Rang de Basanti

Released Jan 27, 2006

2h 40m

Comedy

Drama

List

89%

Tomatometer

9 Reviews

94%

Audience Score

10,000+ Ratings

After a group of friends graduate from Delhi University, they listlessly haunt their old campus, until a British filmmaker (Alice Patten) casts them in a film she's making about freedom fighters under British rule. Although the group is largely apolitical, the tragic death of a friend owing to local government corruption awakens their patriotism. Inspired by the freedom fighters they represent in the film, the friends collectively decide to avenge the killing.

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Shubhra Gupta

The Indian Express

It was a film whose impact spilled over into real life, and led to the arrest and conviction of the politically connected killer of popular model Jessica Lal...

Aug 17, 2021

Full Review

G. Allen Johnson

San Francisco Chronicle

The simple-minded presentation ultimately makes it ring hollow.

Rated: 2/4

May 5, 2006

Full Review

Jaspreet Pandohar

BBC.com

Accomplished and universally appealing, this is the way Bollywood films should be made.

Rated: 5/5

Feb 21, 2006

Full Review

Film Companion Staff

Film Companion

The film that stirred up a generation, the Aamir Khan-led ensemble drama about getting the youth to take a stand and call out social injustice, has never been more relevant.

Oct 27, 2020

Full Review

Sudhish Kamath

The Hindu

Truly inventive.

May 2, 2015

Full Review

Omar Ahmed

Radio Times

Mehra's Bafta-nominated attempt to combine political drama and traditional entertainment remains entirely compelling.

Rated: 4/5

May 2, 2015

Full Review

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Pooran S

For me Rakeysh O P Mehra's finest movie till date by far . What a storyline, plot , treatment , seamless special effects ...especially the sepia toned past & colourful present . A movie with so many different emotions all coming together under a banner of patriotism, so well told, without any unnecessary chest thumping, flag waving jingoism ....understated but hits home ! A brilliant Aamir Khan ...the soul of the movie.... ably supported by all the other cast members bar none. Amazing music score by the maestro...A.R. Rahman! Bollywood's loss if they don't employ your genius anymore . Along with Sholay one of the defining movies of Hindi Cinema . Go watch it if you haven't already ! I've watched it too many times to keep count .

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

07/31/23

Full Review

Advaith R

A beautiful film filled with patriotism. Fantastic ensemble piece, yes it is more of an ensemble than an Aamir Khan film. Fantastic background score and songs. The initial hour seems like buddy rom-com types, but then it almost smacks you in the face a couple of times, and ends up being one of the best patriotic films ever made.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

07/29/22

Full Review

Audience Member

The adaptation for the strugle the Indian's indepence in group of student

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/06/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Rang De Basanti A tale of Emotion, Freedom, lighting the minds of youth, Friendship, a joyful ride. This movie will ignite the goodness in oneself. The music of AR Rahman was fabulous. The direction and screenplay was amazing and touching. At end You can't stop tears from eyes.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/07/23

Full Review

robert r

Much like the film's central cast of characters, "Rang De Basanti's" thematic material hails from an undoubtedly admirable place, but as things proceeded in a narrative light, the more it became clear to me how much I was going to diverge from the film philosophically. Ideas like patriotism and truth are easy things to root for when it comes to building motivation behind a protagonistic force. However, when you have main characters veer into assassination and terrorist-like behavior, that's when you really have to tread lightly as a filmmaker. Nuance can even play an interesting role at this point. The idea of vengeance turning people into the very thing they sought to destroy is always compelling. Tragically, though, that kind of commentary and awareness is not really something the film finds all too interesting. So with that, you're left with an emotionally expressive, yet idealistically misplaced anthem of semi-justified self-righteousness. Thankfully, Aamir Khan is always a welcomed presence.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Amazing, superb, and even more relevant today in India than ever before! The acting is superb, the songs are also great (not the random things we get in movies today) and the plot ties together various pieces together perfectly.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/09/23

Full Review

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Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra

Director

Aamir Khan

Daljeet "DJ"

Soha Ali Khan

Sonia

Alice Patten

Sue

Sharman Joshi

Sukhi

Madhavan

Flight Lt. Ajay Rathod

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Synopsis

After a group of friends graduate from Delhi University, they listlessly haunt their old campus, until a British filmmaker (Alice Patten) casts them in a film she's making about freedom fighters under British rule. Although the group is largely apolitical, the tragic death of a friend owing to local government corruption awakens their patriotism. Inspired by the freedom fighters they represent in the film, the friends collectively decide to avenge the killing.

Director: Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra
Screenwriter: Renzil D'Silva, Prasoon Joshi
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jan 27, 2006, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 3, 2018
Box Office (Gross USA): $2.2M
Runtime: 2h 40m

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