| Gumnaami | |
|---|---|
 Teaser poster | |
| Directed by | Srijit Mukherji |
| Screenplay by | Srijit Mukherji and Manish Patra |
| Story by | Srijit Mukherji and Manish Patra |
| Based on | Conundrum byAnuj Dhar and Chandrachur Ghose |
| Produced by | Mahendra Soni Shrikant Mohta |
| Starring | Prosenjit Chatterjee Anirban Bhattacharya Tanusree Chakraborty |
| Cinematography | Soumik Haldar Manish Patra |
| Edited by |
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| Music by | Indraadip Dasgupta |
Production company | |
Release date |
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Running time | 142 minutes[1] |
| Country | India |
| Languages | Bengali Hindi |
Gumnaami is a 2019 IndianBengali-languagemystery film based on the true events directed bySrijit Mukherji,[2] which deals with the mystery ofNetaji's death, based on theMukherjee Commission hearings and the bookConundrum written byAnuj Dhar and Chandrachur Ghose. It has been produced byShrikant Mohta, Pranay Ranjan, andMahendra Soni under the banner ofShree Venkatesh Films.[3]Prosenjit Chatterjee plays the roles ofSubhas Chandra Bose andGumnaami Baba.[4]
The principal photography began in May 2019 inAsansol,West Bengal.[5] The film was released theatrically on 2 October 2019.[1]
The film is based on the Mukherjee Commission hearings and shows a dramatized version of the works ofAnuj Dhar, Chandrachur Ghose and the Mission Netaji voluntary organisation. The film shows the three theories trying to explain the death or disappearance of Subhas Chandra Bose.
The film starts with Subhas Chandra Bose at the Congress Conference. A courageous Subhas disagrees to follow the nonviolent methods ofGandhi and resigns fromIndian National Congress. He then travels the world to make allies while confronting theBritish Army. In 2003, journalist Chandrachur Dhar (Anirban Bhattacharya) is given an assignment for writing a detailed report about the mystery surrounding Subhas Chandra Bose's death. He takes up the assignment and spends months to gather evidence and knowledge about Bose. His neglectful attitude towards his wife (Tanusree Chakraborty) compels her to divorce him. Mentally frustrated, Dhar quits his job and forms a group entirely dedicated to the purpose for solving the mystery.
At the 2005Mukherjee Commission hearing, he addresses the jury boldly. According to him, there was no plane crash at all in 1945. Bose had preplanned to fake his death to the world and asked his most trustworthy soldier of theIndian National Army (INA)Habib ur Rahman (who later left the partitioned India and joined to higher posts in the Government of Pakistan, including the Additional Defense Secretary) to be with him and not to disclose his fake death to anyone. To support his statement, Dhar shows numerous evidences like why he went to a six-seater fighter plane when there were twelve-seater planes available, there were no recorded plane crash that year, and that there was no news of death of the Japanese soldiers who were supposed to have died in the plane crash.
The judge, seemingly convinced, asks that if the plane crash did not happen then where did Subhas go. Dhar reveals that Subhas lived as an ascetic in Uttar Pradesh without revealing his identity or face; the people who visited him could only see him behind a curtain. A few people recognised him as soon as they heard his voice. However, they never revealed it to any third person. Even his close colleague and revolutionary,Leela Roy andSamar Guha, recognised him when they visited him and later maintained correspondence. It is revealed that the family members knew he was alive. Numerous pieces of evidence were lying with them. He became known as 'Gumnaami Baba' and died in 1985. Only 13 disciples were present at the funeral.
The next day, the commission concludes that there was no plane crash and that Bose did not die in 1945. However, in 2006, the Government refused to accept the verdict and discarded the report. Angry and frustrated, Dhar burns all his work and contemplates the purpose of his hard work of 3 years. His former wife encourages him to fight as Bose did for the country for 30 years. They vow to keep on fighting till justice is served.
In a flashback, Subhas Chandra Bose is seen singingShubh Sukh Chain, thenational anthem of theProvisional Government of Free India, along with the Indian National Army.
Debolina Sen ofTimes News Network rated the film 3 out of 5, writing, "The film starts with depicting a conversation between the three iconic leaders of India — Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru and Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. Though the scene is a dramatised version of what could have transpired between them during that meet, the scene draws closely from the popular image painted of the three and their strong ideologies. This near-perfect scene is carefully designed to give an old black and white reel feel that incorporates the uneven screen texture well. Sadly, no other scene in the film later is as detailed as this.".[6] Bhaskar Chattopadhyay ofFirstpost gave the film 2.5 out of 5, writing, "The second half has life in it, it is vibrant. It chooses a track and decides to tell a beautiful tale — whose veracity is neither moot nor of anyone’s business. I only wish that Mukherji would have done this in the first half too. Because he could."[7]
The soundtrack of the film is composed byI.N.A. andD. L. Roy, whereas background music and score is done byIndraadip Dasgupta. The lyrics are by D. L. Roy and Capt. Abid Ali Mumtaz Hussain.
| No. | Title | Singer | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Subhasji" | Sonu Nigam | 5:09 |
| 2. | "Shubh Sukh Chain" | Babul Supriyo | 4:51 |
| 3. | "Kadam Kadam" | Ishan Mitra | 4:25 |
| 4. | "Dhawno Dhanyo" | Mekhla Dasgupta, Ikkshita Mukherjee | 9:03 |
| Total length: | 23:30 | ||
The director of the filmSrijit Mukherji courted a controversy in February 2019, afterNetaji Subhas Chandra Bose's grand nephew Chandra Kumar Bose criticized him over portrayal of Gumnami Baba as Netaji in his upcoming film.[9][10]
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