Rang De Basanti Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of Rang De Basanti
Book Review: A call to rave against the system
Summary: 5 Stars
This film excited some controversy, as anyone can see plainly after reading the few reviews here. This is because of the astounding, extreme decision that the characters make at the end of the film. According to some viewers, this final decision -based on a cheap and simplistic view on the political and social climate of India, in their opinion- is an incitement to violence .
Although I was also amazed by the final decission the characters make -while, at the same time, admiring the way the writer blends this part of the story with the historic events that had been shown in the film until then- I didn't quite see the call to arms or terrorism here. Actually, this way of interpreting the ending is really simplistic, in my opinion, considering the complexity and several layers on which the plot operates. And, I must confess, the ending was a big-bang surprise to me; and how often do we get an unpredictabe ending in films, be they Bollywood or otherwise? Not as often as we would like to, surely.
If the controversial ending is so extreme and violent, it is as a sharp contrast with the carefree, hedonistic, almost cynical attitude -at the beginning of the film- of Dj (Aamir Khan) and hisfriends, who are the protagonists. While this group of youths belong to the middle classes and do not really have much to worry about as to the basic needs of life, everything they see around them in their country makes them hopeless, directionless, lacking plans and projects for their future. Their only aim in life seems to be having fun, getting drunk, hanging around at college. It is in fact a way of hiding from reality and the life that awaits, of trying to cling to youth.
Everything changes with the arrival of Sue, a British young woman who is trying to shoot a documentary about a bunch of (communist) revolutionaries who, in the time of the Raj, fought against the British. She recruits Dj and his good-for-nothing friends. As much as this crowd detest anything to do with patriotism or revolution, and they laugh at these revolutionaries of the Indian past who chose to die for their ideals, they find themselves dragged into the story....
Thus, both the hedonistic, coudn't-care-less attitude of the beginning and the extreme decission of the ending are typical reactions born of desperation, of being in a no-way-out situation. And this is the message of the film: when the system is so rotten that the new generations are left with no hope for their futures, they are going to react tpically in one of these two ways. It is a courageous mesage, stated in a very clear way. The possible solutions, as well as the cause of the rot in the system are also clearly stated and, although maybe this part of the message is actually simplistic, one can't help but feel respect for people who decide to denounce what they see as bad, warn of possible dangers ahead (e.g.the extremes of passivity or violence that this situation can entail), and suggest a positive, no matter how simplistic, action. In fact, the denounce of some embarrasing problems (particularly the defective parts of planes, cause of may accidental deaths, bought by the Indian Ministry of Defence)and of the BJP (then ruling the country)take on society (clearly trying to incite hatred among the different communities, which, on the other hand, also have their particular hate-mongers) are so contundent as to fall like a hammer blow.
If you are expecting a typical Bollywood from Rang De Basanti, you'll be sorely disapointed. It is true that the story begins more like a comedy to end up a drama...-and how wonderful all the actors are playing these different registers!!!- but the typical romance is really nowhere to be seen (not that it lacks romance, but it's not so heavy-handed as in most Bollywoods, in fact it is so discreet that one almost misses it until the very end), there is no hero/heroine protagonism but a choral focus on character and the musical numbers are not your typical Bollywood either and are not given the ordinary weight...-the music is great, though!!!!
After watching Rang De Basanti, I understand the hype. It's not usual to find such a popular form of art as films so openly calling (young) people to wake up and improve society. Although the message is clearly intended for India, it is of universal consequence. Highly recommended. It will make you feel. It will make you think. Even if just to desagree.
Book Review: Amazing movie
Summary: 5 Stars
Some people here have called it simplistic. However, it is simply a call to action. They are not asking the youth of India to kill anyone, merely to awaken the sleeping giants within. Two thumbs up to this movie. The best Hindi movie in a generation!!! You have missed something if you haven't seen it.Book Review: Awakening the Pop Generation
Summary: 5 Stars
McKinley (Steven Mackintosh): "I always believed there were two kinds of men in this world; men who go to their deaths screaming; and men who go to their deaths in silence. And then I met the third kind..."
There are not many patriotic movies that you can watch and then watch again for its message and emotions. Most Hollywood and Indian Movies seem to thump their chests and dance on the dead graves of past heroes. They glorify the history, distorting it and making it unrecognizable and something you can't relate to. After "V For Vendetta" this was the most exciting `Revolutionary' Movie I could call truly of present days times. I only saw this movie yesterday as the DVD was going for Rs69 by Sony and I had heard a lot of good things about this multiple award-winning 2006 release.
"Rang de Basanti" is a movie that tells 2 stories parallel to each other while in different timelines. The title literally means "Paint me Saffron". In India and most of Asia, Saffron is the colour of sacrifice and the title refers to its characters' desire to sacrifice for their motherland.
Alice Patten plays Sue McKinley, a British film-maker just beginning to get into the industry. No one is interested in her grand-father's diary. Her Grand-father was a Police Officer in British ruled India during the Freedom Struggle. His diary recounts his encounters with the legendary and most celebrated young Freedom Fighters - Chandrashekhar Azad, Bhagat Singh, Ashfaqulla Khan, Ram Prasad Bismil and Rajguru. Sue's faith in her inherited diary brings her to India sans finance or producers. Her contact in India Sonia played by Soha Ali Khan knows her troubles but supports her determined to help make the movie.
Much of the beginning deals with the fun and materialism in Colleges of India today. After much headhunting Sue sees her star cast in Sonia's friends. A group of four pranksters who do nothing more than booze, party, ride and blow away money. DJ/Daljit Singh is their leader of sorts played by Superstar Aamir Khan. When this gang including actors Siddharth Narayan, Kunal Kapoor and Sharman Joshi hear about Sue's idea for patriotic film they laugh it off telling her that today's India is a mess and no one will even think of giving up their Life for such a corrupt and diseased nation. They indulge Sue but cannot relate to the patriotic fervour of Azad and Bhagat Singh of 1920's India.
Another element of Modern India is added by the casting of Atul Kulkarni as Laxman Pandey a Fundamentalist Political Party Worker in the same College. Sue invites him for a role but this ends up in a brawl with DJ's friends when Laxman insults their Muslim friend Aslam played by Kunal Kapoor.
Meanwhile Sonia's boyfriend Flt. Lt. Ajay Singh Rathod played by R. Madhavan is assigned to duty in Indian Air Force. During the farewell he tells the gang that criticism is easy but cleaning up your own house (Motherland) is always painful and thus an unwanted thankless job.
DJ as always laughs it off saying, "One leg in past and one leg in future; that's how we are pissing on the present."
The movie is a bold statement against today's India. The Youth are disillusioned with Public Service and of course believe in getting a US Visa out of this damned country. They would rather booze than think of sweating to replenish their forsaken motherland.
Fiction meets facts. It is true that the Defence Department is among the most profitable corrupt branches of Indian Government providing the poorest gear and machinery to its soldiers who have dedicated their lives to serve the nation. Over 30 pilots have died in a span of 3 years due to MiG-21 crashes caused by cheap faulty Russian spare-parts.
Flashbacks of Bhagat Singh and Chandrashekhar Azad and their brothers seem to blend into today's youth's struggle for Justice against corrupt rulers. Together the 5 young awakened heroes of 21st century India decide to take matters into their own hand to deliver Justice and to inform the nation about the Truth.
The movie moves smoothly throughout and the songs are never out of place or out of context. The DVD version has English Subtitles and even the songs have been translated for best viewer-satisfaction. The past and present roles played by these 6 actors blend comfortably and the pace towards the climax is thrilling and emotionally heart-wrenching and tragic.
The decision of these 21st century revolutionaries to get arrested is parallel to Bhagat Singh's decision to get arrested to voice their Freedom Struggle and fight for Justice; proving their rghteousness.
From the past part of the story, Aamir Khan plays Chandrashekhar Azad very well. Azad, a master of disguise is known for his daring escapes and one shown here on a police motorcycle is very exciting.
Do watch this movie if you are looking for patriotic movies that today's youth can relate to. You may just as the tagline suggests "Awaken" (A Generation Awakens).
Book Review: Both a compelling story and a call to action: Bollywood gets political
Summary: 5 Stars
Watching this film I was reminded of American films in the '70s -- the refusal to separate arts and entertainment from politics, and the feel of not only watching a movie but being called to action and awareness. This film seems to do for Bollywood what maverick directors in the '70s did for Hollywood -- and I am only drawing an analogy here in terms of my own limited experience with Bollywood films, and not attempting to suggest that Americans got there first, especially since this tone is so rare in contemporary American films -- to give voice to those who are dissatisfied with the paralyzing message that things are only getting better and there's nothing much you can do about it anyhow. I don't know what effect this film had in India when it was released, but I can imagine it having a huge impact. The film manages to show that revolutionary action, as exemplified by young men who fought bravely for Indian independence from British colonial rule, can never simply be a thing of the past. The film speaks directly to Indian youth and challenges them to rise up and make a difference and fight corruption -- as exemplified in the film by leaders who made money by buying cheap and inadequate military equipment for their soldiers.
A young British woman finds her grandfather's journal, written while he was stationed in India and charged with extracting information from revolutionaries. He becomes increasingly less convinced of the morality of his charge, and admires the bravery and conviction of the Indian youth under his watch. The woman decides to make a film about these young revolutionaries and upon arrival in India she gets involved with a group of apolitical but energetic young men and women, who love to party and only reluctantly agree to be cast in her film. As the film develops, their lives and struggles come increasingly to mirror those of the youth whose lives they are impersonating in the film -- until their situation escalates and they are pushed towards a difficult and life-changing decision.
The impact of the film builds slowly, and along what are initially fairly predictable lines, with emotional build up and the passage of time being captured in occasionally exuberant musical routines -- but the tone of the film shifts about halfway through and becomes quite gripping and unique. It raises the question how one can be patriotic when political leaders and the government are corrupt. We praise revolutionaries of the past, but when someone tries to take a stand against a corrupt system they are labeled reactionary or even terrorist. The film makes a sharp distinction between justified revolutionary and terrorist activity, and in the end argues that what is needed is for those who recognize corruption to do something about it by becoming leaders and speaking up for change. A very engaging and unique film, definitely worth watching -- I only wish it were more readily available in the States.
Book Review: Dire message, dreadful waste of wonderful Bollywood actors and production
Summary: 1 Stars
A disturbingly bad film, and a rare example of one that utterly misses its own point: initially it's a call for unity among different religions, and a story of patriotic resistance to the evil repression of authority.
At the end the message is: forget legitimate protest, just kill those in power whom you don't like.
Starting off as a pleasant Bollywood entertainment about disaffected youth and the western blond girl who engages them in life and reminds them of the heroism of their ancestors against the evil British Colonial rulers (let's not even go there) the second half completely changes track and ends up as a political manifesto advocating violent terrorism as a way for social change.
It's dispiriting that the film's (initial) message of unity, democratic change and resistance to the evils of power could have been done much MORE powerfully without violating the internal logic of the story. The last quarter of the film comes out of the blue--it's like you're watching a different movie.
There are about 10 different ways the script could have gone differently and held together conceptually, while keeping the message which is (or initially seemed to be) about coming together and resisting oppression:
- the youths could have been awakened to their problems, made a stand, and taken over the radio station, (even been killed and martyred for their beliefs) without killing someone in vigilante fashion
- the youths could have discussed their understandable vengeful feelings before acting on them.
- the women, originally portrayed as agents of change, could have been included in the decisions, or continued as characters to encourage critical discussion and thinking (instead of being pushed aside and become the clichéd tragic, mourning, passive, victims).
- the potentially interesting parallels between the present-day corrupt Indian government with the colonial British one could have been explored, and taken to the logical conclusion, which is that terrorism and violence only continue the cycle, cause more divisiveness and don't work. (Gandhi, Partition, hello!)