Revisiting Sonu Sood’s Bhagat Singh Biopic Which Clocks 23 Years Today

Three Bhagat Singh biopics were released almost simultaneously: 23rd March 1931: Shaheed, The Legend of Bhagat Singh, Shaheed-E-Azam.

Looking at Sonu Sood as Bhagat Singh in Shaheed-E-Azam, we can say they don’t make patriots like Bhagat Singh anymore. We can also say nobody played Bhagat Singh better than Sonu Sood in the slew of Bhagat Singh biopics that came out in 2002.

Directed by Sukumar Nair, Shaheed-E-Azam rises above the cheap macho heroics of the average Hindi film of the early part of this millennium. It conveys enough of a raging rebellious fire in its visuals and emotional content to make it memorable.

Shaheed-E-Azam has a number of unexpected qualities such as the great fresh outdoors and a pleasant, though cursory, eye for period details. Shot on location in rural Punjab and other rugged, geographically authentic North Indian rural areas, Shaheed-E-Azam is a fairly accurate, though didactic and verbose representation of the great martyr who, at the age of 24, went smiling to his death so that India would one day see its freedom from British rule.

Sonu Sood, who plays Bhagat Singh, gets under the skin of his role. He reveals a surprising amount of restraint in exhibiting the fiery freedom fighter’s blood-boiling indignation.

Interestingly, the film portrays Mahatma Gandhi as an utter weakling. Speaking in a quavering voice and assuming an entirely indecisive, almost escapist attitude, Gandhi is portrayed in this film as a laughably inadequate and undynamic leader. Director Nair probably wants to drive the point of Bhagat Singh’s contrasting dynamism. Surprisingly, even Jinnah, in one fiery outburst before the British viceroy, comes through with flying colours. Maybe they should try releasing this version of Bhagat Singh’s life in Pakistan.

Chandrashekhar Azad, to whom goes the credit for introducing Bhagat Singh to the politics of rebellion, is played by the competent Raj Zutshi (once married to Aamir Khan’s cousin). He has been smeared with dark makeup to look adequately bronzed for the Brahmin’s role.

To director Nair’s credit, the film exudes a lot of heart. It is crudely cut, unpolished and lopsided. But the narrative is sincere and direct. S.K. Jolly’s camerawork is uneven but emotionally plush. Sukhdev and Rajguru are played by fresh-faced, earnest actors who don’t look ludicrous raising “Inquilab” slogans.

Some sequences, such as the one where Bhagat Singh is tortured in prison or when his associate is force-fed with milk to break a month-long fast, have a lot of melodramatic power. But the film’s most moving moments occur just before Bhagat Singh is hanged. As he’s fed his last meal by a low-caste toilet cleaner, the narrative cuts to a fantasy sequence of Bhagat Singh’s marriage preparations.

And who wouldn’t be moved to tears at the closing shots showing Bhagat Singh’s tearful supporters carrying empty this of Bhagat Singh and his two associates down a green patch of rural Punjab? In a very moving way, that closing image becomes symbolic of the leadership vacuum in our country today.

Sonu Sood’s sterling performance in Shaheed-E-Azam as the rebellious hero was a worthy precursor to what we see him do now in Fateh. The image of the messianic hero has changed. Sonu Sood is fully equipped for the transition.

Recalling the experience, Sonu Sood says, “Sir, playing Bhagat Singh is no joke. The actor has to have an image, dignity, sobriety, and an imposing personality. If I had any doubts about my ability to play this braveheart I would have said an immediate no. But I felt I was disciplined and dedicated enough to play Bhagat Singh without people saying, ‘Isski auqat kya hai?’ I think I managed to hold my own in that dream role. Whenever I was asked about that one role which I would like to play I would say, Bhagat Singh. My wish came true.”