Saw RDB at Silver City in Ottawa. It's a DD THX theatre.

This film screening had agressive surround throughout the film. Lots of bass and booms as well. You won't get it in Toronto Desi theatres.

Rana...how would u rate the film ? and the picture quality ?...I wish I could have watched the film in SilverCity

Column: Saluting Rang De Basanti
Sonia Chopra | February 03, 2006 20:40 IST
http://in.rediff.com/movies/2006/feb/03rang.htm

I'd like to draw parallels between two films I watched on the same day.

I caught Rang De Basanti on a groggy Republic Day morning and Casino, the 1995-film directed by Martin Scorsese and starring Robert De Niro, later that evening. I felt there was one core quality that bracketed these otherwise diverse films: power. The ability to move, rivet, be audacious and get away with it. The power to disgust and delight. RDB is an outrageous film, any way you look at it. Its central characters put bullets through an unscrupulous defence minister the way we swat flies. It favours taking the law in ones' own hands in extreme circumstances, but is compelling enough to carry it off. Its audacious spirit, then, becomes its beauty.

Actually, the protests, backslapping and backstabbing should have followed the film's release. But controversy fatigue set in, with news of RDB delayed for a week due to interference by the Defence Ministry, and then for forgoing the law by featuring a banned horse race. The press' ODing on the film's earlier storms might actually ensure smooth sailing ahead.

I had the privilege of watching the film with friends belonging to varying generations and the discussion that followed was heated, bordering on the argumentative. One friend was upset. As you may know, the film seeks shadows of our prominent freedom fighters in this carefree group of five friends, and connects General Dyer (guilty for the Jallianwala Bagh massacre) to a corrupt minister responsible for several MiG crashes and the loss of innocent lives.

My friend couldn't understand how an Indian politician, however crooked, could be compared to a British General. We argued loudly, our point being that a person selling his country was no better than a foreigner's greed for power. And this is where the film won my heart. On the surface, one may mistakenly assume the film to be patriotic. I felt it was more about humanity though, about people wronging innocent lives, and someone getting up to take a stand. In making this statement, the film thankfully did not confine itself to geographical borders. Comparing the defence minister to General Dyer may seem drastic, but it is this alternative patriotism that makes the film so irreverent and, therefore, pure.

I once read an article about today's youth having nothing to fight for -- no wars, nuclear bombs, not even a freedom struggle. And then, the article pondered, perhaps there is a struggle going on, only not as palpable and cohesive. There is nothing 'grand' about this scattered fight against corruption and soulless people in power. There are freedom fighters too, if you care to look for them. The young people who give up cushy corporate jobs to start NGOs, the few who question corruption, the handful of genuine politicians, college students who visit old age homes on Sundays and treat injured animals on roads, fearless journalists… the list goes on.

This generation has plenty of causes to fight for. Thankfully, there are enough soldiers as well. You will enjoy this thought when you watch the movie. You will also find yourself thinking back to the Tehelka expose on defence-related corruption.

A technically marvellous, commercially entertaining film that makes a social and significant point is rare. Most films hardly manage one of the above. From Aks in 2001 to RDB, it is truly a bridge conquered. A salute to you, Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra. As you watch RDB, you will laugh as much as you cry, and whether you like the film or not, you will end up taking sides.

Rang De Basanti may not be overtly patriotic. But still, after watching it, we unanimously felt a lot more Indian.

http://in.rediff.com/movies/2006/feb/03rang.htm

POSSIBLE SPOILERS!!!!

Finally watched the movie this weekend..... It is a brilliantly made film with mindblowing perfomances.... But I do not agree with the method that the youth took to make their point..... I don't think killing people is the solution or a way to get noticed and felt the film went a bit too extreme in the second half all the way upto the climax.... The parallels while depicted brilliantly do not quite equate as bhagat singh etc were fighting for a far bigger cause....All said and done despite disagreement on this part the movie stirs up feelings and emotions towards the current state of affairs in our country and the need for something to be done....
I think Aamir pulled off the role quite well...... there were claps from the audience everytime he would come on screen.....
All in all one of the best films this year and far better than all the crap we have been subjected to so far.......With movies like this Bollywood might be heading in the right direction!

It does sound sort of like Jesus of Montreal. I'll have to watch it to see if RDB is inspired/remade from it.

If it is inspired, it once again proves that you should always suspect anything that seems too original or novel from BW.

bottom line!! AKS was not orig either!!

Orig was MANGAL and that was screwed up from the hell!

DRagun too early don't you think, to pass a judgement ?

http://filmcritic.com/misc/emporium.nsf ... enDocument

Of course you can say this..the only similarity between the two are the following:

1.) In both films the actors happen to forget the distinction between reality and movies

2.) The finale takes place in a television studio (JOM) and in a radio station (RDB)... Other than that, it can best be called a really good "inspiration"

I won't know if RDB is inspired until I see JDM.

Jesus de Montreal, Rang De Basanti, coincidence? I think not

In a chat on Rediff, Rakeysh Mehra was asked about this and he stated that he had never even heard of the film, let alone seen it.

yup, yup , yup, he never saw fallen either nor did Gupta saw orig of kaante, mussafir , zinda..he is re incarnation of all those orig writers..darn

I for one believe Rakeysh Mehra in this case.

I saw the film twice in two different theaters and each time it was the same film that you describe above.

The version I saw in theatre, was 155 min after taking away commercials and trailers.

Don't remember this scene. May or may not have been in there.

I think, this scene was in there. Not 100% sure though.

This scene was definitely in there.

Don't remember this scene.