What do you think you're doing?
How dare you? Stop it. Bastard!
Don't play any English songs. Play Japanese songs, you asshole!
No English. Only Japan.
Okay, okay. Sorry, sorry, sorry.
I learn Japanese.
English, no. English...
I learn Japanese tune for you. Next time.
How do they expect me to learn Japanese right away?
Assholes.
Bloody bastards.
They changed the names of the streets. And the newspapers.
We fucking live in Singapore, but follow Tokyo time.
I spent my entire childhood trying to learn the little English that I speak.
And now these fuckers want us to learn Japanese tunes overnight!
So what if Singapore's now Shonan-to,
everyone can't become Japanese overnight.
Fucking bastards!
Boss, there is no point playing English tunes anymore.
There are no British folks here, who's going to pay us?
Yeah, he's right, boss.
Because these stingy Indians are never going to pay us a dime.
Boss, take a look. They are forming an army.
Look at this. This girl is donating her earrings.
No one gives us anything.
By the 1940s, the entire world was in the grip of the Second World War.
On one hand, Indians were fighting against the British for their freedom,
while on the other, hundreds of thousands of Indians
were joining the British Indian Army to fight against Germany and Japan.
In 1942, when Singapore fell to the Japanese,
the Indians soldiers who were serving in the now defeated British Army,
were presented with an offer. They could join a new army that was being formed
with the help of the Japanese to fight against British rule.
No less than 50,000 Indians decided to join this freedom army.
This is how the Indian National Army came into existence.
Victory to India!
Good morning!
Good morning.
Here's some tea, dear.
I'm so sorry. I don't know what happened. It just...
What's wrong?
I spoiled your newspaper. I'm so sorry.
"Netaji asks Indians to sacrifice all."
It's very heart-warming to see even young people rise up to Netaji's call.
Father, actually, yesterday I...
Good morning!
Come on.
- What happened? - She spilled tea.
Maya, Maya!
You were saying something.
- Good morning! - No...
Good morning!
So, Maya's on the front page now.
Maya, what is this?
You lied.
Maya, they're just concerned
because it's not safe for women to frequent army gatherings.
But didn't you hear Netaji's speech?
They are raising a first ever women's regiment.
Maya, this should've been a proud moment for me, if only you were my son.
I don't believe you are saying this, Dad.
You have taught me that there is no difference.
But there is a difference. An army is no place for a girl.
Dad, you, Shridhar, both believe that INA is right.
Netaji is right. Then how can my joining them be wrong?
Please.
Don't worry, Aunty.
Stop this, please.
If Maya joins the INA...
then I will join, too.
Both of them have gone mad. I wish I were dead!
Hey! Kasturi! Kasturi!
Aunty!
How can you ask me to give this up?
Burma is important to me.
And it's just a matter of a week. Things are quite cool there right now.
I'll go there, click some photos, interview some people and it's done.
Is it worth it to risk your life like this?
You keep complaining that we as a generation are drifters, right?
And here I am, trying to do something that I truly believe in
and now you're stopping me.
Amar, you know Grandma is not well and you are...
Don't use me to try and crush Amar's dreams.
Come on, Mom!
Let him go.
It's only for seven or eight days, isn't it?
But, Mom, at least hear me out.
We are done talking, Papa. I'm going and that's that.
I'll come along with you, if you want me to.
Colonel Sodhi, it'll be my honor to take you with me.
Hey, you!
Run!
Move.
Come on! Come on!
There.
There he is.
Over here, brother!
Come on.
Over there!
There they are!
Hey! What are you doing? Get in line!
Hey, what's going on?
Sir, sir, sir, please, sir.
Sir... My mother is very sick, sir.
My mother on deathbed, sir.
Sir, sir, sir, please, sir.
Sir, I promised my mother, sir,
that I'll be one of the first to join Netaji's army, sir.
Get in the line!
His mother is on the deathbed, sir.
Okay, okay, brother. Okay, brother. Go ahead.
Jai Hind, sir!
Jai Hind, sir. Rajan, sir.
Jai Hind.
Next!
- Come on, move, move. - Sorry.
Congratulations. Even you made it to the front page.
Thanks.
I'd rather have the pictures I click make front page.
Yeah, here, here.
Well,
I had never imagined that Netaji's speech would have such an impact on you.
Why? Am I any different?
I'm just like all the people who have gathered over here.
who are willing to sacrifice their lives for an independent India.
Yes, they have come, but how do we turn them into soldiers?
If you can become a soldier, then why can't they?
The problem is that not everyone has the strength to endure army discipline.
That's why the soldiers in India are recruited only from the martial races.
Martial races?
Martial races. I mean, the warrior races.
Warrior races?
Are you talking about human beings or animals?
Tell me, who gets to decide which race is warrior-like and which is not.
Come on, hurry up.
I don't know who decides, but the Indian Army was formed this way.
By Indian Army, you mean the British Indian Army.
Get the gun checked there.
That's what I meant to say.
Pathans, Rajputs, Dogras, Gorkhas etc.
have been deemed martial races
and the rest are considered as effeminate races...
The feminine races.
Feminine races?
It's not me. The British say that.
You're not to be blamed for this, Captain.
The real Indian Army is being formed right here.
In front of our eyes.
Being an Indian National Army soldier
shouldn't be about race, caste, being masculine or feminine
or any of that nonsense.
The only thing that should matter is that they are Indians
and that they're prepared to lay down their lives for the country.
Right.
And, yeah, if the need arises, we women will fight as well.
Or, Captain, do you really think that women don't belong to the warrior race?
No, ma'am. You are definitely a warrior.
This girl needs to sign up with the army right away.
And directly to the rank of general. General Maya.
Yeah, so why doesn't she join us?
They're forming a female regiment as well. Rani Jhansi Regiment.
Next!
And I even heard that they are looking for volunteer officers to train them.
Hello.
Of course, hello, hello!
Welcome to Myanmar. I've heard a lot about you.
Me too.
Any friend of Mia's is a friend of mine.
And thank you for helping me, Rani.
No problem. This is Tintin, our local guide.
Why do we need him?
We don't actually need him, but we don't really have a choice.
I'll explain later.
Come here! Come!
You can't take pictures here. Hand over the camera or put it away.
I have permission.
Amar, please, stay quiet.
Amar!
Stop taking pictures here.
He has permission. Wait! Wait!
Forgive us!
Okay. All right.
Please, please, leave.
Ask them to be careful next time. They cannot take pictures here.
What the hell was all that? What's their bloody problem?
You cannot shoot anywhere you want. Especially if there are soldiers around.
But there are soldiers everywhere.
No filming soldier. Cannot shoot soldier.
We have the permission to photograph,
but even then, you have to be very careful.
So the two of you want to volunteer as training officers.
Yes, sir.
I mean, madam.
Why makes you think that you can train the women's regiment?
Because we know how to handle them, sir.
I mean, madam.
Is it?
- Actually, he means to say that... - Let him speak.
Most men tend to believe that they can handle women.
But they cannot do it.
Because most men have never seen women fight and win.
I have.
Every woman in my family has fought her own war, and triumphed.
My mother learnt to read and write all by herself.
My sister went on a hunger strike so she could go to college.
What I meant to say earlier was that I know
how to support women who're fighting hard for their rights.
This isn't going to be easy.
The women's regiment is not just for show.
The Japanese have refused to fund and support the Rani Jhansi Regiment.
And we have to prove to them that we are not delicate darlings.
We'll take part in this war and fight at the front.
Yes, sir!
Yes, madam.
The women are not objects of decoration in this army.
Both of you better understand that clearly and get used to having us around.
This training is not just for the women, but for both of you as well.
Meet me tomorrow morning at 8:00 a.m. at the grounds.
Yes, madam!
Attention!
Ladies, these gentlemen are your training officers.
Captain Sodhi and Captain Arshad.
Captain.
We can clearly see your passion and fervor.
But wars can't be won on passion and fervor alone.
You need to go through rigorous training.
And till today, no country has ever trained women and sent them to the front.
During your training here, we'll do our very best
to equip you with all the skills required
to turn you into a proper soldier.
But to achieve this, we'll have to train harder than any ordinary soldier.
Our regiment has been named after the queen of Jhansi, Laxmibai.
She fought against the British in 1857.
She showed us the way and we must follow.
Yes?
Tell me.
Captain Sodhi, do you think we'll make good warriors?
Or are we too feminine to be soldiers?
The British Indian Army believes in those outdated traditions.
The real Indian Army is being formed here.
In front of our eyes.
And the Indian National Army
doesn't care about race, caste, masculine, feminine or any of that nonsense.
The only thing that matters is that they are Indian
and they are prepared to lay down their lives for their country.
Yeah.
Can't believe you're coming back to this country after so many years.
That too, just for me.
Not for you, Amar. I came for myself.
Just so that I can breathe this air once again.
One, two, one! One, two, one! One, two, one!
Yeah, come on, keep moving!
Yes, come on. Yeah, come on, stay in line!
Come on, keep moving!
Brother, forget about going to war, we won't survive the training.
Shut up! If we get out of this place, we'll get arrested.
This place, very safe place.
Three meals every day. Any problem?
Then stay put.
Don't talk bullshit.
Look!
Even those delicate darlings are running.
Hey, look!
Hands above your heads!
Above your heads!
Hands above your head! Very good!
Faster! Keep moving!
Sodhi-san.
Daichi-san.
Why have you taken this absurd project as well?
The Japanese Army is not supporting this.
Nowhere in the world are women in the army to fight.
That is not the role of women.
What you're witnessing here, Daichi-san,
is the creation of the first women's regiment in the world.
Don't you think it is time?
Hold the gun higher.
Where the hell are you going?
- Bloody mongrel! - Have you gone crazy? What are you doing?
Have you lost your mind? Hey!
I saw what you did!
You think we girls are weak?
You know what I do with a sickle?
I clear this big field.
One day, alone.
I strong! We all strong! Different strong.
We work on plantation from child.
When we grow old, big, 14,
Englishman calling me to his house...
in the night.
When I hear INA taking girls in army,
I come for fight.
I, Rasamma, fight for free India,
where no women sleep with man for job.
So, sir,
give us fight!
We want this fight more than you!
More than you.
I promise you, Rasamma.
We will fight together till our very last breath,
for the India you dream of.
Winny?
What happened?
The Japanese soldier took away my sister last night.
She kept crying and screaming, but they didn't listen.
I had to hide in the cupboard all night.
I was so scared that they would come for me.
So I cut my hair to look like a boy.
Come outside. The captain wants to speak to us. It's important.
Come on. Let's go.
Soldiers, we've just received some news,
and Netaji wants you all to be the first to be notified.
"The British Indian Army
"has issued orders that from now onwards, if any soldier, man or woman,
"fighting under the command of the newly formed Indian National Army
"is taken prisoner by them,
"they will be deemed as traitors and shot dead,
"without a trial."
What did he say?
Netaji has made it clear
that any recruit who wishes to leave the army,
will be allowed to leave respectfully.
Those of you who want to leave will be honorably discharged by morning.
When death stares you in the face, even the toughest of men deter.
And these girls are just teenagers.
We just have to wait the night out.
By tomorrow morning, we'll know just how far we've come.
Brother, what are you doing?
This is our chance to run and you are playing lullabies!
Brother!
Yes, you're right. The two of you should leave.
And you?
I'm going to stay back.
Have you lost your mind?
You've never even been to India.
Nor have those stupid girls been there.
You want to sacrifice your life for a country you've never even seen?
Look, here comes the Queen of Jhansi.
Now play the flute for her and die together at the hands of the British.
Parade, attention!
Onwards to Delhi!
M. Rasamma.
Maya Srinivasan.
Lata Swaminathan.
So, Amar, why are you interested in Burma?
Is it just a great story or do you actually feel for our cause?
I want to be a journalist, Rani.
And I know this story is great for my career. So, here I am.
Fair enough.
Position.
- Position. - Position.
- Hold the grenade. - Grenade...
- Pull the pin! - Pull the pin!
- Ready? - Ready?
Throw!
- Number two, break formation. - Number two, break formation!
Number three!
Position!
Hold the grenade!
How will you fight the war if you are so scared?
Pull the pin!
Ready?
Throw!
You...
Sodhi!
It's you. What are you doing here?
Your lips are moving but I can't hear a word.
Actually, I've lost my hearing due to the bomb explosion.
But I'll be fine in a few days.
Okay.
Why are you laughing?
- Because I can't hear anything? - Because you can't hear anything.
It's okay. Once the bandages come off...
It's our demand! It's our demand!
Release captive students!
The military has opened fire. They are coming this way.
What's going on?
The military has opened fire on the students.
We have to move now.
Let's go to the hotel.
We can't go that side right now!
Don't talk to him anymore. Let's go, let's go!
Hey! What are you idiots doing there?
Why are you outside at this time?
They are foreigners. I am going to send them back to their hotel.
You guys are giving me the shit.
Sir, please kindly let us out of here. Please, Sir. Please.
Who the heck are you? Who the heck are you too?
Are you also with them who caused this problem?
Hey, what are you doing?
Stop it!