A Movie that Still Inspires me.

It was 2006. My school time and this movie named “RANG DE BASANTI” had released that year. The Aamir Khan era with the Mr perfectionist tag and his content-driven strong films with great storylines and me a fan of Bollywood films and music. Every aspect of this movie inspired me. How can an event in your life transforms you and your thoughts and take action against injustice? This was a coming-of-age story with a feeling of patriotism, relating past with present circumstances.
It had a huge star cast with great performances by none other than Aamir Khan and others such as Soha Ali Khan, Kunal Kapoor, Sharman Joshi, R Madhavan, Siddharth, and Atul Kulkarni. The mesmerizing music of A.R Rahman with grooving beats in the song” Masti ki Paathshala,” Khalbali to the soulful” Lukka Chuppi,” sparks the moment in the film and also the background score which resonates throughout the movie makes this film a memorable one.
The story starts with a British filmmaker who wants to make a documentary on Indian Freedom fighters and their sacrifices and events, which is also recorded in her grandfather” s diary but does not get approval. She left her job and traveled to India to make the documentary with the help of her friend and started auditioning the students at Delhi University but was not satisfied with the auditions. After that, she meets her friend” s circle at the party, which was the attraction point for Jaipurites because the movie was shot at Nahargarh Fort, which afterward became a huge meeting point for the youth of Jaipur after this movie. She projects them as fit for the roles of freedom fighters and tries to convey it to them. At first, it burst out as a laugh, cracking jokes over the idea and discussing this country’s shortcomings. Slowly, they agree with Aamir Khan” s promise known as “DJ da promise.”Their practices start on a sarcastic note cracking jokes in the dialogues. Laxman Pandey, played by Atul Kulkarni, who was a part of a political party in the film and always against the doings of DJ and his friends, also shown in one of the scenes in the movie, joins their crew which leads to the discussion and erupts violence leading to the cancellation of the shooting. Slowly things settle, and they start shooting for the documentary and showing the scenes and characters from the past and present. During the shooting, they start understanding what people have gone through during the freedom struggle. Flight Lt. Ajay Rathod, played by R Madhavan, had a short but important role in the film as he dies in the film as his plane malfunctions and crashes which makes the audience grieve for him. This moment transformed them into rebels, connecting themselves to the plight of freedom struggle to bring justice for their friend. They protest against the government, Defence Minister, for cheap equipment used in the choppers and corruption involved in defense. There are news headlines, and everyone conducts a candle march at India gate in memory of Flight Lt.Ajay Singh Rathore, which later turns into a lathi charge by police ordered by the government. A lot of them get injured, including his mother. In reply to these events, they plan to assassinate the defense minister and reveal it on the radio by hijacking the radio station. In reply to the questions by the audience, which turns out to be violent, they get killed by police as ordered.
What has to be acknowledged about the movie is its direction by Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra. How beautifully he connected the past events of the freedom struggle with present-time issues. It gives the message that when it doesn’t hit you personally, you don” t get up. How one incident awakened a sense of patriotism within the youth who were once only partying and enjoying and bragging about the country” s problems. How shooting for a documentary made them realize the sacrifices given by freedom fighters in protest of oppression by Britishers, and the same is relevant even today. The cause is different.
In my opinion, this movie is a cult in its nature. Even if you see it today in 2022, you still get goosebumps, acknowledge the content, enjoy the music, performances, and direction, and get inspired. A sense of patriotism and that respect awakens within you. This is how creativity succeeds when it connects with you.

By Navneet Kacholia