A New Way for Indian Cinema

I watched Rang De Basanti again last week. The critical merits of this phenomenally successful motion picture have been debated endlessly. While watching it again, I recalled again why it had become the roaring success that it had – neatly etched out script, taut narrative, superb characters, brilliant acting, rocking music and authoritative direction. But it went beyond just being a popular hit. It tapped into a reservoir of frustration of the youth with the polity of the country. It further metamorphosed into a common man’s ideal solution for the removal of the ills plaguing the state – getting rid of the unscrupluous politician. We all have seen umpteen number of forgettable Hindi movies ending with the murder of the corrupt politician/businessman etc.

Yet the movie does not conclude there. It recognises the ills plaguing the country are deep rooted. Rang De Basanti portrays the reality of urban India and its reluctance to participate in the socio-political domain. The swift solution of the minister’s assassination offers the protagonists no sense of justice and in precisely this predicament’s lies Rang De Basanti’s triumph. It does not play the blame game all the way. It asks the citizens, especially the youth, to seize control and take matters in their own hands in a different way, by getting their feet in the mud to clean the mess. The movie’s success proves the message has been received resoundingly, followed by the life-imitating-art scenes on India Gate.

Consequently, Rang De also shows us a new way for Indian cinema. Bollywood remains the last frontier which has not been completely swamped by the big brothers in Los Angeles. Rang De proves that Bollywood must remain as robust as ever and we should continue making movies the way we want rather than surrendering our unique style of cinema for that elusive Oscar.