Rang De Basanti

"Thank you @aditya_7055 for suggesting this film to watch. It took me a while to be in a strong enough mood to sit down and watch this film because I knew it would be an emotionally moving, provocative, and tragic film, and I was right. I had to watch this film about a half an hour or so in several sittings over the past few days so that I could appreciate each act. The plot involves a white English woman who quits her job, and travels to India to visit a close friend who helps her make a documentary about a group of Indian men who fight against British rule in the 1920s. At the local university , she finds a group of idealistic and yet jaded students who want to act out the roles for her documentary. The storyline has us meet each student in the film, and understand their background. Then, 45 minutes into the film, the plot truly starts to unravel. During the documentary filming, there are several tragic incidents that make the film mirror the students' lives in a terrible way. This is a very tragic and powerful movie that sees history repeat itself brutally and truthfully. I liked this movie the same way that I liked Citizen Kane. It is a beautifully constructed and artful film, and a very different cinematic experience than most dramas I have seen so far. The acting is great, and the cast is solid. It is a movie that should be seen for its unapologetic view of those whose grief and sense of justice pushed them beyond hope, and into action. This film makes you think, and that is exactly what it is supposed to do. If you choose to watch this film in one sitting, be prepared to sit up at night losing sleep thinking about its message. Hindi audio."

"This is a rewatch after several years gap. A remarkably great Bollywood film that holds up amazingly well today and tackles several themes at once, most notably showing parallels and contrasts between older and modern generations while also exploring the meaning of patriotism, set against the backdrop of a young British woman inspired by her grandfather's diary entries to make a documentary film on the Indian freedom fighter Bhagat Singh. Despite a slow start, what really stands out here is a rather innovative storytelling structure (especially in the context of a Bollywood film musical), and how the thematic threads come together over the course of the movie, using subtle character moments that serve as important callbacks later on as well as serving as a catalyst to a rousing ending. This easily has one of the most captivating third acts I have ever seen on a film. Phenomenal writing, directing, acting, and editing. The whole cast is fantastic here (from Aamir Khan to Sharman Joshi, Alice Patten to Sara Ali Khan and many more, with Siddharth especially standing out for me (as well as Aamir Khan's chameleonic acting abilities)). Equally noteworthy is the amazing score and soundtrack by 2-time Oscar winner A. R. Rahman (this is easily one of his greatest works IMO), with incredible diversity in styles present throughout while setting the mood and tone of the scenes remarkably well ("Luka Chuppi" in particular is one my favorites, with haunting lyrics to match it, as well as the energetic title song "Rang de Basanti"). A fantastic choice for India's entry to the Oscars for the year 2006 (while it didn't get nominated, it did get a BAFTA nomination). Easily one of the best Bollywood movies ever made in my view (the mid-2000s era especially produced great gems). More people need to see this film."

"A Great fusion of new age youth vs the Freedom fighters. Superb execution. "