Sunday, February 05, 2006

Why Rang De Basanti Got It Wrong

I was planning to write a lengthy post explaining why Rang De Basanti fell far short of all the hype. But then I read Suyog's post on desicritics and I think it sums up my feelings pretty well. Read the post if you have watched the movie. Especially if you gave it 5 stars.

*** SPOILER ALERT - Don't read if you'll be watching the movie ***

Here's my two-bit: the biggest problem, morally, with the movie was the way in which they got their "revenge" over the defence minister. Notwithstanding the ridiculously easy way in which they killed the defence minister, the movie seems to be conveying that killing the corrupt politicians and bureaucrats is the only option left to cleanse our political system, just like it was for the revolutionaries. But the fact remains that, the times are different, the circumstances are different; and moreover, the revolutionaries adopted violence for the sake of the nation, while the contemporary characters did it for a very personal reason.

As Suyog said rightly - "you don't need to be against the system to beat the system - you can be in the system and rectify it" - violence was not just not the only option, it was also the wrong option. When violence is the answer for all the wrongs done to you - and once done, you try to inspire other people to fight their wrongs too - then no matter how noble your reasons were, as your actions inspire more and more people, their reasons for adopting violence would become more and more twisted, ultimately reaching the point where their "reasons" won't remain reasons at all, rather they would just be excuses for them to propagate their fanatical beliefs.

Don't understand what I am getting at? Say someone with "institutional authority" did some wrong to you; and you use violence to counter that. Then someday someone else with "institutional authority" would do some wrong to someone close to you - again violence is the answer. Slowly and slowly, the person who is wronged moves from your close ones to people you know, and from there to those you don't know - but they belong to your community. As time passes by, you feel your whole community is being wronged, and you decide to fight for all of them. In the meantime, you realize that the wrong-doer is not a single individual, but an organisation. And then its not even an organisation, its the institution. Finally, its a whole nation that's wrong. So now you fight a whole nation... Sounds too exaggerated? Maybe. Maybe not. Do you remember Mohammed Atta? No? Well, now you do.

The most ironic part of the movie was when Karan Singhania asked Indians over the radio that to counter corruption, they should join the armed forces, politics etc... Dude, what did you do?

Ok, enough. I didn't think my two-bit would be this lengthy, but I guess I just love to rant. That's just how I feel about the movie. My reaction after watching the movie was "What a terrible ending"; now its changed to "What a terrible message to send to Indians on R-Day"...


Comments:
"They did the mistake for selecting the incorrect path...so what they were not afraid from the consequences...they never encouraged the public that other should follow it...rather than think in this way..."

Two things -
1. Did they realize that they made a mistake? If yes, then why did Karan kill his father too?

2. The thing is, you lead others by your actions, not your words. So their not encouraging the people to follow their path was really bullshit. Its like saying "I have the license to kill, but you don't, so you find some other, "peaceful" way to get things done".
 
i think what DJ and his gang was trying to convey was that "look here we are , we committed an act of aggression and now we regret it , Violence is not the solution what we did was wrong . but at the same time we don't want to submit our self to the justice of Corrupt politicians , we want a judgement from the public of India, the common man . he identify with us and we identify with him "

but you folks here at this blog seems to have taken it all wrong . and your fear about people following the lead of DJ and his Gang is totally bogus . we have seen an example of it in jessica lal case where people boycotted the restaurant of Manu Sharma , did protest and fight out the system using everything but violence .

no body came out with a pistol and killed politician . how can you miss the point Chaitanya you are from punjab the state where Manu Sahrma live and do business. haven't you received those SMS urging you to boycott manu and his biz . nobody asked you to kill him . it was a peaceful show of protest like no other i have seen in my life and it did worked

Suyog said the first half was "Tolerable" , i would like to know which movies he gave 5stars to .

i am disheartened with your view about the movie . i think we need more such movies ,article in our media, in our conscious . i don't want to be judgemental but i think you guys have failed the spirit of movie. i am sorry if i was rude but i feel very strongly abut my country and i think my country and our(Yes YOU and ME ) generation badly need inspiration and roll model out side of cricket and Shahrukh khan .We need to look outside the cause of salary appraisal , career and family to appreciate the message of the movie . this inspiration and vision to look beyond self centered cocoons . which this movie gave , i think you will change your opinion now :-)


any case you write well . i will be back to read a follow up

thanks
 
Prashant, no, I am not worried that people will actually follow RDB's lead and do things that way. but the point is, that's just what the movie urges people to do. yes, in the end, they talked about non-violence and all... but their actions betrayed their words. in fact, DJ and gang felt redeemed by killing the defence minister. I don't know about you, but this just doesn't strike a chord with me.

The way the public reacted at the jessica lal case verdict is exactly how it should be - peaceful, amd lawfully - and not by taking the law into your own hands.

and yes, I DO feel for my country too... but I don't need a movie to awaken my conscience - especially not a movie which sends the wrong message. yes, we do need role models - outside of cricket, but outside of movies too. for me atleast, movies are for entertainment - not enlightenment. lets leave the role models to real life, okay?

anyway, it was good to have a comment on the post after such a long time. also, I've had a lot of RDB debates - dont want to get into another one now. if my post doesn't convince you, lets agree to disagree, what say?
 
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