Jan 26, 2006 05:26 PM
1992 Views
(Updated Jan 26, 2006 05:26 PM)
As I waited to be let into the hall, I watched the people walking out of the previous show and observed no expression on their face. It was almost as if each of them were thinking about what next they have to do next after getting out of the hall... none of them looked like they were intorospecting the film. This was not an encouraging sight. At the end of the 3 hours...my expression was similar to the ones I saw.. I was just waiting to get home after the night show and crash...i was hassled with the end of month sales pressure and was surely not introspecting the film.
Rang De Basanti is about 5 Happy Go Lucky ' just out of college' 20 something friends who are a sample of urban indian youth and their 'so called' awakening. Its a good concept and its completely true that Urban youth especially the Mumbai, Delhi types need awakening.
For RDB Its the execution that falters. For the first half of the film I kept wondering what Sue ( Alles Patten) was trying to do.. was she trying to make a documentary or a film on the life of Bhagat Singh and his revolution?WIth just 1 camera one can hardly make a film. And if it was a documentary, why were DJ ( aamir) and gang trying to learn the lines and belt them out? Why were they suddenly dissapearing into picturesque mustard fields and participating in villlage festival? Though all these made amazing visuals , thanks to the excellect Cinamatography... it did not logically make any sense to me.
The film gets some direction only after the death of their friend and Soniya ( Soha Ali Khan's) fiance Madhavan dies while training in a MIG. The film then takes a very absurd turn... the peaceful march to India Gate protesting corruption in MIG spare part purchase was very realistic... the following police lathi charge on a peaceful non political rally was too farfetched.... it did not stop there.. the plan to assisinate the minister and the instant execution of the assisination was very juvinile. And the final... taking over of AIR and broadcasting their message to the nation and the final crackdown on them by the Black Cat Cammandos were all too hard to believe.
The script was frought with gaps... no character was well defined especially of Singhania ( Anupam Kher)- who was he? a beureucrat or an agent? the characters of the Dj ( Aamir), Sukhi ( Sharman), Sonia ( Soha), Aslam ( Kunal ) , Karan ( siddhart) could have been sketched better.... only Laxman ( Atul Kulkarni) had some background to his character. Even here it was difficult to understand his keeness to be a part of the cast of Sue's film .. even though he had fundamental problems with the rest of the group.
As for performances... the winner is the camaradrie between the friends... as for individual performances... None of them really dissapoint... aamir and sharman come across as naturally comic.. the chemistry between Ajay (MAdhavan) and Sonia was good to see, Siddharth, Kunal Kapoor and Atul were also good, Alles Patten was fine.. but she almost hammed at times in her Hindi. Kiran Kaur was very natural.
The music is true AR Rahman and is really cheerful. Photography is the tops.
All in all RDB has too many gaps. Great Attempt by Rakeysh Mehra but trying to mix Dil Chahta Hai and Legend of Bhagat Singh does not turn out to be a palatable cocktail
