12 years of ‘Rang De Basanti’: Here are some unknown facts about the film
Last updated on - Jan 26, 2018, 08:00 ISTShare fbsharetwsharepinshare
01/1112 years of ‘Rang De Basanti’: Here are some unknown facts about the film
Today we celebrate this glorious film as it has completed 12 years in the film industry. One of the finest films of all time. This film has redefined patriotism in Bollywood. 'Rang De Basanti' became the epitome of modern patriotism for the youth which was trying to maintain a balance between globalization and westernization. This film is one of Aamir Khan's biggest blockbusters. The film that received rave reviews from India and overseas was well received by all for its strong screenplay and dialogues. The movie had a remarkable impact on the Indian society. The movie was inspired by a poem penned by Dushyant Kumar, which reads, "Aaj bhi jiska khoon na khola, khoon nahi woh paani hai, jo desh ke kaam na aaye,woh bekaar jawaani hai". Here are some lesser known facts about the film.
02/1112 years of ‘Rang De Basanti’: Here are some unknown facts about the film
Aamir Khan was not the first choice for the film, but it was Shah Rukh Khan, Hrithik Roshan, Arjun Rampal were among the few who were approached to play the role. Aamir Khan, who was in his early 40's was hesitant about essaying a 25-year-old college pass-out in the movie. However, after he took up the role, Aamir appointed a guide, who helped him work on his styling and dialect. The movie has turned to be a blockbuster and Aamir Khan has done a fantastic job in the film, his acting was phenomenal in the film. The film was fantastic with Aamir Khan, Siddharth Narayan, Soha Ali Khan, Kunal Kapoor, R. Madhavan, Sharman Joshi, Atul Kulkarni and British actress Alice Patten in the lead roles.
03/1112 years of ‘Rang De Basanti’: Here are some unknown facts about the film
AR Rahman gave immensely distinct and touching music for the movie, but it took about three years to complete. Moreover, ‘Rang De Basanti’ was India's official entry to the Oscar's for the "Best Foreign Language Film" category in 2007. The movie had a noticeable impact on the Indian society. A study of bloggers behavioral patterns during the first month of the film's release revealed a significant increase in public ire towards government and politicians for constantly being mired in corruption and bureaucracy and their inefficiency in providing basic amenities. Initially, even Aamir Khan was not ready to act in the film unless he heard the whole narration which went on for 2 hours.
04/1112 years of ‘Rang De Basanti’: Here are some unknown facts about the film
Shah Rukh Khan was approached to play Ajay Rathod, the character that was eventually essayed by R Madhavan. But things didn't work out. Rang De Basanti's release faced stiff resistance from the Indian Defence Ministry and the Animal Welfare Board due to parts that depicted the use of MiG-21 fighter aircraft and a banned Indian horse race.
05/1112 years of ‘Rang De Basanti’: Here are some unknown facts about the film
The film was directed by Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra, the film went on to receive rave reviews from not only India but overseas too. He wrote in his book ‘Rang De Basanti: The Shooting Script’ about how this was not just a regular story but a belief that was converted to a screenplay. And as Kamlesh Pandey truly said, “As long as the State remains the enemy of the nation and politics keep killing its young, ‘Rang De Basanti’ will remain relevant.”
06/1112 years of ‘Rang De Basanti’: Here are some unknown facts about the film
The film was earlier titled ‘Ahuti’ then it became ‘The Young Guns of India’ and then finally it was titled ‘Rang De Basanti’, it was very difficult to title the film. The first draft of the film came up in 1997-1998 with the name ‘The Young Guns of India’ with the main idea to narrate the story of Chandrashekhar Azad, Ramparasad Bismil, Ashfaqullah Khan, Rajguru and Sukhdev and other ‘kraantikaris’ who laid down their lives for the nation, in a way that people could identify with them.
07/1112 years of ‘Rang De Basanti’: Here are some unknown facts about the film
Aamir Khan also has contributed to this film. Being the Mr. Perfectionist that he is, the actor always contributes for each of his films in some way or the other. Remember the scene where all the boys own up to Defence Minister’s assassination? It was Aamir Khan who suggested that scene. The film was well received and praised for strong screenplay and dialogues. Mehra described his character as a simple man with a strong sense of integrity and dignity. Aamir Khan, who would turn 40 during the shoot, lost about 10 kilograms (22 lb) with a strict diet and exercise regime to more convincingly depict a man in his late twenties. Atul Kulkarni and Kunal Kapoor were publicly attached to the film by the time it was officially announced; Kapoor had been the assistant director to Mehra during the filming of Aks and was already familiar with the material Mehra had been developing. Mehra gave Kulkarni biographies of Ram Prasad Bismil as preparation, including Bismil's autobiography.
08/1112 years of ‘Rang De Basanti’: Here are some unknown facts about the film
The film did not release until 2005, it then actually hit the theaters. While there were two parallel stories running; one in 1920 and the other one in 2005; each of them ended up having its own impact and its own victory. ‘Rang De Basanti’ marked Siddharth's Bollywood debut, following on the success of his Telugu film Nuvvostanante Nenoddantana. Having previously worked as an assistant director, Siddharth praised Mehra as being "by far the most ambitious technical filmmaker in Indian cinema". Madhavan, despite being a well-known Tamil cinema actor, took the smaller role of a fighter aircraft pilot because he was convinced of the film's potential and wanted to be a part of it. Om Puri appears in a two-scene cameo as Aslam's staunch Muslim father.
09/1112 years of ‘Rang De Basanti’: Here are some unknown facts about the film
After signing Aamir Khan for the film, Rakeysh Om Prakash Mehra took over 17 months to rework the script. Meanwhile, Khan waited patiently for Mehra to get the essence right. Rakeysh Mehra took seven years to research and develop the story, including three to write the script. While some raised doubts about his morale following the failure of his last film, Aks, at the box office, he retorted by saying that it would not affect him at all. He added that not only did his storytelling technique improve, but past mistakes had helped him improve his filmmaking abilities. Rakeysh said the following in a scriptwriter's conference conducted by the Film Writers Association in the year 2008, "I was making a documentary called Mamooli Ram, on the missed revolution with Kamalesh Pandey. We were sitting in a small hotel room in Nanded, drinking. We started singing songs, and we both realised we liked similar songs. And so Rang De Basanti was born. He was angry with the system, I was helpless with the system. We wanted to do so much. But we really can't do anything and it was born out of anger. He wrote a story called ‘Ahuti’, meaning sacrifice.
10/1112 years of ‘Rang De Basanti’: Here are some unknown facts about the film
The censor board then chief, Sharmila Tagore, refused the clear the film as the plot of the film revolved around killing the Defence Minister of India. Later, a special screening of the film was organised for then Defence Minister, Pranab Mukherji, who had no issues with the film, after his approval it was soon cleared by the censor board. Promptly, the Indian Defence Ministry raised concerns, causing the Indian censor board to urge the filmmakers to seek clearance from the ministry. Accordingly, Khan and Mehra screened the film for the then Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee along with other top officials from the armed forces. One Air Force official reportedly said that it was "not a review, but a preview". After the special screening, the defense ministry did not insist on any cuts, but on their recommendation, more names were added to the slide that dedicates the film to deceased MiG pilots.After this clearance, the Animal Welfare Board raised objections on the use of animals in the film. Although the filmmakers had obtained a No Objection Certificate from the board officials, Maneka Gandhi, a well-known animal rights activist and member of the welfare board, found flaws in this certificate.
