Actor-filmmaker Boman Irani has lent his voice to the documentary 1947: Brexit India, which re-examines India’s independence through an economic rather than purely political lens.
Directed by Sanjivan Lal and written by acclaimed screenwriter Shama Zaidi, the project has been launched by Eclectic Films and Swarnjit Singh, who has spent over a decade researching the subject.
The documentary traces the British presence in India from 1609 to 1947, presenting it as a commercial enterprise that expanded and eventually collapsed due to declining profitability.
It argues that India’s independence was influenced not only by political struggle but also by Britain’s economic weakening after World War II, prompting a strategic withdrawal from the subcontinent.
Producer Swarnjit Singh describes the British Empire’s evolution from traders to a system of control over Indian rulers, ending when financial pressures made it unsustainable.
The film includes insights from notable voices such as Shashi Tharoor, historian William Dalrymple, Commodore Uday Bhaskar, and Dr Ishtiaq Ahmed, offering varied perspectives on colonial history.
1947: Brexit India highlights the economic disparities between Britain and India during colonial rule and their long-term consequences.
The documentary has been showcased at IFFI 2023 and MIFF 2024 and is scheduled for release on a major OTT platform. (PTI)
