Outrageous

Rating: 2/10 (13 February 2006)

This movie condones the use of violence as a means to bring about change in society. This in general is an interesting viewpoint that deserves cinematic analysis, since according to many, it is justifiable when society is subjected to tyrannical rule, usually by an external aggressor. But the society depicted in this film is modern India - yes corrupt India, but also India of the free press, universal adult franchise, world's largest democracy etc. Most important, it is an India that is ruled by *democratically elected people*! Assassinating an elected leader is as good as executing a portion of the electorate. So does the film suggest that we should condone mass murder? The parallels between the British Raj and modern day corruption, and those between hot-headed brainless youngsters and the thoughtful revolutionaries of the freedom movement were shameful - the British were not elected by us - they were an imperialistic power from a different country. Violence may well have been the only resort (though therein lies a healthy debate - there were many thousands who believed that there were other ways to bring about change).
If we do not like the politicians we elect, the rational course of action should be "don't vote for them", not "let's kill them". It is amazing that such a movie can be made in the same country that produced Mahatma Gandhi. It is also sad that it took a British filmmaker to make that film and an Indian film maker to make this one.
Having said that, the movie was interesting because it raised questions that have not been raised in mainstream Hindi movies. Unfortunately it answered them as well, and incorrectly, and simplistically, IMO. The positive reaction that RDB has received so far is far from funny - it is downright worrisome. Modern Indian youth seems to think in unison that boys in the story are to be glorified and congratulated for what they did. Even the supposedly sophisticated Manhattan audience with whom I shared the screening started clapping at the end of the movie. I was quite nauseated, and dismayed.
I came out of the movie quite angry, and raved and ranted at my wife for a while re. the moral center of the movie. By the time I reached home I had calmed down, and realized that if a movie was able to create a evoke such strong emotion (even if a negative one) then something must be said of the film and the filmmaker.
Morality apart, the movie has huge holes in the plot, which has been written about in these pages.