Cinema still most powerful medium, film became voice of youth: Joshi on 20 years of ‘RDB’

“Rang De Basanti” reignited a sense of activism among the youth and this impact can only be attributed to the honesty with which it was made, lyricist-screenwriter Prasoon Joshi said while looking back at the impact of the film on its 20th release anniversary.

Released on January 26, 2006, the movie was directed by Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra and featured Aamir Khan, R Madhvan, Siddharth, Sharman Joshi, Kunal Kapoor and Soha Ali Khan. The film emerged as one of the year’s highest-grossing films and earned wide critical acclaim for its story of young rebellion.

Joshi still remembers the compliment he received from former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee for the song ‘Roobaroo’

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“When we did a special screening in Delhi, Atal Bihari Vajyapee ji, sought me out, hugged me and patted my back and said the line aloud from ‘Roobaroo’: Sooraj ko main nigal gaya’. It spoke to the poet in him,” Joshi told PTI in an interview.

According to Joshi, who is now the chairperson of the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), every era has its issues and needs its voice.

“‘RDB’ became the voice of the generation 20 years ago, it connected with and rekindled something within. Cinema is the most powerful (medium) when it makes one take a deep dive into one’s self and that space still exists today.

“But for things to connect there has to be honesty, truth and a certain vulnerability. Perhaps, the youth now have a different kind of realisation and purpose. Today’s ‘RDB’ will reflect today’s realities and emotions,” Joshi said when asked whether a film like ‘Rang De Bansanti’ was possible to make today.

Defined by the rebellion of the youth, the movie, which had two parallel tracks — one of Delhi students participating in a documentary on Indian revolutionaries and the real one where they shed their cynicism and take on the corrupt government — was a major box office draw at the time of its release. The film’s theme of youngsters picking up arms to fight the establishment also drew some controversy.

“Rang De Basanti” marked Joshi’s foray into screenwriting. He had already made a name for himself as an ad filmmaker, developing successful brand campaigns, including ‘Thanda Matlab’ for Coca-Cola. Aamir, who was part of Coca Cola ad, and Mehra approached him to pen the lyrics and dialogues for “Rang De Basanti”.

Capturing emotions such as the angst and passion of the youth was not difficult, Joshi said, adding that he too has lived through all those phases.

“The challenge was to translate them honestly onto the screen and remain true to the characters. Lines such as ‘Koi bhi desh perfect nahi hota, usse banana padta hai’ (No country is perfect, one has to strive to make it perfect) or ‘Ek pair past mein aur ek pair future mein’ (One feet in the past and the other in the future) came from that lived understanding.

“There was a certain passion and ease with which the film and its writing flowed, even the climax, which went through many drafts. Perhaps that is why the dialogues and songs continue to stay with people even today.”

Inspired by a powerful scene from the film, where the protagonists take part in a candlelight protest questioning the political leadership for the death of their friend, a wave of similar protests were held in Delhi, demanding justice in high-profile cases like Jessica Lall murder case and Priyadarshini Mattoo rape and murder case.

Reflecting on the film’s impact, Joshi admitted that they did not “foresee” the effect “Rang De Basanti” would have on India’s youth.

“You don’t write dialogues or lyrics, or make a film, expecting it to become a movement. I was simply writing honestly, drawing from my own sensibility and from the contours of popular culture,” he said.

Joshi recalled the initial hesitation about the film as two other Hindi films focused on Bhagat Singh and the freedom struggle were in production at the same time.

“But that didn’t deter me (from writing). I was confident that my voice would be an authentic take. When the film resonated, it came as a welcome surprise. Different aspects touched different people in different ways. Perhaps that is why the film meant something and stayed with them,” he added.

The music of “Rang De Basanti” contributed in a big way to the film’s success and longevity in public memory. Joshi said the aim was to use it as a narrative to convey emotions.

He cited the example of “Luka Chuppi”, a heartrending piece that encapsulates the sorrow of a mother, portrayed by Waheeda Rehman, mourning the loss of her son, a pilot (Madhavan).

Initially, the team planned to include only background music for this sequence. However, upon viewing the rough edit, they realised a song could better articulate the emotion.

The song was composed by AR Rahman and sung by Lata Mangeshkar.

Stating that his personal relationships, particularly with his mother and grandmother, often finds a voice in his work, Joshi said, “The imagery of a mother playing hide and seek with her little son came to my mind. My mother was deeply moved not just by the emotion in these songs, but also by the quality of the writing.”

According to him, each song in “Rang De Basanti” emerged from the inner journey of the characters from ‘Roobaroo’, ‘Khalbali’, ‘Paatshala’, ‘Tu Bin Bataye’, and ‘Khoon Chala’.