Rang De Basanti

’’Abhi abhi, hua yakin,

kuch aag hai, mujh me kahin,

hui subah, main jal gaya,

suraj ko main, nigal gaya.’’

Well, the movie has this effect on you. Right from the first scene, with Alice Patton playing SUE and saying something like ’’tumhari maa ki aankh’’, the movie keeps you awake- both physically and morally. A heavy social message for the youth very well crafted into a light comic experience. You come out of the theatre laughing, yet with the belief that there’s something in you that could change the world.

India as a country has been through a lot of socio-political evils, and they are growing with the economy. There lays a choice for the coming generation- accept what’s been happening, live like the underdogs, or change things around. This is the theme that the movie revolves around.

The Plot:

A present day revolution inspired from one in the past. Sue( Alice Patton) comes to India to make a documentry film on the life of the young revolutionaries that changed the future of India.Her research is based on grandfather’s diary who was a British Official in India in the days of the British Raj. Sonia (Soha Ali Khan) is her contact in Delhi, who she’s banking on for help with the film.

After auditioning for the characters, she finds herself fruitless, tierd and gives up. But, Sonia takes her to meet her friends for a break. Her friends being- DJ (Aamir), SUKI(Sherman Joshi), ASLAM (Kunal Kapoor) & KARAN (Siddharth). On seeing Sonia’s friends with their carefree lives and a zeal to break free from what’s normal, SUE finds them similar in character to the revolutionaries and manages to convince them to play lead roles in her film.

LAXMAN PANDEY (Atul Kulkarni), a true patriot, is also interested in a part in the movie, but has rows against ASLAM, and hus with all his friends- DJ, KARAN, and SUKI. But, they compromise and somehow manage to work together.

While the film is being made an Indian Airforce Pilot- Capt. AJAY RATHORE ( R.Madhavan who’s also Soha Ali Khan’s interest and thus a close friend of the gang in the movie) dies in a MIG crash. This event causes a political controversy leading to some evidence of import of cheap russian parts for the planes. The defence minister blames the pilots for being irresponsible.

Aggitated by this and inspired by their own roles in SUE’s Documentary, AJAY’s friends decide to take back on the defence minister by killing him. The awesomely intelligent media of India has been shown to link his murder to opposition controversy, and inernational hand involvement, e.t.c Seeing that their cause was not fulfilled, AJAY’s friends raid the all india radio studio and broadcast their views after confessing their involvement in the defence minister’s murder.

The movie ends with the Special Task Force raiding the studio building and killing all 5 of them.

Best scene’s:

• Auditions in the begining:

  
  




• Mujhe pata hai, mujhe pata hai aap meri shaadi karvaana chahte hain, par

  
  

meri asli dulhan to aazaadi hai.

1. Nanhe mune bache teri muthi mein kya hai.

   
   




2. Behan Di Takki Beer at the stake of a 50 ft. fall. followed by- toone bhi kabhi meri

   
   

jindagi bachayi hogi

• Aeroplane bye! bye! at the fort.

  
  




• Reality bites: Aamir with alice outside aslam ki galli: Behan De takke, kuch nai

  
  

rehna, Sab chale jaayenge apne raaste, time nahi milta ji.

• last scene: Aamir and Siiddharth laughing when they are shot. Nautanki Saaley!

There are two kinds of people........Then I met the third.

Small things that count:

• All 5 have an equal role with Aamir not dominating the front

  
  




• The television at the omlete shop, Laaton ke bhoot, Remote se nahin Maante.

  
  

The soundtrack is awesome and well placed. The songs compliment the

plot rather than distracting you from the movie.

Acting:

• Aamir, as usual brilliant job

  
  




• Soha Ali Khan, played it very natural. Well Done!

  
  




• Madhavan, small role, kept it in limits, hasn’t over exagerated to make the

  
  

presence felt. Good Stuff!

Siddharth, played the poor rich kid amazingly well. Not many Dialogues, the shades

and the cigerrette do most of the talking. Even though quiet in most scenes,

presence is felt. Awesome! Awesome!

• Kunal Kapoor, Kya Kahen Aslam Miyaan, Sir too good!

  
  




• Sherman, Saade! Ke Acting Kari Hai!, brilliant take of a haryanvi accent.

  
  




• Atul Kulkarni, proved his acting skills yet again, after pg.3

  
  

Overview:

Last but not the least,

I knew two kinds of people, ones who go their deaths screaming and howling, and the ones that meet thier fate quietly. And then I met the third.

What a movie!!!!

Thodi si dhool meri dharti ki mere watan ki!

Rang De Basanti!