जन गण मन (आज़ाद भारत से)

This 2025 arrangement of India's national anthem Jana Gana Mana — originally composed by Rabindranath Tagore in 1911 — was recorded by Amruta Fadnavis and Gautham Srivatsa for the historical film Azad Bharath (released 2 January 2026, Zee Studios, directed by Roopa Iyer). The arrangement by Gautham Srivatsa sets Tagore's Bengali-Sanskrit text to a newly orchestrated score, underlining the film's central narrative of the Rani of Jhansi Regiment of the Indian National Army.

Gautham Srivatsa's arrangement is orchestral and ceremonial, befitting the film's period setting in the 1940s. The use of Amruta Fadnavis's clear, trained vocal delivery gives the anthem a formal dignity that suits the INA's disciplined military context. The orchestration prioritises emotional resonance over novelty — strings and choir reinforce the text's vision of a unified India.

Jana Gana Mana was first sung publicly at the 1911 Indian National Congress session in Calcutta. Tagore's text invokes 'adhinaayak' — the supreme leader — with scholars long debating whether the reference is to God, to the Nation, or to King George V (for whom the session was partly held). In Azad Bharath's context, the anthem becomes a declaration of the INA's allegiance to a free India rather than the British crown.

Amruta Fadnavis — singer, actress and wife of Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis — served as the lead vocalist for this national anthem version. The song was released on the Azad Bharath soundtrack (12 December 2025, Zee Music Company). The film was specifically released on 2 January 2026 to coincide with Republic Day weekend.

Any new arrangement of the national anthem carries inherent cultural weight in India. This version, associated with a patriotic film about INA women fighters, adds another layer to the long legacy of Jana Gana Mana adaptations in Indian cinema from Satyajit Ray's use to contemporary Republic Day specials.