I always thought there were 2 kinds of people... Review on Rang De Basanti

After much consideration, I have decided to post my review of this film. I simply wanted to formulate my thoughts, and choose my words carefully since this film is so near and dear to a few friends of mine. I decided to see the film, because I enjoy Aamir Khan films, but I also liked the bold topic.

The Plot:The film is about an English woman who comes to India to make a documentary film based on her grandfather’s diary. Her grandfather was a jail guard for the British in India in the 1920’s and he gave his personal account of a group of Indian revolutionaries who rob a train so they can obtain bombs and weapons to fight the British and gain independence. The woman comes to India with no funds for her project and she casts some local college mates to be that stars in her film.

At first, the students simply see this as a task, but they feel far removed from the characters they are playing. It seems like they do not feel the struggle was worht it since they feel the Indian government is corrupt, and a few cannot wait to leave the country. Their friend, Ajay is a pilot in the Airforce and he tells them how proud he is to be an Indian and defend the freedom he believes in. The college mates are still not convinced. Then, Ajay is killed in a plane crash, when the jet he is flying has an equipment malfunction and he crashed to avoid killing people in a nearby town. The news channels paint him as a hero, but the government issues a statement that it was his carelessness, and not their faulty equipment that caused Ajay’s death. Now the friends see a cause that is worth fighting for. They stage a protest with Ajay’s mother, and a lrge crowd comes in support. The friends learn a lesson about what it measn to have freedom to speak out, and also pride in their country. I will not give away any more of the plot, because perhaps some of you have not watched the film.

The Cast:The cast is excellent. The acting is natural, and their is genuine chemistry among the players. Amir Khan plays D.J., who is a few years out of college, but he still hangs out at the university feeling that if he leaves he will be no one. Siddharth is Karan. He is the son of a high figrued man in Indian politics. He feels that India is too corrupt and he cannot wait to leave. Sharman Joshi plays, Sukhi. He seems to lack an identity. He tries to out do and imitate everything D.J. does, and he has a weakness for girls. Kunal Kapoor is Aslam, the artistic muslim guy who wants to mix in with his friends regardless of their faith. Soha Ali Khan is Sonia, she is engaged to Ajay, and she is kind if the little sister in the group. She is very supportive of Sue, the English filmaker, and she believes in her causes.

I truly enjoyed this film. The music was okay. There were just one or two songs that I felt were memorable. What I liked, is how the present day friends evolved into the revolutiuonary characters both in the film and when their friend died. The mixture of flashbacks to the past, the film footage, and the friends in their quest to avenge Ajay’s death. I also liked that they showed the parallells between the 1920s and present day situations. The British Imperialists are replaced with the Indian government forces, and the train robbers are replaced with college students. It proves that these struggles are not in vain, and it is up to individuals to come together and make changes if they are unhappy with the environment in which they reside. This movie is one that is touching not just to indians, but to anyone who has pride in their own country and its struggles.