The Rani that Miss Julia wanted to be

Vishal Bharadwaj's ambitious, though flawed, film Rangoon is based against the backdrop of the Azad Hind Fauj. At one point in the movie, Kangana Ranaut expresses a desire to join the Rani of Jhansi Regiment stationed just a few miles away.

In the movie, she plays Miss Julia, a star modelled on Fearless Nadia, and pretty much seems to have the qualifications required by the Ranis, as they were known, back in the day - physical fitness and tremendous agility.

Women at War by scholar Vera Hildebrand on the Rani of Jhansi Regiment, the first all-female infantry fighting unit in military history, throws more light on the regiment which was created in Singapore in July 1943 by Subhas Chandra Bose to liberate India from British colonial oppression.

Here's an excerpt from the book which shows what life was like for the Ranis:

In Rangoon the smartly uniformed and physically fit Ranis caused quite a stir. Female soldiers were unheard of. Since the Japanese army routinely provided their soldiers with "comfort women", Bose wanted to avoid any misunderstanding about the duties of the Ranis. He arranged immediately to have the Regiment demonstrate its military training.

President Ba Maw of Burma and General Aung San of the Burma National Army watched together with officers of the Japanese army as the Ranis marched and exhibited their proficiency at weapons handling and especially bayonet charging.

Rasammah told me that the Ranis considered this exercise a huge success and rejoiced that "Netaji's faith in the bold and unique step he had taken to establish an all-women's fighting force was clearly vindicated". The women took pride in the rumour that General Aung San was so impressed with the display of female bellicosity that he asked Bose for help in training Burmese women so that they could join Burma's armed forces. The Ranis were in high spirits as they resumed their martial activities.

In April 1944 Captain Lakshmi was transferred permanently to the base hospital in Maymyo, and 18-year-old Lieutenant Janaki Thevar became commander of the Burma contingent of the Ranis. Havildar (sergeant) Aruna Ganguli described her commanding officer as a terror. Janaki, the strict disciplinarian, noticed every detail in the dress and behaviour of her subordinate officers and sepoys and never failed to object to a pair of dusty shoes, an imperfectly pressed uniform or a cap worn at the wrong angle.

Several Ranis commented that Janaki's not-so-secret weapon was her extremely loud voice. Many years later, Rama proudly claimed to me that hers had been the second best voice in the Regiment, almost as good as Janaki's.

Privately the Ranis did admire Lieutenant Janaki to some degree, but they feared her scathing criticism. They also made fun of her and the joke among them was that she had been born with an extra set of eyes.

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As the Ranis anticipated being sent to the front to fight for their country, their daily schedule followed the same training programme as in Singapore: dawn flag-raising, PT, marches, weapons training and afternoon lectures. Lieutenant Karam Chand and five or six other INA soldiers trained the Rani Jhansi Regiment (RJR) women in rifle, pistol, Tommy gun (Thompson sub-machinegun) and Bren gun (Bren light machine gun). Their visits to the firing range where they went for practice every two weeks paid off. According to Aruna, most of the Ranis hit the bulls-eye "any number of times".

Shanti mentioned that "time-bombs planting, hand-bombs throwing, and long route-marches" were also part of the regimen. INA soldiers, when interviewed by the British after capture, reported having seen the women "parading with breeches, shirts, and short-pattern rifles" through the streets of Rangoon. Once a week they went out on route matches, carrying rifles and pistols and wearing their Japanese-style peaked caps.

Demonstrating his strong commitment to the RJR, Bose made many visits to the Rani camp to make sure uniforms were in order and that training was progressing. He knew all the Ranis in Burma by name and had a kind word for each.

The Ranis who had chosen to become nurses continued their training in Burma. After flag-hoisting and PT, which they participated in alongside the other Ranis, the trainee nurses travelled by bus to the Mayagon hospital in Mingaladon, the northernmost part of Rangoon, for their medical education and work. Ponnammah originally thought that nursing would be the best way for her to contribute, but in Burma she realised that daily life in any hospital would always be the same and she asked to switch to the fighting group.

Several INA soldiers including Chajju Ram noticed the Ranis as they went through town to the hospital for "training in nursing duties".

To the disappointment of the British interrogator who wanted to learn as much as possible about the Regiment of women, Chajju Ram "did not ask where those women were to be employed after such training and what their total strength was".

Another report from January 1945 states that a dozen or so of the women performed nursing duties at the base hospital at Mayagon.

Sundays were different. In Singapore the Ranis would catch a matinee movie, go out for ice cream or relax on the beach. In Rangoon the local Ranis were allowed to go home after morning flag-hoisting provided they returned on time for flag lowering. Transport was provided so that each girl could travel safely.

When Bose visited the camp in Burma and discovered the leisurely life the Ranis enjoyed while in training, he expressed strong disapproval of these Sunday indulgences. He believed they led to slack discipline. However, he was either unable or unwilling to enforce stricter rules, and the Ranis continued to enjoy their weekly home-cooked Sunday dinners.

While quartered at the Halpin Road camp, the Ranis were allowed to ride the 15 or 20 horses stabled there for their trips into town, but having two "pips" on her shoulders, "Camp Commandant Lieutenant Janaki Thevar" was the only Rani allowed to leave camp whenever she liked.

Janaki was granted the use of a beautiful grey horse for her morning commute from Halpin Road to the hospital to visit with the wounded soldiers, have a cup of tea with the doctors and nurses. The Rani nurses who had been on night duty at the hospital returned to camp in army vehicles. For the young commandant the way back to Halpin Road was pure enjoyment: "I was thrilled. Seated on horseback I used to feel as though I was the real Jhansi Ki Rani and was very proud of myself," and she was in camp by 9 am for company inspection.

One day Bose was driving by and stopped to give her pointers. He showed her how to make the horse walk figure eights, a trick that did not speed her on her way but did enhance her prestige among the troops. Janaki was proud of the personal attention from her idol "Netaji", and recounted the episode to me with tears in her eyes these many years later.

Bose was fond of music and dramatics and encouraged the Ranis to put on variety shows for the whole INA camp, and occasionally also for the general public in Rangoon halls. Rani Maya Ganguli was particularly surprised and impressed when "Netaji, the Supreme Commander of this Army" took charge of a show to be performed at the Rangoon City Hall.

The entire programme was Bose's idea and he was so intent on success that he came to the RJR camp as often as twice a day to see rehearsals. He directed every skit and sang along with the girls.

For Bose's favourite segment of the show, he picked two exceptionally beautiful girls, Aruna and Maya Ganguli, to lead the Ranis on to the stage in full uniform with rifles, singing Chalo Delhi, Chalo Delhi. The two sisters were flattered at the attention and did their utmost to please Bose, but even at age 15 Maya did find it surprising that with all his other responsibilities Bose devoted that much time, effort and concern to perfecting the performance.

On the big night, he arrived at the hall long before the audience; the girls were inspired and the show was a great success. Bose was overjoyed and the next morning he sent baskets of sweets and presents to each of the performers.

Bose and the young Ranis enjoyed many evenings together with song, plays and group discussions, and after the entertainment he would offer them tea or dinner. Bose also often invited them to his bungalow to watch documentary movies together with the INA officers. When requested, he even sang German songs for them and explained the text. Aruna marvelled, "...he was just like a father".

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In anticipation of his 48th birthday in January 1945, Bose appealed to Indian civilians in Burma for a special birthday present. He wanted volunteers to sign up for a suicide squad, the Janbaz, modelled on the Japanese Kamikaze Special Attack Corps.

As described to British Intelligence by an INA soldier, the work of this squad "would be to infiltrate into British positions in disguise and to attack senior Allied officers at opportune moments; to carry mines on the body, and to jump in front of oncoming tanks".

POW B1021 Captain Asiruddin D Jehangir, called "Prince Jehangir", when interrogated, revealed to British Military Intelligence that he had collected names of 71 volunteers signing up for suicide missions. Another INA informant, identified as POW B985, asserted that there were forty names on the list.

According to these two surrendered INA soldiers, among the volunteers "most of them Tamil recruits, [19] girls from the Rani of Jhansi Regiment signed a pledge with their blood offered to sacrifice their lives in the cause of India's freedom".

As discussed previously, several Ranis reported to me that they did indeed sign their names in blood, but that was a petition asking Bose to allow them to go to the front to fight, not for any other suicide mission.

Rasammah's experience was different and is not easily explained. Her application to volunteer for the Janbaz was rejected. Deeply disappointed, she asked Bose why having asked for their blood, he would deprive her of the honour of sacrificing her life for India's freedom. He answered, "What would I say to your mother, if you never came home?"

Also read: Shahid Kapoor on working with Vishal Bhardwaj - again - in Rangoon