Rang De Basanti was a good watch after a long time. I like AMir Khan’s movies as they always carry a message (what was the mssg for ’’Hum Hain Rahi Pyar Ke?...ummm, let us concentrate on his movie for now).
I found the first part somewhat loud but I guess that was necessary to create the ’wasted youth’ effect. The turn in the characters’ behavior is very well depicted. They could have utilized Kiron Kher to her potential but she seems to be doing justice to what is allotted to her.
There was one thing that struck me as particularly bad - the attempt to paint the BJP led govt in a bad color. The director seems to be inclined to force personal views on the viewers here. Also, what is painted is far from the truth - there was a real case where a Mig-21 pilot’s death was attributed to ’Pilot Error’. That particular pilot’s mother later did her own research and proved to the IAF and the NDA govt that there was evidence of mechanical error. The Govt and the IAF promptly accepted her findings and apologised - contrary to what has been shown in the movie. And one thing that the director is forgetting - the 76 year old defence minister from that govt HIMSELF flew in a MIG-21 to prove it’s air-worthiness. You have to appreciate that govt’s sincerity in the effort to keep the morale of our armed forces high with the available options at hand.
I am perfectly ok if he were to put the blame on politicians in general - showing one govt in a negative way is unjust and somwhat takes away the credit from the message that the movie wants to convey.
I have seen this attitude in another movie (I think it was called ’18-December’ or something like that) - this was on the Kandahar based hijack of the indian airlines plane. The politicians were shown as dirty creatures in that movie. The fact remains that never before in the history of any land, cabinet ranked ministers risked their own lives to negotiate the release of common passengers. Which congress leader would have done that?
I would have liked Amir Khan to stay away from this attitude, but I guess this will remain a black spot on his movie making. Or did he do this so that he could get the current UPA governemnt to release it from censors? Whatever it is, I am disappointed at the political color of the movie.