RANG DE BASANTI  misguided AND a bad movie IMO.

Rating: 5/10 (12 February 2006)

**** SPOILERS ***** Had read my share of decidedly mixed reviews, but nothing had prepared me for this.
I was shocked, staring back at the screen in disbelief last night at my local multiplex.
My quibbles: 1. THE SCRIPT - Too much going on, too many layers. Voice-over, one strand of the narrative set in the past, another set in the present. Somehow, all the different elements don't gel together all that well. Something that was obvious when Bhagat Singh, Chandrasekar Azad et al end up moving along to Khalbali blaring on the soundtrack.
Events happen rather randomly in a disjointed kind of way and my jaw hit the floor when the following happened  for me, big WTF moments: - Aamir suddenly deciding that "drastic measures have to be taken" and that to kill the politico would be the best thing to do, that, even though they had established that sensibilities had changed and that people -- young people esp. -- are no longer as politically engaged in as they were say 80-odd years ago.

Even though it had been foreshadowed by having Karan's father coincidentally (and very conveniently) be involved with the Russian armament companies, Madhavan's death came off as a cheap plot device.

The killing actually takes place. WTF? - They hijack the radio station. The DJ makes the dramatic announcement about the killing and concludes with " and now ROOBAROO!"  and the actual upbeat song plays on the soundtrack, clashing with all the dramatics that came before I was dying.

Karan killing his father  because "it's the only way out"  again, WTF? - Ajay's mother slipping into a coma (!!!) and symbolically giving signs of life once the "deed" is done  again, creaky plot mechanics IMO.

Now, mind you, I'm not decrying the fact that they were yearning for change. I empathize, nay, I sympathize with and fully subscribe to revolutionary movements across the globe and their ideals, but here, I just felt that in the context of the film, the actions that follow Ajay's (Madhavan) death, were unwarranted and unnecessary, and that, surely, there could have been other ways, peaceful ways, to bring about change. As it is, it came off as the kind of empty-headed liberal ideology that gives conservative elements in governments around the world ammunition to dismiss such movements as "hotheaded".
Maybe my above comments show how little I know about Indian politics and as one character says in the film, "the corruption" rooted in it.
Still, I had no sympathy for any of the characters, who quite frankly, came off as idiots IMHO. All they did was dance around and do nothing significant, with Aamir's character the most reprehensible of the lot, for he was the eldest and should have known better. Not holding down a job, living off his mother, and hanging out with his friends on campus. Was his character a "model" to follow? I have my doubts about that. "BE A REBEL" the soundtrack intones hhmmmm.
The second half feels rushed, as if the screenwriter was going through the motions and trying to hit as many plot points as possible in the most mechanical fashion.
2. ALICE'S CHARACTER Someone please explain what kind of documentary that was she was making? A reenactment of these revolutionaries' lives shot on the cheap with a DV camera? Sure looked sleek on screen what with the sepia cast, thousands of extras, etc LOL. Guess that budget of hers inflated as it went along And what kind of documentary was that anyway? Another problem is that when the film starts, SHE is the central figure in the plot. Midway through, her and the whole documentary storyline are discarded. Talk about consistency. Also, that AAMIR love interest subplot goes nowhere.
My biggest problem though is WHY IS SHE  ANOTHER GORA  THE AGENT OF CHANGE? Why is it, that SHE, a white woman, is the one who rouses the Indians to consciousness about their life and their lack of engagement? That's what made me most angry actually. She, a foreigner, comes to India, and EDUCATES the local youths about their OWN history. How can people not be outraged by that? I found the idea insidious.
Technically, the movie is okay.
Acting-wise, everyone from ALICE PAYTON, to AAMIR, to SIDDARTH, to SOHA ALI KHAN (surprise!), etc are very good though I feel OM PURI was wasted in his small role.
They should have done away with the songs. They just get in the way most of the time. Exception is the LUKA CHUPPI used to rousing effects during Ajay's funeral.
The movie fails as an ode to youth, friendship, etc and at times I felt the filmmakers were trying to emulate some of the scenes and feelings one found in DIL CHAHTA HAI with the characters reveling in the lush fields and making the most of a time they know will never happen again misses the mark though and that second half almost erases all the good things in the first Very disappointing and off the mark!