Rang De Basanti Clocks 14 Years! 9 Reasons Why It'll Always Hold A Special Place In Our Hearts
"Mujhe hamesha lagta tha ki duniya mein do tarah ke insaan hote hain - ek joh chupchap maut ka daman thaam lete hain aur doosre joh rote chilaate maut ki taraf badhte hain. Aur phir main teesre kisam ke insaanon se mila".
With this very dialogue, Rakeysh Ompraksh Mehra successfully proved that patriotism transcends politics. Right from the beginning, it was a given that this won¡¯t be a regular piece of cinema that will entertain and then pave a way for other patriotic movies. It was made to make a difference, and the difference that it did make stays relevant till date. The awareness that it spread about people holding the power to change the world around them holds a powerful meaning especially today, when the political climate of the country has raised so many red flags.
14 years on, the message that Rang De Basanti gave remains poignant. The idea of inciting change and starting a powerful social movement is what the present scenario is all about. What started out to be a reel protest against substandard parts in MiG planes and protecting the lives of its pilots has now transformed into real life Jawaharlal Nehru University and Aligarh Muslim University¡¯s call for change.?
What was a mere idea almost a decade and a half ago, is the reality of the present where the youth has understood the power of their collective voices and the need for accountability. While it¡¯s kind of natural to draw parallels between the movie and real life, this day warrants something else -? a celebration of the movie, its makers and the actors. A moment to remember everything that is great about this phenomenal film. Therefore, without further ado, let's take a look at 9 reason why this film will always be close to out hearts:
1. The narration was king?
While it¡¯s hard to notice the little details, after several reruns, the most important conclusion that I have arrived at, is the fact that the way this beautiful story was told, is something that hasn¡¯t been given enough credit. With the constant time-travel between the fight for freedom to the present, it could have gotten really confusing. However, the transitions were so beautiful that it was nothing short of artistic and poetic genius. Sue¡¯s diary, her grandfather¡¯s anecdotes and obviously the recreation of our great freedom fighters and their historic moments remain fresh in our memories even after all these years.
2. The friendships and the prominent distinctions between each and every character?
This wasn¡¯t your usual ensemble cast. Neither was it a ¡®ring leader and his side-kicks¡¯ scenario. Each and every cast member had contrasting personality traits that were depicted in the most beautiful manner. While DJ played by Aamir Khan and Sukhi played by Sharman Joshi were the comic duo, Karan played by Siddharth was a spoilt brat whose character trajectory saw a lot of ups and down. Similarly, the enmity shown between Aslam played by Kunal Kapoor and Lakshman Pandey played by Atul Kulkarni had a lot of realistic depth to it. Others including Soha Ali Khan, Madhavan, Om Puri, Alice Patten and Waheeda Rahman had such vibrant characteristic shades that it was hard not to notice each one of them.?
3. The powerful dialogues and its super-effective delivery
Full marks to the writers of this extraordinary film. Each and every dialogues exuded so much power that it ended up giving us goosebumps throughout the film. Lines like:
"Zindagi jeene ke do hi tarike hote hain, ek jo ho rha hai hone do, bardaast karte jao. Ya fir zimmedari uthao use badalne ki"
"Jo log oocha sunte hain unhe dhamake ki jaroorat hoti hai."
The dialogues were simple yet managed to hit the nail right in the head. They made us hear the point loud and clear.
4. The visionary music that will remain eternal
Every single song in the jukebox of Rang De Basanti was melodious and ethereal. Interestingly, the emotions that all the songs evoked are still aligned even though a long time has passed. From Pathshala, Khalbali, Khoon Chala to Luka Chuppi and Tu Bin Bataye, these songs are still afresh in our memories and i doubt that they¡¯ll ever lose credence in the future as well.??
5. Not preachy or jingoistic, this movie brings out the true patriot in everyone
There were no unnecessary teachings or words of wisdom imparted. There was no name-calling of the neighbouring countries or direct involvement of mainstream politics, it focused on how sometimes all we need is to clean the inside mess in order to make people realise the value of raising the right voice at the correct time.?
P.S - Before you jump to conclusions, we are in no way endorsing the violence that was resorted to in the film but the idea of standing up against wrongdoings.?
6. The underlying realisations that this film encouraged will always be special
Many of us are mostly aware of the shortcomings in our lives and its solutions too. However, with the hustle-bustle in our lives, we tend to overlook the little things in order to decipher the larger picture. This film was a quick run-through of those very important things that we somehow ignored every now then. For instance, when DJ says ¡°ek paer past mein hai aur ek paer future mein, isliye toh hum present par moot rahe hain¡±, it was a wake-up call for everyone to start living in the present instead of worrying about the past or the future. Another great example was when Madhavan¡¯s says ¡°Koi bhi desh perfect nahi hota, usse perfect banana padta hai¡±. We got the message loud and clear that nothing is perfect and you have to work towards making things perfect.?
7. The representation of important historical events in the most interesting manner
The movie ran parellely in the two eras where our freedom fighters namely Chandrashekhar Azad, Shivram Rajguru, Bhagat Singh, Ashfaqulla Khan and Ram Prasad Bismil were revolting against the ahimsa movement (non-violence). The way they plan their actions and the sacrifices that they made to be a part of the fight against freedom was both heart-wrenching and inspiring at the same time. From Kakori incident to Bhagat¡¯s tears-inducing letter to his parents before he renounces his family life for his country were woven in such a surreal manner that it made us want to dig deeper and learn more about our great men and their fight for freedom.
8. It took a stand against religious enmity
In a world, where we are undeniably divided on the basis of religion, caste and the likes, this movie took upon itself to tackle the matter in the most subtle yet hard-hitting manner. While Pandey (Atul Kulkarni) and Aslam (Kunal Kapoor) were constantly at loggerheads with each other, in Sue¡¯s documentary Ramprasad Bismil and Ashfaqullah Khan were joined at the hip and they lived and died for what they cared about. The contrast between the past and the present helped Pandey and Aslam realise that they needed to rise above the religion divide and concentrate on important and pressing issues.
9. Each and every frame foretold a story
The cinematography of this movie is so enchanting, that each and every frame spoke to us. The movie is so nicely put together that 2 hours and 51 minutes go by in no time. From the bike races to random hang out scenes at a quaint fort, even the simplest of the scenes left us bewitched. Remember the scenes at Golden temple?
The holy dip in the water by the boys to Sue and Aslam making langar, these scenes were so calm and soothing that we were mesmerised. Special mention for Kirron Kher, for she brought her own unique flavour to the film. From her punjabi humour to her dedication to Waheguru, Mitro made us fall in love with her all over again.?
What do you love the most about this film? Share with us in the comments section below.
