Anurag Thakur launches Swaraj, serial on freedom struggle, on Amazon Prime

Mumbai: Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting Anurag Singh Thakur launched the first season of "Swaraj" on OTT platform Amazon Prime here on Wednesday.

Speaking on the occasion, Thakur said this serial was commissioned by taking inspiration from the “Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav” national campaign of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

He said that the serial which was launched in August 2022, are stories of bravery in India's freedom struggle about which very few people know. "These are the wars which got lost somewhere in the pages of history," he said. "Swaraj" is the story of these countless unsung heroes and their indomitable courage, he added.

Prime Video India Country Director Sushant Sreeram stated, "This endeavor echoes the essence of our commitment to showcasing and celebrating India’s unique culture and history, and strengthening India's creative ecosystem, as envisioned in the Letter of Engagement signed between Amazon India and Ministry of Information and Broadcasting last year".

Elaborating on the series, Thakur said, this series of 75 episodes covers unsung heroes of freedom struggle from all corners of our country. "It helps us understand the meaning, origins and consequences of colonialism," he said.

He said the history of India was written by foreign invaders and rulers according to their political, ideological and economic interests.

In this landmark serial, historical events are presented in a broader context to illustrate the concept of 'Swaraj', he stated.

He also said that this would help the national and international audience to understand the spirit of the country and its 500-year-long relentless struggle to gain independence from colonial rulers.

Reflecting on the role of Prasar Bharati in making this series, the Minister appreciated the role being played by Doordarshan and Akashvani in mobilizing and channelizing the emotions and spirit of the citizens in the right direction from time to time through various memorable programs.

The Minister informed the gathering about a new 52-episode serial "Sardar: The Game Changer" which was launched by Doordarshan on 10 March 2024, to commemorate the 150th birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.

The telecast of the serial 'Swaraj' began on 14 August 2022 in Hindi on DD National and subsequently in nine regional languages (Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Gujarati, Bengali, Odia, and Assamese) on the regional networks of Doordarshan.

'Swaraj' programme was entrusted to the Contiloe Pictures production house, famous for professionally researched and high-quality content, which is also suitable for OTT platforms. It is now available on Amazon Prime Video.

The first season will consist of 10 episodes and will also be available in 7 regional languages – Marathi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, Bengali and Gujarati.

Subtitles have also been made available in Hindi and English language for the convenience of the viewers.