Shreyas Talpade is preparing for one of the most significant roles of his career as he steps into the legendary persona of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose in the upcoming film Azad Bharath. At a special press conference held in Mumbai on Thursday, the actor opened up about the moment he learned he had been chosen to portray Netaji and how deeply overwhelming it felt. Shreyas recalled that he could not believe what he was hearing. “When I was first told that I would be playing Netaji in a film, I was completely speechless. I had never imagined in my life that I would ever look like Netaji or be able to portray him. When Jyoti Venkatesh ji called to inform me, I even told him, ‘How will I look like him?’” he said, recalling his initial shock.
The turning point came with the look test, which changed his perspective entirely. Shreyas described how seeing that first transformed photograph filled him with surprise and newfound confidence. “Then we did a look test, and when I saw that photo, I was amazed at how much an actor can transform. As actors, when we get a character, we study it and imagine what we can do, but portraying someone like Netaji is a huge opportunity and an even bigger responsibility,” he explained. Seeing himself in Netaji’s look for the first time made him believe he could rise to the challenge. “When I saw myself in that look for the first time, I felt confident. I thought, ‘Yes, I think I can do it.’ Of course, it will require a lot of effort, but without effort, where is the joy?”
Shreyas also admitted that his main concern was not comparison with other actors who had played Netaji before, but the responsibility of representing such a monumental figure on screen. “More than being compared to others, the responsibility of playing such a towering personality was at the forefront of my mind,” he said. He expressed his gratitude for director Roopa Iyer, whose guidance helped him focus on authenticity rather than imitation. “When you have a director like Roopa ji, who is so passionate about the subject and the characters, your job becomes easier because you surrender yourself to her direction. We try to get as close to the personality as possible. Mistakes may happen, but the intention is right. And when your spirit is right, the work connects with people more easily. Instead of trying to copy what Netaji might have been like, I felt I needed to capture the spirit of Netaji correctly.”
Azad Bharath, directed by Roopa Iyer, stars Shreyas Talpade alongside Roopa Iyer, Subash Chandra, Suresh Oberoi, Indira Tiwari, Vidyullekha Raman and Hita Chandrashekar. Produced by Roopa Iyer, AB JayaGopal and Rajendra Rajan, the film is set to release on 2nd January 2026.