Swades (Confessions of a romantic fool)

"You are being a romantic fool" says Mohan's friend to Mohan and it applies to me as well. Here is how.

When i first watched Swades, i didnt liked it that much, My initial reaction was like it is a good movie with great acting but it is too far away from reality. But then i was in India.

After coming to US, it was in my long list of things to do and today just like that i saw it yesterday. And i loved it. Why i love it now:
1. I am in US. What a reason!!!!
2. Music and background score - He is a god and he rules over me. 7 songs take screen time of about 30 minutes and the rest 2.5 hr movie has got a background score that is enough to make hair stand on my hands and legs. Title song, its shehnai version couldnt have been more beautiful.
3. Very simple direction and background.
4. The best SRK movie, an awesome actress and supporting cast is also brilliant.

The fact is still true that the movie is miles away from reality but consider this. Had the movie portrayed true reality of castes, reality of rural villages, it is so dirty that (a) people can not watch it (b) It will give a reason for idiots who easily say that -"see! i told ya! nothing can be done in India" and will happily settle outside India. HKA portrayed some aspect of true rural India and many can not bear it.

The story could have been unfolded this way as well - SRK gets kids and more kids at her school. And in this way contributes in removing some caste based divide. That is there is no need to show the over stretched concept - Electricity. This is where the Socio aspect lies of Swades. By showing a stretch thing, Gowarikar establishes a sense of positivity in our minds - anything is possible. If you look at all inspiring true stories, they are all extraordinary and stretched by our imagination. Had it been a true story, my appreciation towards Swades would have magnified exponentially.

This reminds me - "Society needs a hero" - The cult spiderman line.

Lastly, SRK is plain lucky to be in this movie. Any actor would have done a good job because the man calling action is smarter than all of them. Having said this, SRK has done a good job with Mohan. And a final mention to ARR without whom this movie's effect would have reduced by 50%. He simply describes the mood with his music. He understood a scene better than SRK's eyes or Gowarikar's imagination. If someone just plays the soundtrack, i am sure i will still weep at the key points.