Rang De Laal or Paint It Red

Very few commercial movies explore issues related to social and political happenings. Rang de Basanti is one such attempt at its fullest. It not only addresses the problems (like most movies) but also extracts a solution (unlike most movies). The solution itself, however, is contentious.

The protagonists in the movie are heavily inspired by Indian revolutionaries (except Bismil) like Chandrashekhar Azad?, Bhagat Singh and others fighting the 'imperial' powers. Azad, played by Aamir Khan was one of the most sofisticated roles ever enacted by Aamir Khan. His zealot, determined, fearless character was successfully carved out in the movie. My favourite was when he jumps from the train roof.

There were some heavy political messages and pointers in the movie. Activism, revolutionary political leanings (violent) came out as winners in countering their long time enemy - the incumbent oppressive government - democratic or otherwise.

Lenin's revolutionary theory has given us heroes like Bhagat Singh and others. But in today's India, we also have Naxalites who follow it. Is their violence against government officials and police justified like protgonists in the movie?

The protagonists could well have been inspired by Nathuram Ghodse. After all, he "felt" and held Gandhi "responsible" for his role in partition and its aftermath.

It wasnt clear if the BJP/Shiv Sena was purposely singled out or their involvement just happened to fit well with the movie timeline. But this is negated a bit when youth from all political leanings come together for one cause - which had happened anyway.

Proteus, your comments???

Rang De Basanti

Rang De Basanti, this years highly anticipated movie is finally here. The reviews are quite promising as expected of a Aamir Khan movie.

But I doubt many non-northest Indians know what "basanti" means. The phrase itself is supposedly coined by Bhagat Singh - a revolutionary freedom fighter.

From what I know, "basant" means yellow or saffron, indicating arrival of spring. Any other meaning you know of?

Party and the Geek

Got a forwarded email from a friend:

Bangalore: IIT geeks form political party [Link]
Seems like Mani Rathnam’s Yuva is getting off the reels. Five IITians, all in their 20s, have decided to take up mainstream politics. The youths, based in Jodhpur, will be in the city to campaign for their national party, “ Paritrana’’ , which was launched in Jodhpur on Friday....“Giving up handsome pay packages, comfort of family and support of friends wasn’t that easy,’’ says Tanmay Rajpurohit, the national president of the party and B Tech in aerospace from IIT Bombay followed by an MS from GeorgiaTech and double masters in arts.

“We strongly feel that the politicians of today are no longer the voice of the common man but instead they voice their own personal agendas through which they can fetch maximum votes,’’ said Shukla.

“We are not here for the power game. We are here to deal with the grassroots issues of each and every small village that we come across,’’ added Shukla.

I with them best luck and wish that they succeed in their endeavors. Meanwhile, I will wait for their 'political publication' which describes their stand on current issues - Iran, poverty, curroption, etc... :)

Darwin's thoughts on the word evolution.

In the book titled "Ever Since Darwin", by Stephen Gould he discusses Darwin's thoughts on the word evolution. Darwin himself avoided using the word evolution, what he used was

"descent with modification"

in species. The word evolution is often misinterpreted as going up or down the heirarchy of organisms, giving it a sense of superiority. Evolution is more like moving laterally at the same level of a heirarchy. Evolution is often thought to go hand in hand with progress/improvement in a species. Darwin actually found examples of degradation in some traits of species, which goes to indicate that evolution cannot be always related to progress. So evolution is essentially just a change and does not mean e.g. increased height,increased intelligence or any other improved trait.Traits of any species are sculpted by natural selection to form an optimal fit with its environment. In his works Darwin mentions

" if an ameoba is well adapted to its environment as we are to ours, , who is to
say that we are higher creatures?"

On matter, he says

"why is thought being a secretion of the brain, more wonderful than gravity, a
property of matter?" It is our arrogance, our admiration of ourselves."

Some other quote about the materialistic nature of humans which he calls it philosophical materialism , is postulated as

"matter is the stuff of all existence and all mental and spiritual phenomena are
its by-products"

On god he says"

if mind has no real existence beyond the brain, can god be anything more than an
illusion invented by another illusion?"

Finally his view of scientists and their work

"Science is no inexorable march to truth, mediated by the collection of
objective information and the destruction of ancient superstition. Scientists,
as ordinary human beings, unconsciously reflect in their theories, the social
and political constraints of their times."

First Post

First post - Test.