Take a careful look at the man in the poster. Now, look at the man standing next to the picture.

Would you believe they are the same person?

Yes, it is Sachin Khedekar though he seems unrecognisable in Shyam Benegal's Netaji: The Forgotten Hero, where he plays freedom fighter Subhas Chandra Bose.

The actor, who has films like Astitva and Tere Naam to his credit, plays the older Netaji in the film. The younger Bose is played by Jishu Sengupta.

The film, which is about the last five years of the Indian leader's life, also includes his life's story in flashback sequences. However, it does not cover the controversy surrounding Bose's death.

Netaji is scheduled for a July 2005 release.

Meanwhile, Benegal has already started planning his next film, Mahadeo, starring Rajpal Yadav. It will be a comedy.

Photograph: Pradeep Bandekar