Swatantrya Veer Savarkar - A Must Watch

Swatantrya Veer Savarkar is an Indian historical biographical drama on the life of Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, released in 2024. The teaser itself was a significant triumph in portraying its subject, featuring the animation of a bald, bespectacled man against the sound of three gunshots. Directed, co-written, and co-produced by Randeep Hooda, who also plays the role of Savarkar, the film sheds light on many revolutionaries and freedom fighters often omitted from our history textbooks.The first episode marks a pivotal moment that deeply influenced Vinayak Savarkar's early determination to fight for India's freedom, and it took place during the aftermath of the Indian Rebellion of 1857. Motivated by the oppressive actions of Walter Charles Rand (the British Plague Commissioner of Pune), the Chapekar brothers (Damodar, Balakrishna, and Vasudev) are shown to have assassinated Rand and his military escort Lt. Ayerst in 1897, and eventually executed for their 'murders'. Vinayak, along with his brother Ganesh, founded the Mitra Mela in Nasik in 1899, a secret society aimed at overthrowing British rule through armed rebellion. Drawing inspiration from historical figures like Shivaji and Guru Gobind Singh, the society focused on military training for the youth. It evolved into Abhinav Bharat in 1904, expanding its vision and membership under Savarkar's leadership, inspired by global revolutionary movements and figures such as Giuseppe Mazzini..Mentored by prominent independence leaders like Lokamanya Tilak and Gopal Krishna Gokhale, Savarkar is shown to have travelled to London to study law, where he furthered his revolutionary activities by translating and publishing writings of Mazzini, advocating for secret societies and guerrilla warfare as a means to liberate India from British rule and inspiring revolutionary efforts from abroad. He is shown to have had ideological differences with MK Gandhi, as Savarkar aimed for Swaraj (self-governance), while the former advocated for mere provisional governance.Savarkar’s stay in London was marked by his involvement with India House, a hotbed of revolutionary activities, led by figures like Shyamji Krishna Varma and supported by personalities such as Madam Bhikaiji Cama. India House became synonymous with the struggle for Indian independence abroad, fostering plans and strategies to dismantle British rule in India. It was here that Madanlal Dhingra, under Savarkar’s ideological influence, executed a historic act of rebellion by assassinating Sir Curzon Wyllie, marking one of the first political assassinations by Indian nationalists in Britain..The film highlights Mahatma Gandhi's promotion of non-violence, or ‘Ahimsa’, as a central tenet of the freedom struggle, encapsulated by the Sanskrit phrase ‘Ahimsa Paramo Dharma’ from the Mahabharata. This phrase, often presented in a truncated form, translates to ‘non-violence is the ultimate duty’, suggesting a complete rejection of violence. However, the irony lies in the fact that despite Gandhi's advocacy for peaceful methods, the partition of India resulted in significant violence and loss of life. The full verse from the Mahabharata states, ‘Non-violence is the ultimate dharma. So too is violence in service of Dharma’, (अहिंसा परमो धर्मः धर्म हिंसा तथैव च), indicating a nuanced view that violence, when used to protect righteousness, is justified. This aspect emphasises that while ascetics are called to absolute non-violence, laypersons may resort to violence to prevent greater evils, contradicting the simplistic interpretation often associated with secular teachings and Gandhi's stance, which has led to mislabelling freedom fighters as terrorists or cowards as shown in the film. While Gandhi advocated ahimsa (non-violence) and diplomacy, Savarkar believed in direct action and armed resistance..Veer Savarkar’s revolutionary activities led to his arrest in London, after which he was deported to India, only to escape dramatically from the ship, a testament to his daring and resolve. Nevertheless, his freedom was short-lived, as he was eventually captured and sentenced to the infamous Cellular Jail in Andaman, a period that tested his endurance but failed to break his spirit. While the third-degree torture and disrespect to Savarkar's dignity is portrayed in a way that looks disturbingly real, one must take inspiration from how he still managed to influence the youth in the nation through his ideologies and actions from the confines of the prison to continue the revolution.Savarkar’s vision for India was encapsulated in the symbol of the first flag of undivided India, a red flag adorned with eight lotuses representing the unity of its provinces, with a crescent moon at the bottom, signifying the inclusive nature of his nationalist ideals..Hooda's acting and body transformation deserve praise as he has not only enacted the character but has lived the role, making it convincingly real. With dialogues that stir patriotism, each scene backed by factual accuracy, and music that resonates with empathy, this film is a must-watch for every Indian.Savarkar's idea of 'Hindutva’ prioritised the country over religion, and condemned casteism, social hierarchy, superstition and inequality. Championing the cause of Hindu unity in politics and society, under his guidance, the Hindu Mahasabha advocated for envisioning India as a Hindu state (Hindu as in the location and not Hindu as a religion). The film shows him as a man who opposed the creation of a nation within a nation under the pretext of religious differences and unwarranted bias towards minorities at the expense of the majority. He believed the partition would cause more problems than it would solve and that Muslims could continue living as Hindustani Muslims, just as they existed in countries like South Africa, Greece and Poland.The film gives us perspective by defying many things that were taught to us about the freedom struggle back in school. Did the then-selected (not elected) Indian government try to frame Savarkar for political benefit? Why was Savarkar silenced? Was Nathuram Godse justified in shooting MK Gandhi? Was the selective version of 'Ahimsa Paramo Dharma' an ideal that bore fruits? Are we still paying the price for a decision of convenience and personal equations under the pretext of national interest? These are some things that are still open to deliberations.Despite the controversies that surrounded his political and ideological stance, the film celebrates Savarkar's legacy as a freedom fighter.