As Nagpur Fim Festival warms up, renowned Bollywood celebrity Randeep Hooda is set to attend as the chief guest for the inaugration ceremony at the Jamnalal Bajaj campus of Rashtrasant Tukadoji Maharaj Nagpur University on March 28. Known for taking on roles that demand immense psychological depth, Hooda has carved a space for himself with performances in films like ‘Highway’, ‘Sarbjit’ and ‘Operation Fryday’. Among his many other roles, he played Vinayak Damodar Savarkar in Swatantrya Veer Savarkar, a film that recently completed two years on March 22. The performance, as many viewers have described, is intense, and focuses on the emotional and ideological weight of the character. For viewers, it brought into perspective the scale of personal sacrifice that were made by several freedom fighters; which have shaped India into the country we see today.

 

Savarkar’s story, as it turns out, is not entirely distant from Nagpur. The erstwhile Nagpur University, now Rashtrasant Tukadoji Maharaj Nagpur University (RTMNU) had, in its own way, taken a stand with the spirit of the freedom movement several years ago. At a time when academic institutions were expected to conform to the British Raj, Governor Sir Henry Twickenham, Chancellor of Nagpur University, conferred the honorary degree of DLitt upon Savarkar on August 14, 1943, in recognition of his extensive contribution to literary works in both Marathi and English. At this time, the university had extended support to students whose education had been disrupted due to their participation in nationalist activities, even making provisions to ensure they could continue their studies. In Hyderabad Sansthan, though it was under the Nizam, the primary control rested with the British.

 

Around 150 students of Osmania University who had participated in the ‘Vande Mataram movement’ were expelled. Seeking to continue their education, these students approached Nagpur University, which admitted them immediately. Thus, in many ways, Hooda’s presence at the Nagpur Film Festival completes a certain circle. His portrayal of Vinayak Damodar Savarkar now finds its way to a city and an institution that had, decades ago, formally recognised his contributions in the face of colonial pressure.