Busting the brainwashing industry: ‘His Story of Itihaas’ challenges India’s distorted history taught in textbooks and reclaims stolen civilizational memory

His Story of Itihas

“Did Emperor Ashoka really embrace Buddhism out of remorse for the Kalinga war?”
“Was Akbar truly great?”
“Was Tipu Sultan a freedom fighter?”
“Is Aurangzeb really a ‘living saint’?”
“Did Vasco da Gama ‘discover’ India?”
“Did Islamic invaders really rule India for 1000 years?”
“Was Sati an obligatory ritual for Indian widows?”
“Has India truly contributed nothing to science and mathematics?”
“Is the Swastika a Nazi symbol?”
“Is biryani a foreign dish in India?”

We all know the answers we read to these questions in our school textbooks. But were those answers really true? Or is the truth something else – systematically hidden from us for generations? Were entire generations deliberately misled? Were our children made to feel ashamed of their own nation and culture? ‘His Story of Itihaas’ is a film that attempts to seek answers to these very questions.

Before we go further, let’s talk about the film. The story revolves around a physics teacher, played by the acclaimed Marathi actor Subodh Bhave. Bhave has been active in the Marathi industry for years and has won several awards. With a strong background in theatre, his acting needs no justification. Alongside him, seasoned actor Yogendra Tiku plays a history professor – an artist we’ve all seen in many films. We strongly recommend you watch this film in theatres. That’s why this review doesn’t reveal the plot. It’s a low-budget film made with immense struggle and effort – it’s our duty to respect that effort. The struggle is real – nearly 60 actors rejected the script simply because of the film’s subject. Directed and produced by Manpreet Singh Dhami under the banner of ‘Panchkarma Films’, the film is a rare gem in today’s cinematic landscape.

‘His Story of Itihaas’ Digs Deep into a Critical Crisis

The film is based on real incidents. If you’ve read Neeraj Atri’s book ‘Brainwashed Republic’, you’ll have a clear idea of what the film covers. Atri has long raised his voice against the distortions in our school textbooks. He questioned NCERT over several so-called historical facts taught to children, and the board could not provide a single piece of credible evidence in response. Atri went on to write an entire book on the subject. Through his YouTube channel Politically Incorrect, he continues to raise awareness.

Back to the film, it never bores you, despite dealing with a sensitive and serious subject. The portrayal of leftist professors and historians feels real—you’ll recognize them. For many viewers, this might be the first time they truly understand how parents and children get trapped in their ideological web. The film runs a parallel narrative of two families – one wealthy, one not. And it successfully shows that the issue affects everyone, regardless of class or gender.

It’s a story of resistance against a powerful system. It’s a challenge to the status quo, and a lament for the helplessness of the new order that emerges after change.

‘His Story of Itihaas’ is your story, your household’s story

  • It’s the story of brainwashed mothers who tell their children to just “sit and eat.”
  • It’s the story of brainwashed fathers who take loans to send their kids to missionary schools, only to develop BP and diabetes under the pressure.
  • It’s the story of a brainwashed child who views the Swastika as a symbol of hatred.
  • It’s the story of a brainwashed teen who tries to look “cool” and begins walking the path of Christian conversion through Western influence.
  • It’s the story of a brainwashed IAS officer who sees his own country with contempt.

This is also the story of an entire brainwashing industry.

  • An industry that includes activist women with oversized bindis, who consider their writings to be the ultimate truth—and dismiss any challenge as a “rant.”
  • An industry with historians who call temples mosques just to keep certain narratives intact.
  • An industry where professors who try to teach real history are mocked for their language and accent.
  • An industry where even leaders who promise change are rendered helpless once in power.
  • An industry that has perfected tactics to manipulate everything – from streets to parliaments to universities, to maintain its grip on the system.

Films Are Now Being Made on Once ‘Untouchable’ Topics This is not a technical review, because this film transcends that. The story is set in Delhi and Noida, so there’s not much visual grandeur to showcase. The narrative is contained within homes, schools, and university halls – occasionally reaching a gurdwara, which also carries a message.

The fact that films are now being made on topics once considered “untouchable” is a victory in itself. What began with The Kashmir Files in 2019 has now reached Chhava and His Story of Itihaas. Perhaps if we had been taught history truthfully, there would have been no need for films like The Kashmir Files or Chhava in the first place.
This film exposes the brainwashing industry that has long controlled our minds.

“The government may be theirs, but the system is still ours.” This powerful line from The Kashmir Files resonates even more deeply after watching His Story of Itihaas.
Because even today, the academic and creative space is dominated by those who are hell-bent on erasing or tarnishing anything positive about India. And this is a battle that cannot be won by just one film. The problem is too deep-rooted—it will take many such efforts to cleanse the rot.

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