Randeep Hooda comments on Veer Savarkar row: ‘Ask this question to yourself, research’

Actor Randeep Hooda opened up about the controversy surrounding his film Swatantrya Veer Savarkar. Released last year, the film marked his directorial debut. However, it sparked a controversy following claims that Savarkar inspired freedom fighters such as Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose and Bhagat Singh towards India's independence.

Randeep Hooda on Swatantrya Veer Savarkar controversy

Talking about it, Randeep at News18’s Rising Bharat Summit said that a person doesn’t have to pick political sides when it comes to holding an opinion.

He said, “Left and the right wing belong to the same bird. Ideologies must be different so that there is a debate for people to understand both sides. People can be neutral also." “Politics on Savarkar has been going on since the time when there were only three political parties in the country – the Indian National Congress, the Hindu Maha Sabha and the Muslim League. Today also, opposition raises questions on the government and vice versa," he added.

“A man who was ‘maafi-veer’, why was he imprisoned by the Britishers for 27 years? Ask this question to yourself. One must also research about it," he further urged people to dip deep into the subject.

Swatantrya Veer Savarkar

Swatantrya Veer Savarkar also starred Ankita Lokhande in the lead.

It is said to be a film on a ‘compelling odyssey, bringing to life the legendary yet neglected tale of Swatantrya Veer Savarkar – a visionary, and a firebrand’, as per the makers. 

Directed and co-written by Randeep Hooda with Utkarsh Naithani, Swatantrya Veer Savarkar is produced by Anand Pandit Motion Pictures and Randeep Hooda Films with Legend Studios and Avak Films.

Swatantrya Veer Savarkar row explained

Veer Savarkar remains one of the most debatable revolutionaries in the history of India's freedom struggle.

While his legacy continues to live amid contradicting claims about him, Randeep Hooda's film sparked the debate on Veer Savarkar's role in India's freedom struggle once again. The teaser of the film depicted Veer Savarkar disagreeing with Mahatma Gandhi’s philosophy of non-violence and went on to claim that he inspired Bhagat Singh and Subhas Chandra Bose.

Chandra Kumar Bose, the grandnephew of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, told India Today, “Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose was inspired by only two great personalities. One is Swami Vivekananda, who was his spiritual Guru, and the second person was freedom fighter Deshbandhu Chitranjan Das, who was his political mentor. Apart from these two people, I don't think Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose was inspired by any other freedom fighters.”