Documentary on Netaji’s 'Dilli Chalo' battle cry to be screened in Singapore

Singapore: A documentary on Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose's "Dilil Chalo" in July 1943 from Padang, a central main event hosting field, from the then Japanese-occupied Singapore, will be screened here on Friday.

"Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose: A Singapore Saga" captures the battle cry calling on the Indian diaspora to march on to the centre of Delhi and oust the British colonial government from India.

Netaji's words galvanised the people in the region (South East Asia), ignited the 'Free India' movement, caused a surge in the ranks of the Indian National Army (INA) that he led and triggered the final push for India's independence which came four years later.

Essentially, the documentary commemorates the intertwined histories and strong cultural ties between India and Singapore, according to a report by Friday weekly Tabla.

Commissioned by the Tagore Society Singapore, the documentary is directed by Lakshmi Raman Venkat. The Society;s creative director Dolly Davenport said the documentary provides a glimpse into how ordinary people in the region were drawn to Netaji and the cause of India's freedom.

She pointed out that women shouldered equal responsibilities with men in the INA, and she wanted their achievements and glorious feats to be commemorated and remembered.

The documentary's research team found stories about Netaji in Singapore and a repository of songs created by the INA band under its music director Ram Singh Thakuri.

The DBS Singapore and DBS India are the main sponsors of the documentary which is being screened free.