Netaji’s grandnephew slams ‘Fauzi’ teaser over portrayal of freedom fighter

The teaser of Prabhas-starrer “Fauzi”, a pre-Independence period drama, has sparked controversy over its portrayal of Indian independence leader Subhas Chandra Bose.

Released on the occasion of Prabhas’s 47th birthday, the teaser has drawn criticism on social media, with some users accusing the filmmakers of making a “mockery” of Netaji, a hero of India’s struggle for independence, and using the freedom fighter to glorify the film’s protagonist.

Chandra Kumar Bose, a grandnephew of Subhas Chandra Bose, has also criticised the teaser, saying that “mixing fiction with history is a crime”.

In a post on X, Bose urged the filmmakers to withdraw the teaser and release a new version that does not distort history.

“I hope @hanurpudi and his team @fauzithemovie / @MythriOfficial pull down this teaser, put out a new one and make sure that history is not distorted. Hope #Prabhas too gets to read this,” he wrote.

The controversy centres on a sequence in which Netaji is shown speaking to German dictator Adolf Hitler and praising the character played by Prabhas.

Some social media users have objected to the scene, arguing that it reduces the independence leader to a “side character” used to build up Prabhas’s fictional role.

Fans of Prabhas, however, have defended the film, saying “Fauzi” is a fictional story that incorporates historical characters and should be viewed as such.

The teaser introduces Prabhas’s character as “India’s biggest rebel soldier”.

It also appears to reference Netaji’s famous call, “Give me blood, and I will give you freedom.”

Prabhas’s character is heard saying: “Hey foreigner, I will take your blood and seize freedom too.”

Directed by Hanu Raghavapudi, known for Sita Ramam, Fauzi is produced by Mythri Movie Makers.

The film also stars Imanvi and Anupam Kher and is scheduled for release on Mar 19, 2027.