Stirring? Yes; Awakening? Not really Film: Rang De Basanti Reviewed by Aniruddha Guha
In the recent past, movies like Swades and Yuva have exhorted the youth to take an active interest in the welfare of the country by involving themselves in politics. This and much more is conveyed in a very subtle manner in Rang De Basanti. In that aspect, RDB can be termed as a successful attempt at amalgamating patriotism with entertainment. A far cry from the jingoistic versions of Bhagat Singh and the typical Pakistan-bashing films, RDB doesn't resort to the typical loud, unreal antics. The director has efficiently merged the lives of a carefree bunch of youngsters with that of our freedom fighters, and intersected them at strategic points in the narrative. The movie portrays realistically, the youth of today. Their musings, attitude, insecurities have been conveyed brilliantly. It also depicts male bonding and friendship like never before. Thoroughly entertaining in the first half, the story takes a dramatic turn post-interval, throwing the lives of the protagonists in a tumultuous series of events. How the protagonists are inspired by the heroes of our independence and assume their roles in present times, forms the crux of the story. The makers have drawn parallels between the British raj and today's corrupt politicians. The youngsters, driven up the wall by the injustice done to their deceased friend, wage a battle against the present government much like the independence struggle against the British rule. The transition of the youngsters, from carefree, individuals belonging into conscientious rebels with a cause, is praiseworthy. RDB is one of the best examples of perfect casting in movies. All the actors get into the skin of their characters and reflect the youth of today excellently. Technically, the film is brilliant and the music sets the tone for the movie. The only fault being that the movie is a bit too long and drags at places, especially the flashbacks. The culmination of the proceedings at the All India Radio station leaves a lot to be desired. This in fact, dilutes the impact of the movie to a great extent and deters it from being a much superior product. The message the movie tries to convey is loud and clear- if the present generation wants, they can bring about a drastic change in the political scenario. The youth of today may identify with this viewpoint of the movie, but only to an extent. Where they may be inspired by the idealistic thoughts being conveyed, the means to achieve the goal as depicted in the movie may not find many takers. And this is the movie's biggest flaw. The tagline of the movie is ‘a generation awakens’. Well, awakening not really; stirring, maybe. Though the intentions behind making a patriotic movie have to be lauded, Rang De Basanti is at best, an entertaining fare. Explore, Experience, Enjoy A.R.Rahman - The Man, The Music, The Magic. Only at arrahmanfans.com - The definitive A.R.Rahman e-community. Homepage: http://www.arrahmanfans.com Admin: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To Subscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To Unsubscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/arrahmanfans/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
