Dawood sells in Bollywood. Bhagat Singh doesn't. Now we have to see whether Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose does.

Ram Gopal's "Company" on the life of Dawood Ibrahim was a far bigger success than Raj Kumar Santoshi's "The Legend Of Bhagat Singh". And this week Shyam Benegal is finally ready with his "Bose - The Forgotten Hero".

Perhaps every generation gets the heroes it deserves? Biopics, specially those about historical figures, don't have much of a market in India. We had the unfortunate instance of a string of films on freedom fighter Bhagat Singh in 2002. Undeterred, avant-garde filmmaker Benegal is ready with his offering.

Benegal is no stranger to the biopics. His film on the life of Mahatma Gandhi called "The Making of a Mahatma" came and went without a stir. "Bose - The Forgotten Hero" is a far more expensive film with a lot more at stake.

The brilliant method-actor Sachin Khedeker, who plays Bose, is certainly kicked about the project. In Kolkata for the film's promotion, he was full of optimism about his character.

"Because the young generation seems so distanced from Indian history, it's even more imperative to familiarise them with our national heroes.

"I think Bose is a right step in this direction. I'm very charged about the project. It has taken two years of my life. My commitment to playing the part was complete. And I hope the audience will appreciate my efforts."

Sadly, to get a sizeable audience interested in a historical figure you need to cast a superstar -- like Ajay Devgan in "Bhagat Singh" or Shah Rukh Khan as "Asoka". Although both finally flopped, they did manage to get an impressive opening.

Will an actor like Sachin Khedeker, who isn't a star in the filmy sense of the word, manage to get audiences interested in the life of Subhas Chandra Bose, and in the film in general?

It's hard to say. But a generation that finds "Kya Kool Hain Hum" to be cool may have a hard time connecting with the patriotic nationalistic aspirations of Bose.