10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Well done movie with a needed message, August 1, 2006
I understand people's point that Rang de Basanti oversimplifies a very complex issue. On one hand, I believe it's important for people to have a solid foundation in the intricacies of life before springing into action. Truly many have died serving an evil they believe to be the greatest good. On the other hand, we should not spend our lives letting the existing structure to dictate how we live, or rather what we should dream.
Rang de Basanti may be a little guilty of not presenting all the intricacies present in life. However, the splendid way it communicates to us how we can have an impact on society when we choose and live out our own dreams more than makes up for any faults the movie has.
Reality is always complex and never simple; but understand that communication IS about simplification. Words themselves are nothing but abstract simplifications of complex experiences and conceptions that have meaning to us. And true, some movies do misuse the medium and end up leaving out important considerations (hmm, can't think of a great example, maybe Fight Club?). I don't think Rang de Basanti is guilty of this though.
[SPOILERS]
The movie says itself (something like) "It was wrong to kill the Defence Minister and we are sorry. We have come to turn ourselves in and confess our sins." The movie recognizes that murder is wrong no matter what the circumstance. But ask yourself "is it any less wrong to sit by and do nothing while corruption continues?"
[END SPOILERS]
Rang de Basanti beautifully portrays the vision of people using what is within their power in order to impact what they see as the greater injustice. I found the image to be very inspiring and needed in today's society when so many people spend their whole lives allowing the political and economic structure dictate to them how they should live, what they should dream.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Both a compelling story and a call to action: Bollywood gets political, November 23, 2007
Watching this film I was reminded of American films in the '70s -- the refusal to separate arts and entertainment from politics, and the feel of not only watching a movie but being called to action and awareness. This film seems to do for Bollywood what maverick directors in the '70s did for Hollywood -- and I am only drawing an analogy here in terms of my own limited experience with Bollywood films, and not attempting to suggest that Americans got there first, especially since this tone is so rare in contemporary American films -- to give voice to those who are dissatisfied with the paralyzing message that things are only getting better and there's nothing much you can do about it anyhow. I don't know what effect this film had in India when it was released, but I can imagine it having a huge impact. The film manages to show that revolutionary action, as exemplified by young men who fought bravely for Indian independence from British colonial rule, can never simply be a thing of the past. The film speaks directly to Indian youth and challenges them to rise up and make a difference and fight corruption -- as exemplified in the film by leaders who made money by buying cheap and inadequate military equipment for their soldiers.
A young British woman finds her grandfather's journal, written while he was stationed in India and charged with extracting information from revolutionaries. He becomes increasingly less convinced of the morality of his charge, and admires the bravery and conviction of the Indian youth under his watch. The woman decides to make a film about these young revolutionaries and upon arrival in India she gets involved with a group of apolitical but energetic young men and women, who love to party and only reluctantly agree to be cast in her film. As the film develops, their lives and struggles come increasingly to mirror those of the youth whose lives they are impersonating in the film -- until their situation escalates and they are pushed towards a difficult and life-changing decision.
The impact of the film builds slowly, and along what are initially fairly predictable lines, with emotional build up and the passage of time being captured in occasionally exuberant musical routines -- but the tone of the film shifts about halfway through and becomes quite gripping and unique. It raises the question how one can be patriotic when political leaders and the government are corrupt. We praise revolutionaries of the past, but when someone tries to take a stand against a corrupt system they are labeled reactionary or even terrorist. The film makes a sharp distinction between justified revolutionary and terrorist activity, and in the end argues that what is needed is for those who recognize corruption to do something about it by becoming leaders and speaking up for change. A very engaging and unique film, definitely worth watching -- I only wish it were more readily available in the States.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A call to rave against the system, January 4, 2007
This film excited some controversy, as anyone can see plainly after reading the few reviews here. This is because of the astounding, extreme decision that the characters make at the end of the film. According to some viewers, this final decision -based on a cheap and simplistic view on the political and social climate of India, in their opinion- is an incitement to violence .
Although I was also amazed by the final decission the characters make -while, at the same time, admiring the way the writer blends this part of the story with the historic events that had been shown in the film until then- I didn't quite see the call to arms or terrorism here. Actually, this way of interpreting the ending is really simplistic, in my opinion, considering the complexity and several layers on which the plot operates. And, I must confess, the ending was a big-bang surprise to me; and how often do we get an unpredictabe ending in films, be they Bollywood or otherwise? Not as often as we would like to, surely.
If the controversial ending is so extreme and violent, it is as a sharp contrast with the carefree, hedonistic, almost cynical attitude -at the beginning of the film- of Dj (Aamir Khan) and hisfriends, who are the protagonists. While this group of youths belong to the middle classes and do not really have much to worry about as to the basic needs of life, everything they see around them in their country makes them hopeless, directionless, lacking plans and projects for their future. Their only aim in life seems to be having fun, getting drunk, hanging around at college. It is in fact a way of hiding from reality and the life that awaits, of trying to cling to youth.
Everything changes with the arrival of Sue, a British young woman who is trying to shoot a documentary about a bunch of (communist) revolutionaries who, in the time of the Raj, fought against the British. She recruits Dj and his good-for-nothing friends. As much as this crowd detest anything to do with patriotism or revolution, and they laugh at these revolutionaries of the Indian past who chose to die for their ideals, they find themselves dragged into the story....
Thus, both the hedonistic, coudn't-care-less attitude of the beginning and the extreme decission of the ending are typical reactions born of desperation, of being in a no-way-out situation. And this is the message of the film: when the system is so rotten that the new generations are left with no hope for their futures, they are going to react tpically in one of these two ways. It is a courageous mesage, stated in a very clear way. The possible solutions, as well as the cause of the rot in the system are also clearly stated and, although maybe this part of the message is actually simplistic, one can't help but feel respect for people who decide to denounce what they see as bad, warn of possible dangers ahead (e.g.the extremes of passivity or violence that this situation can entail), and suggest a positive, no matter how simplistic, action. In fact, the denounce of some embarrasing problems (particularly the defective parts of planes, cause of may accidental deaths, bought by the Indian Ministry of Defence)and of the BJP (then ruling the country)take on society (clearly trying to incite hatred among the different communities, which, on the other hand, also have their particular hate-mongers) are so contundent as to fall like a hammer blow.
If you are expecting a typical Bollywood from Rang De Basanti, you'll be sorely disapointed. It is true that the story begins more like a comedy to end up a drama...-and how wonderful all the actors are playing these different registers!!!- but the typical romance is really nowhere to be seen (not that it lacks romance, but it's not so heavy-handed as in most Bollywoods, in fact it is so discreet that one almost misses it until the very end), there is no hero/heroine protagonism but a choral focus on character and the musical numbers are not your typical Bollywood either and are not given the ordinary weight...-the music is great, though!!!!
After watching Rang De Basanti, I understand the hype. It's not usual to find such a popular form of art as films so openly calling (young) people to wake up and improve society. Although the message is clearly intended for India, it is of universal consequence. Highly recommended. It will make you feel. It will make you think. Even if just to desagree.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
![[Start the discussion]](http://g-ecx.images-amazon.com/images/G/01/x-locale/communities/discussion_boards/start-new-discussion-sec._V192250339_.gif){kind=small}
