote on Twitter, “Khudiram Bose died at the age of 18. Someone inspired him even before that to join the freedom movement? And Netaji became Netaji because he was inspired by someone? And Bhagat Singh’s history we all know already. From where on earth are these inspiring stories popping up?” 

Author Chandrachur Ghose, the person who researched Netaji for a long time, also expressed exasperation at the post. He wrote on Facebook, “Savarkar inspired Netaji? Khudiram? Really? What’s the need to weave fantasies? Just tell the story of a great man as he was. That will be sufficient. Trying to create an alternative reality is actually doing a disservice to him. Don’t do to Savarkar what Gandhians have done to Gandhi.”

Randeep Hooda, who plays Savarkar in the film, debuted as the director through this venture. He also wrote the screenplay along with Utkarsh Naithani. The film is produced by Randeep Hooda, Anand Pandit, and Sandip Singh. Amit Siyal and Ankita Lokhande will act in the film, which will be released this year.