The Forgotten Army - Azaadi Ke Liye -2020- S01 ... Review

Julius Packiam’s score is bombastic and effective, but overused. Every emotional beat is underlined with a sitar-meets-orchestral swell, leaving no room for silence or subtle grief.

The war sequences in the five-part series, though not overly abundant, are crafted with visceral intensity. Kabir Khan abandons choreographed, stylized action in favor of gritty, chaotic, and claustrophobic combat scenes. The sounds of gunfire, the mud of the trenches, and the desperation in the soldiers’ eyes feel palpable, underscoring the brutal reality of the INA’s guerrilla warfare against the superior British forces.

The story focuses on the formation of the INA, comprising Indian prisoners of war (POWs) captured by the Japanese in Singapore and Southeast Asia. Led by Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, the army marches from Singapore towards the Indian border, fighting the British Indian Army in Burma.

While mainstream cinema has romanticized the Gandhi-led freedom struggle, this five-part Amazon Prime series walks a road less traveled — the armed, desperate, and ultimately tragic fight for Azaadi from outside India’s borders. The show weaves two timelines:

Upon its release, The Forgotten Army – Azaadi Ke Liye received a mixed but largely positive response from critics and audiences. It currently holds an audience rating of around 7.9 out of 10 on Plex and a 7.5/10 on IMDb, indicating appreciation from viewers.

The show breathes life into a military force that marched from Singapore toward Delhi. Despite their sacrifices, they were largely dismissed as traitors by the British and marginalized by post-independence historians. 🎬 Series Overview & Production Context

We follow the journey of a young, principled Lieutenant Surinder Sodhi (Sunny Kaushal). Alongside him is his best friend, the pragmatic Arshad (Rohit Choudhary), and Maya (Sharvari Wagh), a fiery photojournalist who joins the Rani of Jhansi Regiment, the all-women combat unit of the INA. The series chronicles their training, the internal conflicts of fighting one's own countrymen, the grueling "Chalo Dilli" march, and the devastating consequences of the INA's ultimate failure.

A young Subhas Chandra Bose (played with haunting intensity by Patralekhaa’s partner? Wait — no. Bose is portrayed brilliantly by Rajesh Khattar , but the emotional anchor is the young INA soldier, Surinder Sodhi, played by Sunny Kaushal). We follow a band of Indian soldiers, recruited from British Indian Army POWs, as they march from Southeast Asia to the battlefields of Imphal and Kohima.

The army treks through grueling jungle terrain to reach the Indian border. They face extreme hunger, malaria, and the superior firepower of the British-led Allied forces. 4. The Battle of Imphal and Kohima

Reviewers praised the show for educating the masses on an "untold" part of Indian history, with special praise for the action sequences and emotional storytelling.

To understand the series, one must understand the geopolitics of World War II. When the British army surrendered Singapore to the Japanese in 1942, thousands of British Indian Army soldiers were captured as prisoners of war (POWs).

The Forgotten Army - Azaadi Ke Liye is more than just a historical drama; it is a tribute to the soldiers who were not mentioned in the official history of India's independence. It brings to life a narrative of patriotism, courage, and sacrifice that resonates with the phrase "better late than never." By showing the immense, largely unknown efforts of the INA, Kabir Khan delivers a compelling, necessary, and thoroughly engaging digital miniseries. If you’d like to dive deeper, I can:

The visuals effectively contrast the lush, yet deadly, jungles of Burma with the brutal carnage of warfare.