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Rang De Basanti, directed by Rakesh Omprakash Mehra, is one of the most poignant and thought-provoking film that explores the awakening of patriotism and social responsibility among India’s youth. The film follows a group of friends who find inspiration in India’s freedom struggle and decide to take a stand against corruption.
Rang De Basanti, featuring an ensemble cast including Aamir Khan, Kunal Kapoor, Sharman Joshi, Siddharth, Soha Ali Khan, R Madhavan, and Alice Patten, garnered unparalleled critical acclaim and box-office success. Beyond its compelling narrative and outstanding performances, the film’s soundtrack and select scenes have become deeply ingrained in popular culture. The intense climax, in particular, stands out as one of the most moving moments in cinema, giving the audience an emotional experience that lingers long after the credits roll.
However, in a revealing insight into the film’s making, Aamir Khan once shared how he changed the climax scene, replacing the original with a more impactful and meaningful conclusion. Aamir shared that initially Rakesh Omprakash Mehra had envisioned a climax where the protagonists kill the defence minister and attempt to escape the city, only to die at different locations. However, Aamir Khan was unconvinced by this ending.
In a video (by YouTube channel cinemaanreal) going viral on the internet, Aamir discusses the film’s climax. He says, “Originally what the climax was that we kill the defence minister and we try to escape from the city and each one of us gets shot at different places. So I asked Mehra, ‘I love your script (but) the end doesn’t make sense to me because why are they running? Do they feel they have done something wrong?’ So he was like, ‘ya, why are they running?'”
On how he suggested an alternative climax for the film, Aamir says, “Throughout the film your parallel is Bhagat Singh… Bhagat Singh didn’t run away. So he got arrested by choice and then expressed what he had to. Even these guys therefore shouldn’t run away. I had this story I had written many years ago. In my version there were two guys… it reached a situation where they need to communicate with society. So they enter a television studio and take over. They go live so they can start talking to the people.”
Mehra was convinced by Aamir’s idea and incorporated it into Rang De Basanti. The actor shared, “I took that and told Mehra that I had this story and I will now not make it because the climax is gone… But he liked it and we fitted that climax scene into Rang De Basanti.” The revised climax transformed the film’s message, emphasising the power of courage and conviction. It also shows how the protagonists owned up to their actions and inspiring a nation.
Rang De Basanti’s climax has become an iconic moment in Indian cinema, resonating with audiences and leaving a lasting impression, making Rang De Basanti a movie that’s still widely loved and remembered today.
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