Rang De Basanti is definitely a patriotic film, but one, which is handled differently and very well by the director.

Despite its length and all the controversy it created with the defense forces and the Animal Welfare Board, the film is definitely well worth watching.

Rang De starts with Sue (Alice Patten), whose father James McKinley was a military officer in the army during the British Raj.

Upon reading her father’s diary, Sue becomes interested with the revolutionaries, their fearlessness, and their freedom struggle. She decides to come to India to make a film.

After weeks of casting, she encounters four young college going students, for whom life is one big fun trip, of drinking, dancing and biking.

Convinced of their potential, Sue manages to cast them for her film, ably aided all along by her friend, Sonia (Soha Ali Khan).

The four youths played by Aamir, Kunal Kapoor, Sharman and Siddharth are later joined by Atul Kulkarni.

As the shooting for the film progresses, the characters who play Bhagat Singh, Chandrashekar Azad etc, slowly get influenced by the thoughts and actions of the freedom fighters.

They all start thinking about doing something to change the nation by getting rid of its dirt and grime.

Against this backdrop, a close friend of this gang and Sonia’s fiancée Flight Lieutenant Ajay Rahtore (Madhavan), dies while flying a fighter plane.

Besides being shell shocked, the allegations of the defense minister (Mohan Agashe), that Ajay was a raw incompetent pilot enrages them.

This prompts them to start thinking and behaving like the revolutionaries they have been playing in the film.

The result—the friends take the law into their own hands and assassinate the minister. They go on air and broadcast their crime to the nation which some shocking consequences.

The screenplay, casting and performances are all excellent in this film.

The director successfully manages to bring out the camaraderie between the friends, their total disregard for values of patriotism and their eventual transformation.

Unlike other films based on the revenge theme, in Rang De Basanti, the transformation is totally believable.

The music by A.R.Rahman, mostly background and group songs, blends with the on screen situations in the film.

The film ends with the firm belief that the youth of this country should not be taken lightly and will rise time and again, when required, to save and improve the nation. This film is a must watch by every cinema goer.