De Basanti: The 15 years of Rang timeless what makes it team reveals

RAKEYSH OMPRAKASH MEHRA

Director and co-producer

RDB has grown to be more than a film. Even when it was released, it had a huge impact — not just on cinema goers but on the collective consciousness of the nation. It also travelled well all over the world — not just in festivals but in educational institutions, management studies and film schools. It is a humbling experience to see your work remain relevant.

It was a salute to young generation along with being a wake-up call. That the film is completing 15 years, one part of me is so happy, yet there is a part which is not very happy because the film is still relevant. The cause it spoke about, the voice it had, if you look around, it looks like so much has changed but nothing has changed. Things like tolerance, social and political awareness, the absence of young participating in the running of the country and the corruption has dogged for so many years... I hope one day, RDB becomes irrelevant. It says, a lot needs to be done.

KUNAL KAPOOR

Played Aslam Khan

The best kind of films are those that not only entertain but also have something important to say. RDB had both. We knew it was a special script, but what we didn’t know that it will go beyond being a film and become a movement. I think, for me, the most important message in the film is it talks about not being cynical and complaining but taking responsibility to bring about change. I remember going for theatre visits after the release, and so many people said that their families and friends were so affected by the film that they had decided to leave their jobs in other countries and come back to India to try and contribute to the country. It’s very rare that a film can stir that sort of emotion.

What is it about Rang De Basanti (RDB) that makes it relevant even after 15 years of its release? Is it the heartwarming story of the five friends? Or is it the performances by the actors — Aamir Khan, Sharman Joshi, Atul Kulkarni, Kunal Kapoor, Siddharth, to name a few? Or is it the music by AR Rahman? We get talking to the RDB team to know what makes the film eternal.

Played Sukhi Ram

Rang De Basanti is one of the films closest to my heart. It turned out to be a cult film and it had so much to offer, in terms of entertainment and social message. It was an exceptional film but a difficult one, too. The difficult part was how the past and the present would work out. There’s one scene I remember; when we are in a jeep and all of us are high on alcohol and Aamir turns to his left and sees Chandra Shekhar Azad riding on a horse. It was so beautifully imagined and shot.

I had auditioned for this part, and back then, it was a dream to be cast there and then. After twothree scenes, I got an okay from Mehra. I was so happy that I went to my car and started screaming with joy.

SHARMAN JOSHI

PHOTO: AMAL KS/HT