(Top) A scene from the documentary being shot at Balasore district jail and (above) the documentary team in Balasore. Telegraph pictures

Balasore, April 6: The life of freedom fighter Bagha Jatin will be soon made into a documentary film. The film about the hero from pre-Independent India, who breathed his last in Balasore, is being made for the Films Division, government of India, by director Jayshree Bhattacharya.

A team of nearly 30, including artistes headed by Bhattacharya, started shooting at Balasore jail on Tuesday. They will visit Chasakhand and Kaptipada during their five-day stay.

“This is a low-cost, short documentary film of around 25 minutes. Following a nod from the Film Division, we will shoot at different places connected to Bagha Jatin’s stay here,” said Jayanta Kundu, the production controller. “We are in Balasore jail as two of his associates were hanged here,” he added.

Director of the film Bhattacharya said they would collect relevant documents pertaining to Bagha Jatin’s life from the district administration and courts. “After completing shooting here and in Mayurbhanj, we will go to his native Koya, Kustiya, now in Bangladesh.”

Bagha Jatin, as the freedom fighter is commonly known, was born Jatindranath Mukherjee. Though there are documents about his life in Bengal, the team is finding it difficult to gather information of his stay here.

“The greatest hurdle is lack of documents. While some vital documents are believed to be lost, others are misplaced. Anyway, we have requested the district administration to trace records, especially the judgment of 1915 as the aides of Jatin were tried in the local court,” she said.

This is the fourth documentary by 41-year-old Bhattacharya who won the best director award for 2008 at the International Women’s Film Festival. She has worked with prominent directors such as Rituparna Ghosh, Buddhadev Dasgupta and Ravi Kinnagi.

The artistes of the film have delved into history to understand the era. “Our cameraman is playing Bagha Jatin since he resembles the patriotic hero,” said Bhattacharya.

Bagha Jatin and his aides were hiding in Kaptipada forest of Mayurbhanj to evade British arrest. But they were trapped in Chasakhand, 10km from Balasore. Bagha Jatin escaped after sustaining bullet injuries, and was admitted to the then District Headquarters Hospital, which is now Barabati Girls’ High School. He succumbed to his injuries on September 10, 1915, refusing to undergo treatment at the hands of British doctors. Many local residents and visitors from Bengal pay tributes to the hero on his birth and death anniversaries. “We are extremely glad that the history of Balasore associated with the great Bagha Jatin is being documented in the form of a film. He will always have a special place in history and our hearts,” said Niranjan Parida, a local resident.