Two film booklets on the martyr Bhagat Singh serve to dramatise the life of a national hero. Executed at a young age, he became a household name symbolising selfless service in opposing the rule of the British government. His martyrdom propelled people to agitate further and fight the British. His life is celebrated with nostalgia for a young man, as we can see in the film posters. He is shown as an individual and a revolutionary, with a quote that serves to invoke the collective memory of his story. It is interesting that his name is always taken with the tag ‘Shaheed’ or ‘martyr’, yet the booklet tries to establish him as an individual by portraying him against a peaceful waterfall. However, the font with blood dripping from it brings us back to the act that made him an icon.

We have another promotional booklet on the life of an individual who you must be quite familiar with. It is interesting how these icons are always depicted in a set manner, almost like a character in a costume. We rarely see depictions of Netaji without his cap, and here too his patriotic nature and acts for the nation are highlighted through the gesture of a salute and the national flag. He is shown both in a shawl, perhaps indicating the time he had to disguise himself to escape the country, as well as in a military uniform.

A very interesting poster printed purely for propaganda. We see two of the icons we read about, Gandhiji and Rabindranath Tagore. The poster series narrates the various political virtues that Gandhi displayed; this one talks about how, by participating in the Khilafat Movement, Gandhi managed to unite different sects of people- primarily Hindus and Muslims in India. The bright colours and vivid patterns are meant to grab attention.

Drawn almost like cartoons, this collection of icons was perhaps made for children’s education or knowledge. Quite an unlikely group, they have all, through their sacrifices, spurred the movement for freedom. The figures above are Chatrapati Shivaji, Bhagat Singh, Rani Laxmibai, Chandrasekhar Azad. They are depicted in their popular or iconic manner so that people can identify them. These kinds of educational posters are still quite commonly shown in schools as a beginner course to the historical figures of the nation.

Vanity Fair published a series of illustrations highlighting the rulers of princely states under British rule. These figures are primarily spoken about for their opulent and extravagant lifestyles, yet it was this Maharaja who provided the money for B. R. Ambedkar to study in London. The artist has shown the Maharaja in his royal attire, complete with jewels to signal his royal position. We included this figure for you to reflect on the people whose names are missing from your textbooks but who have still contributed in some form to the national movement.

The first Prime Minister of free India, Jawaharlal Nehru’s image with his signature cap and coat is a popular one. The sculptor however deviates from that icon to create a gaunt, almost skeletal face of Nehru. He is almost unrecognisable. What might be the intent of the artist in sculpting such a face? What is the gaze of a foreign artist towards one of our national icons? Is it a mockery, or a portrayal of the human behind the myth?

The composer of our National anthem, Rabindranath Tagore, made his place in the nation’s heart with his writings and revolutionary thoughts. He opposed the British in many ways, joining hands with other nationalists to resist British rule. The sculpture here depicts him as a meditative, wizened old figure. What attribute of this figure does the artist intend to draw your attention to? Is it different from the pictures of Tagore that you have seen? Would you recognise him without the caption?

Known for his religious nationalism, Vivekananda chose the life of a monk to carry forward the teachings of his guru, Sri Ramakrishna. Through these teachings he worked to inspire feelings of universal peace and unity among the people of our nation. While we are used to seeing him in his saffron garb, the artist here paints him as the young man Narendra, wearing the clothes of a 19th century Bengali gentleman (bhadralok). Look closely at the way the artist paints his eyes, looking away from the spectator, hinting at the deeply philosophical thoughts he harboured even as a young man. Would you recognise him without his saffron robes? What do the features tell you about this young man?

One of the earliest men to lead a call for Swaraj (self-rule), he firmly believed that a radical direction would not aid in achieving independence. He is also known for his efforts to further education; he founded the New English School for secondary education to help the youth. He taught at Fergusson College and wrote for the Marathi newspaper Kesari. However, his adoption of pro-religious methods like the Ganesh Utsav and the incorporation of holy scriptures within the political movement alienated the Muslim population. Do you think we should support all the actions and ideas promoted by these icons? What do you think this photograph establishes him as?