| Mohan Bhargava, a scientist working on one of NASA's projects, decides to return to India to trace his childhood nanny, Kaveriamma (Kishori Balal). He plans to bring her back to America so that she can spend her last few years in the lap of luxury. He manages to find her in Charanpur, a small village in Uttar Pradesh. But Mohan soon realises that a big difference exists between life in America and Charanpur.
The villagers here are faced with poverty, lack of electricity, the existence of a caste system and most important of all, lack of education for the young. Mohan also meets Gita (Gayarti Joshi) who works very hard at the village school. By educating the children, she aims to change their future for the better. She does not agree with Mohan's attitude and criticism, who believes that the government should be helping these people. So Gita challenges him to do something for his country. Meanwhile, Kaveriamma is unable to make up her mind about emigrating to America whilst Gita tries her best to keep her in the village. So, to come up with a solution, Kaveriamma asks Mohan to do her a favour - he is to collect rent from a poor farmer who has leased Gita's land. But this journey becomes an eye opener for Mohan. His perception of the village changes drastically. He now takes matters in his own hands as he shows these people how to move forward in life by being independent in their own rights - by generating their very own electricity. As the project nears completion, Mohan falls in love with Gita. More so, he becomes part of the village. He is now faced with a dilemma whether to return back to America or stay in his native land. . . . Shah Rukh Khan has given a heart warming and sincere performance in Swades.He gets under the skin of his character. So much so, that we feel Mohan's pain and his dilemma as he faces these village people. And to evoke such emotions from the audience is a great achievement. Full credit goes to director Ashutosh Gowarikar. The director has successfully managed to convey the message home - if you have the talent and the know-how, then return to your roots to help others improve their lives. Swades is most probably the best film of 2004. It has already received raved reviews from film critics and audiences alike.Not to be missed! Reviewed by Manish Gajjar
BBC Shropshire
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