Actor Randeep Hooda recently expressed his belief that Vinayak Damodar Savarkar’s ideology remains relevant in today’s context. Speaking at the Hyderabad Literary Festival, Hooda highlighted the relevance of Savarkar’s thoughts and ideas in contemporary society.
Hooda emphasized that understanding Savarkar’s contributions to India’s freedom struggle and his vision for the nation is crucial. He stated, “The ideas of Savarkar are very relevant today. He spoke about ‘Hindutva’ as a culture and not as a religion.”
He said, “He looked at India as a cultural unit, as a civilization. He called it ‘Akhand Bharath.’ Savarkar’s philosophy was, ‘Yeh desh dharam se uper hota hai…Sindu Nadi se Sindu Sagar tak Jo bhi yahan rehte hai, woh purbajon ki matrbhumi par rehta hai. Aur jo than ke khan khanpan aur rasmon ko mante hai woh Hindu hai, chahe woh kisi bhi samaj ke kyun na ho. (Loosely translated: This country is above religion. All those living here, from the River Sindhu to the Indian Ocean, can call it their Motherland. Those who follow the customs and rituals of the land are Hindus, regardless of the society to which they belong.)
Randeep Hooda continued, “I think his idea of unifying India as a society as a country was most important. I feel he was a true patriot, but his patriotism was called in question. His contribution should not be taken negatively. It’s a pity that his story hasn’t reached a wider audience.”
Swatantra Veer Savarkar is going to hit the cinema theaters on 22 March 2024. The movie is directed by Randeep Hooda, and he will also play the lead role alongside Ankita Lokhande and Apinderdeep Singh.
Leave a comment