How 'Rang De Basanti' encapsulated ongoing unrest in India 15 years ago

As Rakeysh Om Prakash masterpiece clocks 15 years, he hopes it's about time the film becomes 'irrelevant'

KARACHI:

"Ab bhi jiska khoon na khaula, wo khoon nahi paani hai... jo desh ke kaam na aye, woh bekaar jawaani hai," this moment forth till the last dialogue of it, Rang De Basanti manages to keep the audience glued to their screens. The film clocks 15 years today and has remained a classic ever since it hit the theatres.

Rang De Basanti aptly captures the essence deemed necessary to produce a hit. The Aamir Khan-starrer garnered rave reviews for its excellence and won the majority of the awards in the same year.

"When Rang De Basanti first came out and released, it had a huge impact, not just on cinema-goers but also the collective consciousness of an entire nation," film-maker Rakeysh Om Prakash Mehra recently said of his masterpiece. The award-winning film became a blockbuster for its stellar storyline, laud-worthy acting and relatable - in fact, too relatable - unrest in India.

In 2006, Mehra managed to capture the political scenario of the country to the tee, which still holds true, 15 years on, be it the current farmers’ protest that took over Delhi on Tuesday, or the month-old protests (and violent threats) against a web series thought to have hurt religious sentiments. However, Indian citizens have much reservation about the way such protests have been covered of late.

 

Rang De Basanti tells a tale of how the youth of the country manages to oppose the sitting government over the injustice and went on to uncover the corrupt politics of the country, for which they ultimately paid the price.

There's a scene in Rang De Basanti where a group of Delhi University students (Aamir Khan, Kunal Kapoor, Siddharth, Sharman Joshi, Soha Ali Khan), along with Sue McKenzie, hold a peaceful protest for the wrongful death of their beloved friend, flight Lieutenant Ajay Singh Rathod at India Gate.

The students, due to the lack of empathy from their government, decide to take the matter into their own hands. The police take over, wreaking havoc as the protestors are violently removed from the site. The cinematography of said scene and the song Khoon Chala brilliantly portray the emotions of the lot.

 

Now, recent footage from the farmer's outrage in Delhi shares an uncanny resemblance to the aforementioned scene. Rang De Basanti remains timeless for its honest portrayal of events that are happening a decade later. For many, it is touted as a wake-up call.

With a social message for the audience, Rang De Basanti managed to tick every box when it comes to being labelled as a masterpiece. 15 years on, we are yet to witness something as brilliant from Bollywood.

"The film has remained young and evergreen and I don’t know how to describe it but it is a humbling experience to see your work remain relevant," Mehra had said. "It was a salute to the young generation, along with being a wake-up call. The idea of India was in the hearts of the youngsters - to make it a better place, to make it more livable and work towards perfection as whatever you do is less."

Rang De Basanti tells the story of a group of youngsters unexpectedly drawn into a political struggle. PHOTO: FILE

But the film-maker isn't too ecstatic about his venture holding true so many years later. “That the film is completing 15 years, one part of me is so happy! Yet, there is a part which is not very happy because the film is still relevant," he shared.

"The cause it spoke about, the voice it had...if you look around, it looks like so much has changed but nothing has changed. Things like tolerance with each other, social and political awareness, the young participating in the running of the country and the corruption which has dogged it for so many years. It is endless work and I am not blaming or pointing fingers but I hope one day, Rang De Basanti becomes irrelevant.”

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