Fantastic story line. I loved the retro-modern fitting of the Jallianwallah Bagh massacare with modern Indian state's high handedness. It has been depicted and stitched together seamlessly and perfectly.
Rakesh Mehra has done a wonderful job.
Ofcourse, there were a few incidents in the movie that I found intriguing. The movie seems to be taking a dig at the previous BJP led NDA government. This was clear when the ruling party men were cast running around with saffron robes around their necks.Pic: MiG-21bis in the skies over Bangalore. [Copyright: Wing Commander R. Nambiar]
And ofcourse the other one where in, the Raksha Mantri was adviced to don an Air Force uniform and take a sortie in a MIG fighter jet to prove that the MIGs were Air worthy. Oh! What an open dig at George Fernandez !!
However what pained me was the total incompetence of the media in the movie. All that they were doing was reporting incidents. No investigative reporting at all.
Sad part is that its true even in reality. Hand outs from the various ministries seem to be passed off as hot news, when in reality these newsies behave like propaganda organs of the various arms of the government or parties.
For all the wasteful mannerisms we ape from the west, an activist media is something we are yet to ape. So much for crying hoarse about media freedom and freedom of speech and expression, I am surprised to see the Oil-for-Food scandal and the Mitrokhin episode fade away even from the media's memory. No scoop, no dramatic revelations, no deep-throat findings.
Anyhow, going back to the movie that took potshots at the previous government - is that why, the Raksha Mantralai led by the UPA government, not press their demand for tonning down the heat on the flying coffins (MIGs) !!??
Courtesy : Internet Movie Database, Bharat Rakshak
3 comments:
Eshwar,
I liked the way Rakeysh Mehra makes films, extremely stylish. The faces which get super-imposed so often is a super lift-off from his own earlier work 'Aks', which was also good.
Regarding your reference to media in general, western news networks have set a precedent and Indian news networks are really out-scoring them in sensationalising news! To be honest, sensationalism works. It helps to grab the right collars and make those hot-shots do the work for which they are paid for. But you cant expect media/judiciary(two arms of democracy which are still going strong), to make the horse( bureaucrats and politicians) to actually drink the water. I think the intent has to come from bureaucrats and politicians.
yes ofcourse the intent has to come from them. But until then...I dont see media taking the government to task on anything. Yes, tehelka and cobra are some instances but thats just too far and few inbetween.
I was hoping for a dramatic unearthing in the oil for food or mitrokhin scam by the media...but alas there was nothing.
Also I would love to see the legislature (parliament) take the executive to task more systematically in the house. Like thru censure or privilige motions to name a few. And ofcouse the parliamentary committees should also become more active and open.
For all the faults we find with america...one thing that strikes me is their congress thats fiercely independent irrespective of who is in power.
The present summons to the administration to explain their secret spying program is a case in point. If you get C-span...watch it.
My Review on the film 'Rang de Basanthi' is available here:
http://kaipulla.blogspot.com/2006/06/rang-de-basanti-revolution-born-out-of.html
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