‘I’m a rebel!’ yells out a pack of drunken brats in the middle of the night on the dark streets of New Delhi. With them is a young English filmmaker who is in India trying to recreate the images she sees in her grandfather’s diary. A past of a foreign country that brings tears to her alien eyes. A chunk of history she never saw but has now become a part of who she is. A different viewpoint of humanity and patriotism in the face of injustice and oppression.
Welcome to new age Indian cinema. Welcome to ‘Rang De Basanti’ which was the tongue-in-cheek pop culture cutting that came from the able hands of Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra. A different and throbbing take of patriotism and its relevance in today’s India.
‘Rang De Basanti’ became one of my instant all-time favorites the first time I saw it. The raw energy it oozed into my senses still lingers around me like falling petals of a flower. The revolutionary concept of ‘democracy at any cost’ it left me with still has me wanting for more. The mind blowing performances of stalwarts like Aamir Khan injects new life in me every time I see it somewhere or hear it’s music.
To complete the circle this tale of modern patriotism has been selected for the coveted Academy awards this year in the foreign film category. Personally I have never followed the Academy awards myself since it is out of context for Indians like me. But when India gets showcased on such a large platform, it makes me want to see how it is received. I have always wanted my motherland exhibited everywhere around the planet. Everyone should know who she is and what her children can do. People from all walks of art should acknowledge the gems we manufacture for the world to watch.
Good luck RDB and team! Another feather in Aamir’s cap after Lagaan’s entry into the Oscar nominations. Let us hope RDB strikes the right ‘rebellious’ chord with the selection committee this time.
And even if it doesn’t…RDB has done more than it ventures to acknowledge as far as the Indian youth's psyche is concerned. You dont believe me? Look around.
Lose Control!
--ShaKri
Welcome to new age Indian cinema. Welcome to ‘Rang De Basanti’ which was the tongue-in-cheek pop culture cutting that came from the able hands of Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra. A different and throbbing take of patriotism and its relevance in today’s India.
‘Rang De Basanti’ became one of my instant all-time favorites the first time I saw it. The raw energy it oozed into my senses still lingers around me like falling petals of a flower. The revolutionary concept of ‘democracy at any cost’ it left me with still has me wanting for more. The mind blowing performances of stalwarts like Aamir Khan injects new life in me every time I see it somewhere or hear it’s music.
To complete the circle this tale of modern patriotism has been selected for the coveted Academy awards this year in the foreign film category. Personally I have never followed the Academy awards myself since it is out of context for Indians like me. But when India gets showcased on such a large platform, it makes me want to see how it is received. I have always wanted my motherland exhibited everywhere around the planet. Everyone should know who she is and what her children can do. People from all walks of art should acknowledge the gems we manufacture for the world to watch.
Good luck RDB and team! Another feather in Aamir’s cap after Lagaan’s entry into the Oscar nominations. Let us hope RDB strikes the right ‘rebellious’ chord with the selection committee this time.
And even if it doesn’t…RDB has done more than it ventures to acknowledge as far as the Indian youth's psyche is concerned. You dont believe me? Look around.
Lose Control!
--ShaKri
2 reflections:
rdb... is good.... and it accomplished the job.... that the 'raw' swades could not... but do we need... realism packed with fun(rdb) to show our weaknesses...
on the other hand... i would rather watch the seriousness of a swades..... i mean... it does portray india... though not in an acceptable way...... where fast songs, beautiful locales.... top stars are absent...
Rang De Basanti and Swades are movies that touch too completely different strands of the Indian society. One takes a look at the ignored rural landscape of India while the other looks at the injustice happening in the urban society. Together, they make for one complete true representation of our nation.
And as far as the 'fun' component is concerned, it is not false either. We all know that is what college life is like in today's India. The real message we need take away from a movie like RDB is that of standing upto injustice and ensuring we get what is rightfully ours. Violence may not be the best way to go about it but then we have Munnabhai's Gandhigiri concept taking care of that. :)
Thanks for the words mouna.
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