An 84-year-old doctor, Monto Banerjee, living a secluded life in the border outpost of Maymyo in Burma, takes out his mouth-organ and plays the tune of this forgotten song of the Indian National Army (INA) to which thousands marched from Burma to fly the flag of India for the first time on Indian soil. He plays this tune for Capt Lakshmi Sehgal who led the the Rani Jhansi brigade of the INA. And the two are transported into the brave struggle for freedom over 50 years ago.

This moving scene is from a television film, The Forgotten Army, directed by Kabir Khan and produced by Akhil Bakshi, which was screened for the first time to a packed hall at the Habitat Centre here today. It moved the audience, and during the interval as silver-haired Capt Sehgal stirred his cup of coffee, an impassioned viewer came to her and said: ``I tell you, this film should be screened across the length and breadth of the country. Netaji's centenary was not taken much notice of but this is a fitting tribute in the 50th year of the country's Independence.

It was Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose who raised the slogan, `Dilli Chalo' (onward to Delhi), and inspired thousands to go to Delhi only to find their dream shattered in the jungles of Burma. However, the film with its very apt title is not a film on Netaji but his army with its fleeting triumph but irrepressible spirit. It is the story of the series of events which took place between 1942 to 1945, beginning with the INA march from Singapore to Burma and ending with the last stand at Mt Popa in central Burma.

The young director, a film graduate from Jamia, who had worked along with Gautman Ghosh on award-winning travel documentary Beyond the Himalayas, says: ``The true worth of India's last war of Independence, waged by just 50,000 men and women from across the eastern borders was never truly recognised. Many while celebrating the 50th year of Independence do not have an idea of the events which took place the three years of its formation and defeat.'' Not only does the film recapture the times but it also recaptures the spirit of the youth and the courage to die singing, Kadam kadam badhaye ja, khushi ke geet gaye ja.

The film retraces the historic march by going back to the place with veterans of the INA, Col Gurbaksh Singh Dhillon and Capt Sehgal to visit the old battlefields and search out their old comrades in Burma. The entire project was done as the Azad Hind Expedition which moved in a convoy accompanied by Sunil Dutt and few others of the INA. So it was not just making a film but making a film by getting to the very soul of the times.

So the film brings back some poignant scenes like Col Dhillon bowing before the cave which gave shelter to the soldiers at Mt. Popa as the British planes bombarded the area. Or Capt. Sehgal recalling: ``My husband would always talk of Mt. Popa and I joked that if we had a son he would probably be named Popa. He said yes that was the best name. Fortunately we had a daughter and we called her Subhashini.''

The film ends at the Red Fort where the three INA stalwarts, Col Shahnawaz Khan, Col Prem Kumar Sehgal and Col. Dhillon were tried for waging a war against the British kingdom. And the people of the country cried out, Lal Quile se aayi awaz, Sehgal Dhillon Shahnawaz; Lal Quile ko todh do, Sehgal Dhillon Shahnawaz ko chhod do. Along with the film comes a book by producer Bakshi called Road to Freedom.