Rang De Basanti Replay: 10 Things We Learnt While Re-Watching Aamir Khan, Siddharth and Soha Ali Khan’s Film During Lockdown

From today onwards, LatestLY is starting a new series where the writer watches some of the favourite or obscure or underrated films during the quarantine and tries to pen down things that he or she observed while rewatching these films. For its inaugural article, the writer has chosen Rang De Basanti. The 2006 film is directed by Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra and is thought by many as one of the best Hindi films from mainstream cinema in the 21st Century. Rang De Basanti stars Aamir Khan in the lead, with Siddharth Narayan, Atul Kulkarni, Kunal Kapoor, Soha Ali Khan, Sharman Joshi, Alice Patten, Anupam Kher, Dr Mohan Agashe and Waheeda Rehman in the cast. R Madhavan has an extended guest appearance in the film. Republic Day 2019: Rang De Basanti, Upkar, The Legend of Bhagat Singh - Brilliant Movies You Can Watch on 26th January (Watch Videos).

You all know the story -  a British filmmaker (Alice Patten) comes to India to make a film on Indian revolutionaries like Bhagat Singh, Chandrashekhar Azad, Ashfaqullah Khan etc. She finds her actors in a few happy-go-lucky youngsters who don't think too high of the freedom struggle, and a Hindutva supporter who doesn't meet eye-to-eye with these friends. But working on the film make them get in touch with a sense of belonging in this country, and this emotion turns into a vengeful fire, when their friend dies in a defective MIG-21 crash.

Rang De Basanti was one of the biggest hits of the year, with huge praise going for the performances, the direction, the story and AR Rahman's terrific soundtrack. The movie even managed to stoke a spirit of rebellion in the nation's youngsters, the influence of which was evident during the candle march support for justice to Jessica Lal, during Nirbhaya justice rally and later during Anna Hazare's satyagraha movement.

Now as we get to rewatch Rang De Basanti (streaming now on Netflix), here are 10 things we learnt from the new screening.

#1 Is The Film A Reincarnation Saga?

This one doubt always remained a niggle in my mind, mostly caused by the first scene. Why is it that during the opening sequence, when Sue's grandfather meets Bhagat Singh, and Sukhdev during their hanging, they have the same semblance as Karan (Siddharth) and Sukhi (Sharman Joshi)? This could be done for the audience to help draw parallels to the modern-day heroes. But this doubt continues to linger in my mind - have Bhagat Singh, Chandrashekhar Azad, Sukhdev, Ram Prasad Bismil, and Ashfaqullah Khan been reborn as Karan, DJ, Sukhi, Lakshman and Aslam? Can't say the same about Durgawati Devi though, as she passed away in 1999, and pretty sure her modern-day rep, Sonia was born before that!

#2 Did Karan Really Love Sonia?

Another little mystery that have left some of the viewers busy in discussions during the rewatch. Well, after the many viewings, it feels evident that Karan does feel 'something' for Sonia, but he respects her fiance (R Madhavan) way too much to make a move. Unlike his other friends, Karan is never the one to poke fun at the pair, though he eventually joins them in pulling their legs. In the song "Tu Bin Bataye", after Ajay proposes to Sonia, DJ, Sukhi and Aslam rush to hug both of them. Karan's first reaction is to smile wryly while catching hold of his head, before he goes to hug them tearfully. For someone who is very composed about his demeanour, that's an intriguing reaction from Karan. Even during Ajay's funeral procession, Karan  is sadly watching a mournful Sonia. This one-sided love story is so subtly interspersed in the film that it will continue to earn more debates in the future.

#3 Early Appearances

During the scene when Sonia and Sue hold auditions, there are three actors you will recognise now, if you watch the scene again. One is Tushar Pandey of Chhichore fame, the other is Abhishek Banerjee of Stree and Mirzapur fame. As for the third one...

#4 The One Who Passed the Audition

...he is played by a young Chandan Roy Sanyal, who's the one thinking mimicking yesteryear actors can work at the audition. While we think we see the last of him in that scene, Roy appears again in the freedom struggle portions, playing revolutionary Batukeshwar Dutt. So that means he still got a role despite the bad audition?

#5 Lakshman Pandey Has The Best Arc

Everyone has a good arc in the film, but no one transforms the most as Lakshman Pandey (Atul Kulkarni). DJ (Aamir Khan) and his gang might be reckless but they are good-hearted. Lakshman is a radical, who thinks he is carrying his Hindutva party's aggressive ideals because he assumes that's his duty towards nation. Pandey believes Muslims belong to Pakistan and are cowards, therefore he is the most resentful towards Aslam (Kunal Kapoor). Unlike the other heroes, Pandey doesn't need lessons on patriotism; he needs to learn about friendship and harmony. Which is what he learns during the filmmaking process and his (albeit reluctant) bonding sessions with the gang. When the police hit the protestors during the candle-light vigil, Lakshman, protected by his saffron identity, is the only one unscathed. But he loses that protection (along with his beliefs) when his party-members beat him up. When he dies holding with Aslam, a man he hated the most because of his identity, that moment could have marked the ultimate moment in his redemption saga.

But for me it could be the final scene, where he (or rather, his spirit) jumps and frolics with DJ & Co in the fields. Remember, this is a man who refused to join them for dance during the title track, despite Sue (Alice Patten) insisting him to do so. Shah Rukh Khan’s Swades, Aamir Khan’s 3 Idiots, Shahid Kapoor's Kabir Singh and More - 20 Amazing Little Details About Your Fave Hindi Movies That Will Make You Watch Them Again!

#6 Jallianwala Massacre Scene is Haunting

Even though the sequence doesn't last more than a minute, the Jallianwala Bagh massacre scene's depiction in the film is haunting, to say the least. The dizzy camerawork and the editing cuts, the lone child screaming in the midst of dead bodies, the harrowing scene of a mother jumping the well with her baby... and AR Rahman's evocative score. Will definitely give you goosebumps.

#7 Prasoon Joshi's Best Work in Lyrics

There is no doubt that Rang De Basanti features among AR Rahman's best works. But how great is Prasoon Joshi's penmanship in the songs!

"Jin Mein Ho Junoon Junoon Woh Boondein Laal Lahoo Ki...Yeh Sab Tuu Mila Mila Le Phir Rang Tuu Khila Khila Le..." (title track),

"Badan se tapak kar... Zameen se lipat kar... Galiyon se, raston se... Ubhar kar, umadkar... Naye rang bhar ne ko... Khoon chala, khoon chala" (Khoon Chala).

"Ek Saans Mein Pee Ja Zara Zindagi Chadha... Hai Yeh Toh Ek Jashan Tu Thirakne De Kadam... Abhi Saanson Mein Hai Dam Abhi Chalne De Sitam" (Khalbali).

"Salona jahan hai yahaan sapnon waala... Meri patang ho befikar udd rahi hai Maa... Dor koi loote nahi beech se kaate na..." (Luka Chuppi)

Amazing lines, perhaps Prasoon Joshi's best work as a lyricist. Or should that credit goes to his lines for another Aamir Khan film, Taare Zameen Par?

#8 The Death Foreshadowing

There are some strong foreshadowing when it comes to R Madhavan's character Ajay's ultimate fate. Like how he is carried around by his friends, after DJ pokes fun at the fact that he will be getting a ceremonial funeral for being a military officer. Or when Ajay enters the room where Sue is holding her screening, and seeing the silence, he asks, "koi marr gaya kya?" (did anyone die?), which is then followed by his farewell party scene. But there are also subtle ones, like in the above scene, DJ's torso reflecting the word 'casualties' from the projector, the moment he finally learns how to deliver his lines properly.

#9 The Minister-killing Scene is Still The Weakest Part

The scene that links the past to the presents and turn revolutionaries out of DJ and friends, is when they decide to kill the Defence Minister (Dr Mohan Agashe), who is deemed responsible for Ajay's death. But even after multiple viewings, this scene still feels the weakest part not just because the scene gives out the wrong kind of messaging. But also because how lazily the whole 'operation' is carried out. From the lax security round the Minister to Lakshman knowing everything about his routine to DJ suddenly becoming an expert marksman... very little about the scene makes sense. Remember, this was a very impromptu planning and execution. In a film that boasts of a well-knit screenplay, this sequence does stand out like a sore thumb, especially considering how crucial it was for the narrative.

#10 Rang De Basanti Would Have Been Hated If Released Today

Of course, it would be! See how The Family Man, Leila, Article 15 and Sacred Games were trolled by the right-wing supporters for the depiction of the saffron brigade in these shows and films. Rang De Basanti is nothing different in the way it depicts the violent moral policing of Lakshman's saffron outfit. Not just that, the movie is clearly anti-establishment in its tone. There are many Reddit and Quora forums where people have accused RDB of being a propaganda movie.

Forget getting hated, Rang De Basanti would not be even made in today's times, for half the cast and crew will not even touch the film with a pole. From making RDB, Mehra has gone on to make a film whose title went by 'Mere Pyaare Prime Minister'. Aamir Khan (during RDB days) has gone on from calling the current PM a 'murderer' to now praising him on a Gandhi Jayanthi event. Anupam Kher and R Madhavan are pro-government supporters and hence are not going to be part of such a venture. Prasoon Joshi is again an admirer of the ruling government and is the head of the Censor Board. So unless RDB would have been set in a past era, and keep on specifying that, no filmmaker, in their right mind, would attempt making a movie like this in the era of 'How's The Josh?'

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 14, 2020 02:35 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).