The most controversial choice Kabir Khan makes is the dual timeline structure.
The Problem: The modern track grinds the narrative to a halt. It feels like a National Geographic documentary stretched thin. The romance is flat, the acting is stiff, and it constantly interrupts the momentum of the war story. Instead of deepening the emotional connection, it patronizes the audience—as if we cannot feel the tragedy of the INA without a 20-something protagonist looking sad at a monument.
Grade for 1940s track: B+
Grade for 2020s track: D The Forgotten Army - Azaadi Ke Liye -2020- S01 ...
The series employs a dual timeline structure, weaving between the historical past (1942–1945) and the contemporary present (2020). The narrative is framed through the perspective of the protagonist, Lieutenant Sodhi (played by Sunny Kaushal), an aging war veteran living in Singapore.
This structural choice serves a distinct purpose: it acts as a bridge between generations. By juxtaposing the youthful vigor of the soldiers with the frailty of the forgotten veteran, Khan emphasizes the tragedy of neglect. The "found footage" or "flashback" mechanism allows the series to ground its dramatic liberties in the context of personal testimony. It transforms the history from abstract dates and battles into an emotional memoir, compelling the modern viewer to acknowledge the sacrifice that bought their freedom. The most controversial choice Kabir Khan makes is
Central to the series is the portrayal of Subhas Chandra Bose, played by Rajvir Jawanda. In Indian popular culture, Bose is often treated as an icon of martial valor, sometimes stripped of nuance. The Forgotten Army navigates this by presenting Bose not just as a leader, but as a visionary unafraid to challenge the status quo.
The series highlights the ideological schism between Bose and Gandhi, a crucial historical pivot point. It dramatizes Bose’s famous escape from house arrest in Kolkata to Germany and eventually to Southeast Asia. By focusing on the soldiers' perspective of Bose, the show depicts him as a charismatic commander who galvanized a demoralized group of prisoners of war into a fighting force. The series effectively captures the essence of Bose’s slogan, "Give me blood, and I will give you freedom," showing how this rhetoric translated into the formation of the first all-female combat regiment in modern history. The Problem: The modern track grinds the narrative
Upon release, The Forgotten Army faced a peculiar backlash. Critics on the left accused the series of being “propaganda” for the current ruling party, which had adopted Netaji Bose as a nationalist icon. Historians pointed out the show’s glossing over of the INA’s alliance with the Japanese Axis powers (including the mistreatment of POWs at Japanese camps).
Conversely, right-wing pundits praised the show for finally giving “martial patriots” their due, but criticized the slow pacing of the romantic subplots.
Kabir Khan (of Bajrangi Bhaijaan fame) defended the show by saying: “This is not a political commentary. It is a resurrection of memory. We are not judging the alliance with Japan; we are judging the courage of the soldier.”