Rang De Basanti#Further reading

In London, film student Sue McKinley finds the diary of her grandfather James, who served as a colonel in the British Army in the 1930s. James oversaw the capture and execution of the three freedom fighters – Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev, and Rajguru – at the Lahore Jail and has written in his diary about his admiration for their revolutionary spirit, in spite of his being an officer of the British Empire.

Inspired by the revolutionaries' story, Sue decides to make a film on them. She travels to India, where she searches for actors with the help of her local associate Sonia, a student of international studies at the University of Delhi. Following a string of unsuccessful auditions, Sue meets Sonia's friends: Daljit "DJ" Singh, Karan Singhania, Sukhi Ram, and Aslam Khan. She immediately decides to cast them in her film, with DJ as Chandra Shekhar Azad, Karan Singhania as Bhagat Singh, Aslam Khan as Ashfaqulla Khan, and Sukhi Ram as Shivaram Rajguru.

DJ, Aslam, Sukhi, and the spendthrift Karan, who is the son of politically well-connected businessman Rajnath Singhania, are at once carefree and cynical about their futures. While they get along well with Sue, they remain uninterested in working on a film expressing patriotism towards India. Tensions arise when Sue casts the boys' rival, conservative party activist Laxman Pandey, as Ram Prasad Bismil. However, over the course of working on the film, Pandey grows closer to the others. Sue begins a relationship with DJ.

The group becomes devastated when Sonia's fiancé, Ajay Singh Rathod, a flight lieutenant in the Indian Air Force, is killed when his MiG-21 jet malfunctions and crashes. The government attributes the accident to pilot error and closes the case, but Sonia and her friends refuse to accept the official explanation, knowing that Ajay was a skilled pilot who died while steering the plane away from crashing into a populous city. They learn that the corrupt Defense Minister Shastri signed a contract importing cheap parts for MiG-21 aircraft in exchange for a personal favor. Karan is severely jolted when he realizes that his father Rajnath was involved in orchestrating the deal.

Since working on the film has already made them imbibe idealism and galvanized them against government corruption, the group organizes a peaceful protest at the India Gate. The police arrive and violently break up the demonstration; Ajay's mother, Aishwarya, is beaten by the police and falls into a coma. Laxman realizes that his senior party official, Raghuvir Mishra, was in league with the government officials who ordered the police to stop the protest and becomes disillusioned with his party. Inspired by the revolutionaries, the group decides to take action themselves. They assassinate Shastri to avenge Ajay's death, while Karan confronts and murders Rajnath.

The media reports that Shastri was killed by terrorists and celebrates him as a martyr. The group decides to publicly clarify their intent behind the assassination, and towards this end, they take over the All India Radio station after evacuating its employees. Karan goes on air and calls out the defense ministry's corruption to the public. The police arrive at the station under instructions to kill them. Sukhi is shot dead, while Aslam and Laxman are killed by a grenade, and DJ is severely injured. DJ reunites with Karan in the recording room as the latter finishes his public statement and the two are killed together.

News of the boys' deaths enrages the public, spurring a wave of demonstrations against the government. Aishwarya awakes from her coma. The film ends with Sue describing to Sonia the personal impact of meeting the boys and working on the film, while the deceased boys are seen in an afterlife-like state meeting a young Bhagat Singh in his family garden.

{{colbegin}}

• Aamir Khan as Daljit "DJ" Singh / Chandra Shekhar Azad
• Siddharth as Karan Singhania / Bhagat Singh
• Sharman Joshi as Sukhi Ram / Shivaram Rajguru
• Kunal Kapoor as Aslam Khan / Ashfaqullah Khan
• Soha Ali Khan as Sonia Chaudhary / Durgawati Devi
• Atul Kulkarni as Lakshman Pandey / Ram Prasad Bismil
• R. Madhavan as Flight Lt. Ajay Singh Rathod (special appearance)
• Alice Patten as Sue McKinley
• Waheeda Rehman as Mrs. Aishwarya Rathod, Ajay's mother
• Kirron Kher as Mitro Kaur, DJ's mother
• Om Puri as Amanullah Khan, Aslam's father
• Anupam Kher as Rajnath Singhania, Karan's father
• Mohan Agashe as Defence Minister V. K. Shastri
• Steven Mackintosh as James McKinley, Sue's grandfather
• Lekh Tandon as DJ's grandfather
• K. K. Raina as Raghuvir Mishra
• Chandan Roy Sanyal as Batukeshwar Dutt
• Badrul Islam as Ravi Das / Sukhdev Thapar
• Cyrus Sahukar as Rahul, a radio jockey and Karan's friend
• Tushar Pandey as an auditioner (special appearance)
• Abhishek Banerjee as an auditioner (special appearance){{colend}}

Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra took seven years to research and develop the story, including three to write the script.{{cite news|access-date=16 March 2008 |url=http://www.rediff.com/movies/2006/jan/12mehra.htm |title=Rang De is not a war film |last=Sen |first=Raja |date=12 January 2006 |work=Rediff.com |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080227230137/http://www.rediff.com/movies/2006/jan/12mehra.htm |archive-date=27 February 2008 }} While some raised doubts about his morale following the failure of his last film, Aks, at the box office, he retorted by saying that it would not affect him at all.{{cite news|access-date=17 March 2008 |url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/pune-times/mehra-to-paint-the-town-saffron/articleshow/626728.cms |title=Mehra to paint the town yellow |last=Iyer |first=Sandhya |date=20 April 2004 |work=The Times of India |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121111100156/http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/pune-times/Mehra-to-paint-the-town-yellow/articleshow/626728.cms |archive-date=11 November 2012 }} He added that not only did his storytelling technique improve, but past mistakes had helped him improve his filmmaking abilities.{{cite news|access-date=11 February 2009 |url=http://www.telegraphindia.com/1060203/asp/etc/story_5760702.asp |title=It's so much fun to raise the bar |last=Jha |first=Subhash |date=3 February 2006 |work=The Telegraph |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070818105656/http://www.telegraphindia.com/1060203/asp/etc/story_5760702.asp |archive-date=18 August 2007 }}

Rakeysh said the following in a scriptwriter's conference conducted by the Film Writers Association in the year 2008, "I was making a documentary called Mamooli Ram, on Amul, the milk revolution with Kamalesh Pandey. We were sitting in a small hotel room in Nanded, drinking. We started singing songs, and we both realized we liked similar songs. And so Rang De Basanti was born. He was angry with the system, I was helpless with the system. We wanted to do so much. But we really can't do anything and it was born out of anger. He wrote a story called Ahuti, meaning sacrifice. Ahuti was about the armed revolution in India, between the years 1919 and 1931. It started with Ashfaqullah Khan, Ramprasad Bismil, Bhagat Singh, Rajguru, went on to Chandrashekhar Azad and so on. We had this amazing screenplay called Ahuti, which we had also termed as The Young Guns of India, which started with a train robbery, Azad on a horse and so on. I said, "let's do The Young Guns of India". We were going to go on the floor, and suddenly there were a couple of film on Bhagat Singh made. But they came and went. Not because they were good or bad films, not because they were written badly or not written so badly. I'm not being judgmental about them. And this is very important: because they did not reflect the sentiment of today's time. Nobody in the audience could identify with something which was past. It wasn't that there wasn't an idea of patriotism in us, but it was sleeping somewhere. And you had to kind of relate to it in today's world. So a couple of bottles of vodka again, and three days later, with a couple of vodkas down, Kamlesh Ji comes up with 'You know what, I think I've cracked it'."{{Cite AV media|website=YouTube|publisher=Film Writers Association|title=IS THE INDIAN SCRIPT UNIQUE|date=13 April 2012|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8BFSpBoX9uM&t=23m34s|time=23:34|access-date=1 August 2016}}

Development of Rang De Basanti originated with several ideas Mehra came up with early on but later dropped or greatly evolved into new directions. One of these involved a group of youngsters who worked in an automobile repair shop, while another was about the life of Bhagat Singh, Indian freedom revolutionary. During this time, he personally conducted a survey with a group of youths in New Delhi and Mumbai about the Indian revolutionaries he was planning on depicting, which indicated that many of youngsters did not recognise the names of some of the most prominent revolutionaries. This led Mehra to believe that the sense of "patriotism had blurred" in the young generation. Because of this, he dropped his original plans in favour of a new idea in which a British documentary filmmaker on a visit to India realizes that the local "kids are more Western than her". This new story, which eventually formed the basis for Rang De Basanti's script, was influenced by Mehra's upbringing, youth and experiences over the years, including his desire to join the Indian Air Force while in school, as well as his recollections of listening to Independence Day speeches and watching patriotic films such as Mother India. Although Mehra denies that the film is autobiographical, he confessed that the character sketches were loosely inspired by himself and his friends.

Mehra approached Angad Paul after having been impressed with his production work on British films Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and Snatch. Paul, who was keen to work in India, liked Mehra's story and agreed to produce the film,{{cite news|access-date=17 March 2008 |url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/delhi-times/aamir-paints-it-yellow/articleshow/593812.cms |title=Aamir paints it yellow! |last=Doval |first=Nikita |date=1 April 2004 |work=The Times of India |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121111100731/http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/delhi-times/Aamir-paints-it-yellow/articleshow/593812.cms |archive-date=11 November 2012 }} bringing with him David Reid and Adam Bohling as executive producers. Despite having no prior knowledge of Hindi cinema, Reid and Bohling's belief in the script was strong enough that they each were willing to work at half their normal rate.{{cite news|access-date=17 March 2008 |url=http://in.rediff.com/movies/2006/jan/13rakeysh.htm |title=Just jump off the cliff! |last=Sen |first=Raja |date=14 January 2006 |work=Rediff.com |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071218082739/http://in.rediff.com/movies/2006/jan/13rakeysh.htm |archive-date=18 December 2007 }} While it was originally suggested that language versions of the film would be made concurrently, in English (as Paint it Yellow) and Hindi,{{cite news|access-date=17 March 2008 |url=http://www.apunkachoice.com/scoop/bollywood/20040328-1.html |title=NRI industrialist to produce Aamir's Rang De Basanti |date=28 March 2004 |publisher=Apunkachoice.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080316011344/http://www.apunkachoice.com/scoop/bollywood/20040328-1.html |archive-date=16 March 2008 }} the plans for an English version were dropped during development. Mehra believed that English-language version felt alien and that "one can tell a film in just one language". After the English version was dropped, the writer Kamlesh Pandey was brought on board to pen the first draft of Rang De Basanti in Hindi, marking the start of his screenwriting career.{{cite news|access-date=18 March 2008 |title=The industry has been unfair to writers |last=Misra |url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/ahmedabad-times/the-industry-has-been-unfair-to-writers/articleshow/1621142.cms |first=Jhumari Nigam |date=5 June 2006 |work=The Times of India |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121111100903/http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/ahmedabad-times/The-industry-has-been-unfair-to-writers/articleshow/1621142.cms |archive-date=11 November 2012 }} Thereafter Mehra and co-writer Rensil D'Silva took over the script, working on it for about two years. Prasoon Joshi, the film's lyricist, worked on the dialogue, marking his foray into screenwriting.{{cite news|access-date=22 March 2008 |url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/lucknow-times/adman-prasoon-joshi-has-now-turned-dialogue-writer/articleshow/1328937.cms |title=Adman Prasoon Joshi has now turned dialogue-writer! |last=Shetye |first=Aakanksha Naval |date=12 December 2005 |work=The Times of India |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121111101551/http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/lucknow-times/Adman-Prasoon-Joshi-has-now-turned-dialogue-writer/articleshow/1328937.cms |archive-date=11 November 2012 }}

Rang De Basanti suffered a significant setback when one of the initial producers ultimately failed to contribute any funds towards it; the shortfall left production looking uncertain just two months away from the beginning of principal photography. However, after Aamir Khan agreed to act in the film, Mehra approached Ronnie Screwvala of UTV Motion Pictures with the script. Screwvala, who supported Mehra from the beginning of the production, had faith in the film,{{cite news|access-date=17 March 2008 |url=http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/media/article3437080.ece |title=Ronnie Screwvala brings Hollywood to Bollywood's UTV |last=Blakely |first=Rhys |date=28 February 2008 |publisher=Timesonline.co.uk |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110612045757/http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/media/article3437080.ece |archive-date=12 June 2011 }} reasoning that in historical films, "the treatment and execution is very different from regular masala fare",{{cite news|access-date=17 March 2008 |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/Bollywood-takes-a-trip-down-memory-lane/articleshow/1058475.cms |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121020195451/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2005-03-22/mumbai/27866655_1_love-story-film-rajkumar-santoshi |url-status=live |archive-date=20 October 2012 |title=Bollywood takes a trip down memory lane |last=Ansari |first=Shabani |work=The Times of India |date=22 March 2005 }} and that such films "find favour with the audience owing to their elaborate sets and period costumes". The budget was reported as Rs. 250 million (approximately US$5.5 million), and, despite going a little over the initially planned budget, Mehra did not have any serious disagreements with UTV.

The film's script originally had a different climax, originally showing the protagonists on the run. The climax was rewritten, as the idea of them running away wasn't liked mutually, as they should have the last stand resembling that of Bhagat Singh. Years earlier, Khan had written his own story with the climax in a radio station, which he adapted for the climax of Rang De Basanti.{{Cite AV media|title=Aamir Khan at THiNK 2011|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2pCXRc0MkX0| archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211117/2pCXRc0MkX0| archive-date=2021-11-17 | url-status=live|location=19:40|publisher=YouTube|access-date=26 January 2018|date=19 November 2011}}{{cbignore}}

Aamir Khan agreed to act in Rang De Basanti immediately after reading Mehra's script. Mehra described his character as a simple man with a strong sense of integrity and dignity. Khan, who would turn 40 during the shoot, lost about {{convert|10|kg|lb}} with a strict diet and exercise regime to more convincingly depict a man in his late twenties. Atul Kulkarni and Kunal Kapoor were publicly attached to the film by the time it was officially announced; Kapoor had been the assistant director to Mehra during the filming of Aks and was already familiar with the material Mehra had been developing.{{cite news|access-date=18 March 2008 |url=http://www.hindu.com/mp/2004/04/13/stories/2004041300100400.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040602111449/http://www.hindu.com/mp/2004/04/13/stories/2004041300100400.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=2 June 2004 |title=The long act |last=Rajamani |first=Radhika |work=The Hindu |date=13 April 2004 }} Mehra gave Kulkarni biographies of Ram Prasad Bismil as preparation, including Bismil's autobiography.{{cite news|access-date=21 March 2008 |title=Range De Basanti is a very honest film |url=http://in.rediff.com/movies/2006/feb/10atul.htm |last=Jain |first=Priyanka |date=10 February 2006 |work=Rediff.com |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071225190247/http://in.rediff.com/movies/2006/feb/10atul.htm |archive-date=25 December 2007 }} Early rumours indicated that actors Arjun Rampal and Arjan Bajwa would be amongst the male leads,{{cite news|access-date=18 March 2008 |url=http://www.hindu.com/lf/2004/08/16/stories/2004081601170200.htm |title=A perfectionist to the core |last=Tankha |first=Madhur |date=16 August 2004 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041101222624/http://www.hindu.com/lf/2004/08/16/stories/2004081601170200.htm |work=The Hindu |archive-date= 1 November 2004 }}{{cite news|access-date=18 March 2008 |url=http://www.indiafm.com/features/2008/03/12/3668/ |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130126163306/http://www.indiafm.com/features/2008/03/12/3668/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=26 January 2013 |title=I was finalized for Rang De Basanti and Gangster |last=Tuteja |first=Joginder |date=12 March 2008 |publisher=Indiafm.com}} but these roles ultimately were filled by Siddharth and Sharman Joshi. Mehra and Khan also offered Siddharth's role to Hrithik Roshan, but he declined in favour of Krrish (2006).{{Cite web|title=Aamir Khan visited Hrithik Roshan's house to persuade him for Rang De Basanti: 'It's a good film, kar le'|date=4 August 2021|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/entertainment/bollywood/aamir-khan-visited-hrithik-roshan-s-house-to-pursue-him-for-rang-de-basanti-it-s-a-good-film-kar-le-101627972995190.html}} Randeep Hooda also rejected the part as he did not want to play second lead to Aamir Khan.{{Cite web |title=Randeep Hooda admits rejecting Rang De Basanti due to his ‘Jaat akad’: Won’t stand behind Aamir Khan |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/entertainment/bollywood/randeep-hooda-admits-rejecting-rang-de-basanti-due-to-his-jaat-akad-won-t-stand-behind-aamir-khan-101744697357171.html}} Shahid Kapoor was also offered a role in the film but had to decline due to a lack of dates.{{Cite web |title=Shahid Kapoor REVEALS he was offered Aamir Khan starrer Rang De Basanti |website=Bollywood Hungama |date=22 February 2024 |url=https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/news/features/shahid-kapoor-reveals-offered-aamir-khan-starrer-rang-de-basanti/}} Daniel Craig was offered the role of James McKinley, but he could not do it as he was committed to Casino Royale (2006).{{Cite web |title='James Bond' Daniel Craig Came This Close To Work With Aamir Khan In Rang De Basanti, Here's Why It Didn't Happen! |date=27 March 2023 |url=https://www.koimoi.com/hollywood-news/james-bond-daniel-craig-came-this-close-to-work-with-aamir-khan-in-rang-de-basanti-heres-why-it-didnt-happen/}}

Rang De Basanti marked Siddharth's Bollywood debut, following on the success of his Telugu film Nuvvostanante Nenoddantana. Having previously worked as an assistant director, Siddharth praised Mehra as being "by far the most ambitious technical filmmaker in Indian cinema".{{cite news |access-date=19 March 2008 |url=http://www.newindpress.com/NewsItems.asp?ID=IEE20060211050019&Page=E&Title=Startrek&Topic=-59 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20060228063701/http://www.newindpress.com/NewsItems.asp?ID=IEE20060211050019&Page=E&Title=Startrek&Topic=-59 |url-status=dead |archive-date=28 February 2006 |title=An interview with actor Siddharth |date=11 February 2006 |last=Jha |first=Subhash K. |publisher=Newindpress.com }} R. Madhavan, despite being a well-known Tamil cinema actor, took the smaller role of a fighter aircraft pilot because he was convinced of the film's potential and wanted to be a part of it.{{cite news|access-date=19 March 2008 |url=http://www.rediff.com/movies/2006/nov/22madhavan.htm |title=Working with Mani Ratnam is frightening |last=Warrier |first=Shobha |date=22 November 2006 |work=Rediff.com |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080225052534/http://www.rediff.com/movies/2006/nov/22madhavan.htm |archive-date=25 February 2008 }} Om Puri appears in a cameo.https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/om-puri-dead-66-the-phenomenal-4462630/

Soha Ali Khan and Alice Patten immediately became Mehra's clear favourites for each of their roles during casting,{{cite news|access-date=19 March 2008 |url=http://www.indiaglitz.com/channels/hindi/article/20017.html |title=Rang De Basanti stars talks about the movie – Part I |date=27 January 2006 |website=IndiaGlitz.com |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090109205244/http://www.indiaglitz.com/channels/hindi/article/20017.html |archive-date= 9 January 2009 }} which led to Patten flying to Mumbai for a screen test with the entire cast. She was informed that she had won the documentary filmmaker role after she returned home to the United Kingdom.{{cite news|access-date=19 March 2008 |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/films/2006/01/27/alice_patten_rang_de_basanti_2006_interview.shtml |title=The way the people look up to you is astonishing |last=Pandohar |first=Jaspreet |date=27 January 2006 |publisher=BBC |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080226110558/http://www.bbc.co.uk/films/2006/01/27/alice_patten_rang_de_basanti_2006_interview.shtml |archive-date=26 February 2008 }} Soha, portraying the pilot's fiancée, was filming Rituparna Ghosh's Antarmahal and David Dhawan's comedy Shaadi No. 1 concurrently with her work in Rang De Basanti. In particular, the demands of her emotional scenes in Antarmahal often left her exhausted, thus requiring "a lot of personal overhauling" to ensure that her performance in Rang De Basanti was unaffected.{{cite news |access-date=19 March 2008 |url=http://www.hindu.com/mp/2005/10/22/stories/2005102201940100.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121102063543/http://www.hindu.com/mp/2005/10/22/stories/2005102201940100.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=2 November 2012 |title=Unlearning to learn |last=Siddiqui |first=Rana |date=22 October 2005 |work=The Hindu}} During filming, reports indicated that co-stars Siddharth and Soha had become romantically involved with each other.{{cite news |access-date=20 March 2008 |url=http://www.newindpress.com/sunday/sundayitems.asp?id=SEW20080315095244&eTitle=People&rLink=0 |title=Sid, Soha, Saif, Sharmila |date=15 March 2008 |publisher=Newindpress.com }}{{dead link|date=September 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

The film, which was shot in New Delhi, Mumbai, Rajasthan and Punjab,{{cite news |access-date=20 March 2008 |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india/rang-de-basanti-a-contemporary-film/story-QZIjI5wfxiMLXeTV7IcHiJ.html' |title=Rang De Basanti a contemporary film |date=27 January 2006 |work=Hindustan Times }} was officially launched at a hotel on 1 February 2005.{{cite news |access-date=20 March 2008 |url=http://cities.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=116421 |title=Mooch ado about nothing |last=Singh |first=Harneet |date=27 January 2006 |work=The Indian Express }}{{dead link|date=February 2023|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} When shooting began, Mehra made an announcement to his crew saying that they would enjoy their holiday only in July.

Instead of filming at the actual locations from the script, other locations were selected for picturisation. One such scene is where Soha Ali Khan is filmed at the India Habitat Center that masquerades as the University of Delhi. On similar lines, New Delhi's Modern School at Barakhamba Road served as the location for all the scenes pertinent to All India Radio station, which is shown to be stormed by the youngsters in the film.{{cite news|access-date=20 March 2008 |url=http://www.telegraphindia.com/1070520/asp/7days/story_7802253.asp |title=Capital cinema |last=Ghosh |first=Padmaparna |date=20 May 2007 |work=The Telegraph |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080115111947/http://www.telegraphindia.com/1070520/asp/7days/story_7802253.asp |archive-date=15 January 2008 }} The Delhi Tourism department was happy to encourage filming in the city if it helped promote tourism, though any filming near India Gate was prohibited due to the ensuing bureaucratic paperwork. Similar issues with bureaucracy were faced by Mehra while filming at the Jaipur Fort. To use a historical location for filming, they had to seek permissions of seven officials ranging from the local police to the Archaeological Survey of India office.{{cite news |access-date=20 March 2008 |url=http://www.newindpress.com/NewsItems.asp?ID=IEE20060913015910&Page=E&Title=Startrek&Topic=0 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20061126075702/http://www.newindpress.com/NewsItems.asp?ID=IEE20060913015910&Page=E&Title=Startrek&Topic=0 |url-status=dead |archive-date=26 November 2006 |title=Monumental troubles |date=13 September 2006 |publisher=Newindpress.com }} Nahargarh Fort, which oversees the city of Jaipur, was another such historical location where one of the songs was filmed.{{cite news|access-date=21 March 2008 |url=http://www.mumbaimirror.com/net/mmpaper.aspx?page=knowmumbai§ion=Travel§name=Travel&subpage=article§id=37&contentid=2007052523003957820afa747&pageno=1 |title=Jaipur's pride: forts and palaces |last=Bhatia |first=Kunal |date=25 May 2007 |work=Mumbai Mirror}}{{dead link|date=June 2012}} Besides these locations, the filming was also done at Amritsar's Harmandir Sahib Gurudwara. For Aamir Khan, a Muslim, it was for the first time that he was playing a North Indian Punjabi character and it took him some time to get the right dialect and diction.{{cite news|access-date=20 August 2008 |url=http://www.bollywoodhungama.com/features/2006/02/02/994/index.html |title=Aamir Khan chats about Rang De Basanti |date=2 February 2006 |publisher=IndiaFM News Bureau |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080829205247/http://www.bollywoodhungama.com/features/2006/02/02/994/index.html |archive-date=29 August 2008}} While speaking about his experience of visiting the Gurudwara for the first time, he said:

It's one of the most peaceful places I've been to. As you enter the place there's a certain serenity that surrounds you. I really enjoyed being there. The first shot we took was of our feet entering the water just as you pass the doorway of the temple. The water was cold but it was great!

Once the locations were finalised, the team of Lovleen Bains and Arjun Bhasin was chosen for designing the look of Rang De Basanti. Bhasin had previously worked on Kama Sutra: A Tale of Love (1996) and Dil Chahta Hai (2001), the latter of which featured Aamir Khan, and he was referred to Mehra by Khan due to their previous association. Since the film's plot focused on men in their late twenties, Bhasin designed their look accordingly. Although he was responsible for Khan's rebellious look, Sharman Joshi's (who played Sukhi) lovable persona or Madhavan's dignified appearance, Bhasin credited Bains for her major contributions to the film.{{cite news|access-date=21 March 2008 |url=http://specials.rediff.com/movies/2006/feb/01sld1.htm |title=How the Rang De look evolved |last=N |first=Patcy |date=1 February 2006 |work=Rediff.com |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071225040641/http://specials.rediff.com/movies/2006/feb/01sld1.htm |archive-date=25 December 2007 }} Khan's hair was styled by Avan Contractor, who came up with soft curls falling over Khan's forehead. This new look, which took Contractor one hour to come up with, surprised the audience at the film's launch.

In post-production, the visual effects were handled by Tata Elxsi's Visual Computing Labs. The military aircraft they created was so realistic that the Indian Air Force called to check the producer's permission of using an actual MiG-21.{{cite news|access-date=21 March 2008 |url=https://variety.com/2008/film/asia/cg-creators-prep-for-future-success-1117982384/ |title=CG creators prep for future success |last=Frater |first=Patrick |date=13 March 2008 |work=Variety |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080321063006/http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117982384.html?categoryid=2904&cs=1 |archive-date=21 March 2008 }}

On Rang De Basanti's release, the Film Certification Board of India sought the views of Indian Defence Ministry due to scenes that depicted the use of MiG-21 fighter aircraft. But after viewing the movie the ministry found no problems and allowed UTV to release the film. There were also some issues with Animal Welfare Board of India due to the banned Indian horse race.

{{Main|Rang De Basanti (soundtrack)}}

The soundtrack of Rang De Basanti, which was released by Sony BMG, featured music composed by A. R. Rahman and lyrics penned by Prasoon Joshi and Blaaze, an India-based rapper.{{cite news|access-date=21 March 2008 |url=http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/009200612151240.htm |title=Ad-making still my first love: Prasoon Joshi |date=15 December 2006 |work=The Hindu}} {{dead link|date=September 2010|bot=H3llBot}}{{cite news|access-date=21 March 2008 |url=http://www.hindu.com/mp/2006/04/29/stories/2006042900020400.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071127020822/http://www.hindu.com/mp/2006/04/29/stories/2006042900020400.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=27 November 2007 |work=The Hindu |title=Rap is rhythm 'n' poetry |date=29 April 2006 }} From the film's announcement in April 2005, Rahman was slated to compose the music. In a press conference with pop singer Nelly Furtado, he said that she was to originally have featured on the soundtrack, although this was ultimately prevented from happening due to a change in producers and other factors.{{cite news|access-date=21 March 2008 |url=http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/009200612302082.htm |title=Nelly Furtado was to feature in RDB: A R Rehman |date=30 December 2005 |work=The Hindu |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070103191327/http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/009200612302082.htm |archive-date=3 January 2007}} Aamir Khan, with his knowledge of Hindi and Urdu,{{cite news|access-date=21 March 2008 |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/bollywood/news-interviews/Aamir-comes-to-rescue/articleshow/2429355.cms |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121023083530/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2007-10-05/news-interviews/27983241_1_aamir-khan-murgadoss-ghajini |url-status=live |archive-date=23 October 2012 |work=The Times of India |title=Aamir comes to rescue |date=5 October 2007 }} worked with Rahman and Joshi for the soundtrack. In addition, Mehra and Rahman chose him to sing for one of the songs.{{cite news|access-date=10 May 2008 |url=http://www.indiaglitz.com/channels/hindi/article/18726.html |title=Aamir Khan sings again, for Rang De Basanti |date=3 December 2005 |website=IndiaGlitz |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090110072829/http://www.indiaglitz.com/channels/hindi/article/18726.html |archive-date=10 January 2009 }}

Joshi was impressed with Mehra, who was ready to adjust to his style of writing as well as his creativity. Confessing that the film's soundtrack was his favourite out of all his previous works, Joshi felt that it "was a wonderful experience getting to know the mindset of today's youth and to pen down their feelings".{{cite news|access-date=21 March 2008 |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/bollywood/news-interviews/Im-a-perfectionist-like-Aamir/articleshow/2826935.cms |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121023083536/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2008-03-01/news-interviews/27752027_1_perfectionist-tzp-maa |url-status=live |archive-date=23 October 2012 |work=The Times of India |title=I'm a perfectionist like Aamir |date=1 March 2008 }} Speaking about one of his songs, "Luka Chuppi", in which veteran Lata Mangeshkar sang with Rahman, Joshi said that it was developed while discussing with Rahman the scene about a mother losing her son. Joshi wrote the lyrics about the mother and son playing hide-and-seek with the sad reality of the son being hidden forever.{{cite news |access-date=21 March 2008 |url=http://www.tehelka.com/story_main38.asp?filename=hub150308prose_is.asp |title=Prose is for lazy people, poetry for the imaginative |date=15 March 2008 |last=Kabir |first=Nasreen |work=Tehelka Weekly |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120913144222/http://www.tehelka.com/story_main38.asp?filename=hub150308prose_is.asp |archive-date=13 September 2012 |df=dmy-all }} He confessed to have been in tears while Mangeshkar was singing the song.{{cite news|title=I was in tears when Lataji was singing the song |last=Singh |first=Ruma |date=16 December 2006 |newspaper=The Times of India |url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/City_Supplements/Ahmedabad_Times/I_was_in_tears_when_Lataji_was_singing_the_song/articleshow/824712.cms |access-date=23 February 2009 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110607121044/http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/City_Supplements/Ahmedabad_Times/I_was_in_tears_when_Lataji_was_singing_the_song/articleshow/824712.cms |archive-date= 7 June 2011 }} The soundtrack won the Filmfare Award for Best Music Director,{{cite news|title=Rang De Basanti sweeps Filmfare awards |publisher=Times News Network |date=25 February 2007 |work=The Times of India |url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Rang_De_Basanti_sweeps_Filmfare_awards/articleshow/1676126.cms |access-date=23 February 2009 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080118064234/http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Rang_De_Basanti_sweeps_Filmfare_awards/articleshow/1676126.cms |archive-date=18 January 2008 }} and had two of its tracks, Khalbali and Luka Chuppi, considered for an Academy Award for Best Original Song nomination.

While discussing typical Bollywood soundtracks, Nilanjana Bhattacharjya, a professor of music at Colorado College, noted that Rahman integrated traditional Punjabi cultural elements within his music for this soundtrack. Regionally defined elements such as a woman's prayer at the Sikh Gurdwara (Golden Temple) and the bhangra harvest dance are incorporated alongside more contemporary, global styles such as hard rock and hip hop to depict the cosmopolitan lifestyle of the youngsters in the film.{{cite news|last=Bhattacharjya |first=Nilanjana |title="But it has Some Good Songs ...": Introducing Students to the Aesthetics of the Popular Hindi Film Through Music |newspaper=ASIANetwork Exchange |volume=XV |issue=1 |pages=11–12 |date=Fall 2007 |url=http://asianetwork.org/ane-archived-issues/2007-fall/anex2007-fall-bhattachajya.pdf |access-date=16 January 2014 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140117004453/http://asianetwork.org/ane-archived-issues/2007-fall/anex2007-fall-bhattachajya.pdf |archive-date=17 January 2014 }}

Rang De Basanti received its world premiere on 26 January 2006, with high expectations that it would be a success with western audiences,{{cite news|access-date=22 March 2008 |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/india/1508962/Bollywood-pins-hopes-on-new-blockbuster.html |title=Bollywood pins hopes on new blockbuster |last=Foster |first=Peter |date=15 December 2006 |work=The Daily Telegraph |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121109034552/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/india/1508962/Bollywood-pins-hopes-on-new-blockbuster.html |archive-date= 9 November 2012 }} though it also faced ire from several organisations because of certain controversial scenes. The film contained scenes of a MiG-21, a controversial aircraft in the Indian Air Force, which has a long history of fatal accidents in India. Promptly, the Indian Defence Ministry raised concerns, causing the Indian censor board to urge the filmmakers to seek clearance from the ministry.{{cite news|access-date=23 March 2008 |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/bollywood/news-interviews/Rang-de-Basanti-flies-into-turbulent-weather/articleshow/1366146.cms |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121020195456/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2006-01-10/news-interviews/27788478_1_fighter-crashes-rough-weather-mig-21 |url-status=live |archive-date=20 October 2012 |work=The Times of India |title=Rang de Basanti flies into turbulent weather |date=10 January 2006 }} Accordingly, Khan and Mehra screened the film for the then Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee along with other top officials from the armed forces.{{cite news|access-date=23 March 2008 |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/bollywood/news-interviews/IAF-gives-all-clear-signal-to-Aamirs-Rang-de-Basanti/articleshow/1366390.cms |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121020195503/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2006-01-10/news-interviews/27792821_1_iaf-green-signal-air-marshall-ahluwalia |url-status=live |archive-date=20 October 2012 |work=The Times of India |title=AF gives all-clear signal to Aamir's Rang de Basanti |date=10 January 2006 }} One Air Force official reportedly said that it was "not a review, but a preview". After the special screening, the defence ministry did not insist on any cuts, but on their recommendation more names were added to the slide that dedicates the film to deceased MiG pilots.{{cite news|access-date=23 March 2008 |url=http://www.telegraphindia.com/1060117/asp/nation/story_5729945.asp |title=20 seconds snipped, Rang De set for rollout |date=16 January 2006 |work=The Telegraph |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070101091120/http://www.telegraphindia.com/1060117/asp/nation/story_5729945.asp |archive-date= 1 January 2007 }} After this clearance, the Animal Welfare Board raised objections on the use of animals in the film. Although the filmmakers had obtained a No Objection Certificate from the board officials, Maneka Gandhi, a well-known animal rights activist and member of the welfare board, found flaws in this certificate.{{cite news|access-date=23 March 2008 |url=http://archives.digitaltoday.in/indiatoday/20060213/controvr.html |title=Catfight Over Animal Rights |last=Aasheesh Sharma |first=Geetika Sasan Bhandari |date=13 February 2006 |work=India Today |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090112030152/http://archives.digitaltoday.in/indiatoday/20060213/controvr.html |archive-date=12 January 2009 }} Subsequently, this certificate was revoked and with only a few days left for the world premiere, Mehra personally requested Gandhi to reconsider her objection. After another viewing, the board cleared their objection stating that the use of animals in the film was natural and justified. However, after they recommended the deletion of a 20-second scene that depicted a banned horse race conducted by the Nihang Sikhs, the filmmakers deleted this scene.{{cite news|access-date=15 June 2008 |url=http://www.hindu.com/mp/2006/02/09/stories/2006020901570300.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070701215131/http://www.hindu.com/mp/2006/02/09/stories/2006020901570300.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=1 July 2007 |title= On a south stint: Atul Kulkarni |last=Devi |first=Sangeetha |work=The Hindu |date=9 February 2006 }}{{cite news|access-date=23 March 2008 |url=http://www.telegraphindia.com/1060205/asp/look/story_5802972.asp |title=I am happy this has happened. Now everybody can learn the rules |last=De Sarkar |first=Bishakha |date=5 February 2006 |work=The Telegraph |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070818084933/http://www.telegraphindia.com/1060205/asp/look/story_5802972.asp |archive-date=18 August 2007 }} Mrs. Kavita Gadgil whose son, late Flight Lieutenant Abhijeet Gadgil was killed when his MiG-21 fighter crashed, objected to the film's release because she believed that the film was loosely based on her son's life and the producers should have shown her the film. In response, Kamlesh Pandey, one of the writers of the film, said that the film was not inspired by Abhijeet Gadgil's life.{{cite news|access-date=23 March 2008 |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/They-should-have-spoken-to-me/articleshow/1366773.cms |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121020195508/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2006-01-11/mumbai/27803070_1_mig-21s-iaf-aircraft-kavita-gadgil |url-status=live |archive-date=20 October 2012 |title=They should have spoken to me |last=Dubey |first=Bharti |work=The Times of India |date=11 January 2006 }}

The film was screened at several international film festivals. In 2006, it premiered in France with the Lyon Asiexpo Film Festival,{{cite news|access-date=23 March 2008 |url=http://www.asiexpo.com/festival/download/dossierpresse2006.pdf |title=Demande d'accréditation |publisher=Asiexpo Film Festival |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071029113145/http://www.asiexpo.com/festival/download/dossierpresse2006.pdf |archive-date=29 October 2007 }} the Wisconsin Film Festival{{cite news|access-date=23 March 2008 |url=http://filmguide.wifilmfest.org/tixSYS/2007/filmguide/title-detail.php?AlphaRange=RR&ShowShorts=Y&ShowPast=Y |title=Wisconsin Film Festival 2007 – Events by Title |publisher=Wisconsin Film Festival |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140308193920/http://filmguide.wifilmfest.org/tixSYS/2007/filmguide/title-detail.php?AlphaRange=RR&ShowShorts=Y&ShowPast=Y |archive-date= 8 March 2014 }} and the Morocco-based International Film Festival of Marrakech.{{cite news|access-date=23 March 2008 |url=http://www.telegraphindia.com/1061210/asp/look/story_7108642.asp |title=Bruno's baby |last=Roy |first=Amit |date=10 December 2006 |work=The Telegraph |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090403042504/http://www.telegraphindia.com/1061210/asp/look/story_7108642.asp |archive-date= 3 April 2009 }} As a part of the publicity, the cast, visited prominent University campuses in New Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Hyderabad and Pune with an intention of interacting with the students.{{cite news|access-date=23 March 2008 |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/Aamir-on-campus-trail-to-promote-Rang-De/articleshow/1365183.cms |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121020195520/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2006-01-10/mumbai/27812929_1_aamir-khan-campus-aimless-youth |url-status=live |archive-date=20 October 2012 |work=The Times of India |title=Aamir on campus trail to promote Rang De |date=10 January 2006 }} After hiring international experts for the film's publicity,{{cite news|access-date=10 May 2008 |url=http://www.business-standard.com/common/news_article.php?tab=r&autono=314129&subLeft=2&leftnm=6 |title=Box office blueprint |last=Subramanian |first=Shobana |date=19 February 2008 |work=Business Standard |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110607123631/http://www.business-standard.com/common/news_article.php?tab=r&autono=314129&subLeft=2&leftnm=6 |archive-date= 7 June 2011 }} the marketing expenditure for the film grew to 40 percent of the total production budget of {{INRConvert|250|m}}. This expenditure was unprecedented in Bollywood because usually the Indian filmmakers spend only about five percent of their production budget on marketing.{{cite news|access-date=23 March 2008 |url=http://www.iht.com/articles/2006/05/21/yourmoney/movies22.php |title=India's new cinema has a global script |last=Pfanner |first=Eric |date=22 May 2006 |work=International Herald Tribune |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070911093745/http://www.iht.com/articles/2006/05/21/yourmoney/movies22.php |archive-date=11 September 2007}} Out of the {{INRConvert|100|m}} marketing campaign, a fifth of it came from the producers while the rest was obtained through brand tie-ups and partnering.{{cite news|access-date=15 June 2008 |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/sunday-toi/special-report/Moolah-Ad-on/articleshow/1717343.cms |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121021025703/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2006-07-08/special-report/27823279_1_movie-magic-ticket-sales-rs-10-crore-marketing-campaign |url-status=live |archive-date=21 October 2012 |title=Moolah Ad-on |last=Sawhney |first=Anubha |work=The Times of India |date=8 July 2006 }}

There were high expectations from the soundtrack in the media.{{cite news|access-date=10 May 2008 |url=http://www.indiaglitz.com/channels/hindi/article/18849.html |title=Rang De Basanti – a winner for A. R. Rehman? |date=8 December 2005 |website=IndiaGlitz |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071124131734/http://www.indiaglitz.com/channels/hindi/article/18849.html |archive-date=24 November 2007 }} The soundtrack, first released commercially in early December 2005, generally received above average reviews.{{cite news|access-date=10 May 2008 |url=http://www.indiaglitz.com/channels/hindi/musicreview/8017.html |title=Rang De Basanti – A six on ten |date=11 December 2005 |website=IndiaGlitz |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080504150950/http://www.indiaglitz.com/channels/hindi/musicreview/8017.html |archive-date= 4 May 2008 }}{{cite news|access-date=10 May 2008 |url=http://in.rediff.com/movies/2005/dec/12rang.htm |last=Verma |first=Sukanya |title=Rang De Basanti's music works |date=12 December 2005 |work=Rediff.com |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080224060433/http://in.rediff.com/movies/2005/dec/12rang.htm |archive-date=24 February 2008 }}{{cite news|access-date=10 May 2008 |url=http://www.indiafm.com/movies/musicreview/12493/index.html |title=Rang De Basanti – Music review |last=Tuteja |first=Joginder |date=13 December 2005 |publisher=Indiafm.com |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080424062328/http://www.indiafm.com/movies/musicreview/12493/index.html |archive-date=24 April 2008 }} One of the songs, "Masti Ki Paatshaala" (translation: "Classroom of Fun"), was voted as the "Song of the year" for 2006 by leading Indian television channels,{{cite news|access-date=10 May 2008 |url=http://www.hindu.com/mp/2007/02/24/stories/2007022402080200.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110623181218/http://www.hindu.com/mp/2007/02/24/stories/2007022402080200.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=23 June 2011 |title=All I have is my music |last=Nagarajan |first=Saraswathy |work=The Hindu |date=24 February 2007 }} while two compositions were considered for an Academy Award nomination.{{cite news|access-date=10 May 2008 |url=http://www.telegraphindia.com/1061222/asp/etc/story_7144101.asp |title=I'm dedicating it to Ustad' |last=Hazarika |first=Sneha |date=22 December 2006 |work=The Telegraph |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081024030524/http://www.telegraphindia.com/1061222/asp/etc/story_7144101.asp |archive-date=24 October 2008 }}

Before its theatrical release, the producers tied up with several top brands to help in the marketing the film. An alliance was formed with The Coca-Cola Company by releasing special edition bottles to commemorate the film's release, a first of its kind in Bollywood. Besides this, the music CDs and cassettes were co-branded with the cola company along with the launch of the sale of collectibles from the film.{{cite news |access-date=22 April 2009 |url=http://www.coca-colaindia.in/media/media_news_releases_detail.aspx?id=137 |title=Aamir Khan Launches "Coca-Cola's Rang De Basanti" Special Edition Bottles |date=17 January 2006 |publisher=The Coca Cola Company }}{{dead link|date=September 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} Provogue, a well-known clothing retail chain in India, launched a special limited edition clothing merchandise targeting the youth of India.{{cite news|access-date=15 June 2008 |url=http://www.indiaglitz.com/channels/hindi/article/19269.html |title=Rang De Basanti joins hand with Provogue |date=25 December 2005 |publisher=Indo-Asian News Service |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090109233005/http://www.indiaglitz.com/channels/hindi/article/19269.html |archive-date= 9 January 2009 }} Besides these, the producers collaborated with LG Group, Berger Paints, Bharti Airtel and Hindustan Petroleum. The producers tied up with several media partners such as MSN India, Channel V and Radio Mirchi to further enhance their marketing efforts.{{cite journal|last=Dilip |first=Meghna |title=Rang De Basanti – Consumption, Citizenship and the Public Sphere |publisher=University of Massachusetts, Amherst |year=2008 |url=http://scholarworks.umass.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1116&context=theses |format=PDF |access-date=17 February 2009 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100620024528/http://scholarworks.umass.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1116&context=theses |archive-date=20 June 2010 }} A video game launched by Mobile2win, an Indian mobile content company, was based on an adaptation of the film's plot.{{cite news|access-date=15 June 2008 |url=http://www.contentsutra.com/entry/mobile2win-launches-rang-de-basanti-game-on-mobile/ |title=Mobile2win Launches Rang De Basanti Game on Mobile |date=28 March 2006 |publisher=contentSutra.com |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080309124021/http://www.contentsutra.com/entry/mobile2win-launches-rang-de-basanti-game-on-mobile/ |archive-date= 9 March 2008 }}

In India, The Hindu reported that with audiences from the metropolitan cities turning out in large numbers, Rang De Basanti was notching up record collections in its opening week.{{cite news|access-date=23 March 2008 |url=http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/009200602051071.htm |title=Rang De Basanti bowls over audiences; accolades from Bollywood |date=5 February 2006 |work=The Hindu |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060207021723/http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/009200602051071.htm |archive-date=7 February 2006}} Accordingly, 55 percent of the film's revenues came from multiplexes in these cities.{{cite news|access-date=23 March 2008 |url=http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/ET_Features/The_Sunday_ET/Business_Of_Bollywood/Q_up_to_Q3/rssarticleshow/2172007.cms |title=Q up to Q3 |date=15 October 2006 |last=Raghavendra |first=Nandini |work=The Economic Times |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090110231437/http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/ET_Features/The_Sunday_ET/Business_Of_Bollywood/Q_up_to_Q3/rssarticleshow/2172007.cms |archive-date=10 January 2009 }} While the opening week box-office collections from Mumbai, the home of Bollywood, were reported to be over {{INRConvert|40|m}}, theatres in New Delhi earned about half of Mumbai's revenue. Throughout the country, the cumulative collections in the first week was about {{INRConvert|80|m}}. Overseas collections from the United States, United Kingdom and Australia were collectively put at over {{INRConvert|60|m}} for the same week. Released in about 60 theatres in the United States, the film grossed {{INRConvert|31|m}} in its opening weekend and earned {{INRConvert|99|m}} within 10 weeks.{{cite web|title=Rang De Basanti – Box Office Data, Movie News, Cast Information |url=https://www.the-numbers.com/movies/2006/0RABD.php |publisher=The Numbers |access-date=23 March 2008 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080129095556/http://www.the-numbers.com/movies/2006/0RABD.php |archive-date=29 January 2008 }} With {{INRConvert|1.23|b}} alone coming from the Indian territory, the film earned more than {{INRConvert|1.36|b}} worldwide. Currently, the film holds the record for the highest-grossing film to be released in January.

Within a week of the film's theatrical release, illegal copies of the film priced at {{INRConvert|10|m}} were seized at an Indian airport.{{cite news|access-date=23 March 2008 |url=http://www.indiaglitz.com/channels/hindi/article/20154.html |title=Rang De Basanti rises from crisis |date=1 February 2006 |website=IndiaGlitz.com |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070816080729/http://www.indiaglitz.com/channels/hindi/article/20154.html |archive-date=16 August 2007 }} A report carried out by The Times of India highlighted copyright infringement on the Internet where movies like Rang De Basanti could be downloaded freely.{{cite news|access-date=23 March 2008 |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bangalore/Movies-Just-click-n-watch/articleshow/1437753.cms |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121020195525/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2006-03-04/bangalore/27793328_1_bunty-aur-babli-movies-broadband |url-status=live |archive-date=20 October 2012 |title=Movies? Just click 'n' watch |last=Tippu |first=Sufia |work=The Times of India |date=4 March 2006 }} The DVD release sold more than 70,000 copies over six months, and as a result the film was the highest selling title at the time of its release.

Rang De Basanti was released on Blu-ray (plus steelbook edition) in May 2014.{{cite web|url=https://www.amazon.in/Rang-Basanti-Steelbook-Aamir-Khan/dp/B00D1OLHM2 |title=Rang De Basanti (Steelbook) (2006) |work=Amazon India |access-date=2 September 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130906015257/http://www.amazon.in/Rang-Basanti-Steelbook-Aamir-Khan/dp/B00D1OLHM2 |archive-date= 6 September 2013 }} It is also available on Netflix.{{cite web|url=https://www.netflix.com/in/title/70047320|title=Rang De Basanti|website=Netflix|access-date=3 September 2019}}

Critics gave the film an overwhelmingly positive response, in particular the ensemble cast's performance and credibility. Although The Indian Express spoke positively of the cinematography and the film's story, it noted that "the message that the film carries with it tends to get diluted towards the climax.{{cite news|title=Movie Review: Rang De Basanti |last=Adarsh |first=Taran |work=The Indian Express |date=26 January 2006 |url=http://www.expressindia.com/news/fullstory.php?newsid=62035 |access-date=23 March 2008 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090923032414/http://www.expressindia.com/news/fullstory.php?newsid=62035 |archive-date=23 September 2009 }} Praising the film's cast for their performance and the cinematography of Binod Pradhan, Taran Ardash wrote that the film would be successful with the urban audiences. The Hindustan Times summarised the film as being a "well-scripted, skilfully crafted [and] thought-provoking entertainer".{{cite news|title=Is Rang De Basanti India's best bet? |last=Chatterjee |first=Saibal |work=Hindustan Times |date=26 September 2006 |url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/StoryPage.aspx?id=e3446020-b25f-40db-8ee1-b88eafffd885 |access-date=23 March 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090107122012/http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/StoryPage.aspx?id=e3446020-b25f-40db-8ee1-b88eafffd885 |archive-date=7 January 2009 }} Saisuresh Sivaswamy of Rediff.com wrote that films like Rang De Basanti can easily get into "preachiness", but believed Mehra got his message across while avoiding this, also appreciating the music, cinematography, dialogues and art direction.{{cite news|title=Rang De Basanti: young and restless |last=Sivaswamy |first=Saisuresh |work=Rediff.com |date=26 January 2006 |url=http://in.rediff.com/movies/2006/jan/26rdb.htm |access-date=23 March 2008 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080219095337/http://in.rediff.com/movies/2006/jan/26rdb.htm |archive-date=19 February 2008 }} The Hindu credited Kamlesh Pandey for writing a story that would have been a difficult film to make, but it added by saying that the transformation of the youngsters into heroes seemed poetic. Although the screenplay, direction and the cast were also well-appreciated, the reviewer felt that Rahman's soundtrack lacked pace.{{cite news|title=Both dream and nightmare |last=Kamath |first=Sudhish |work=The Hindu |date=3 February 2006 |url=http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/fr/2006/02/03/stories/2006020302480300.htm |access-date=4 May 2008 |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080225091011/http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/fr/2006/02/03/stories/2006020302480300.htm |archive-date=25 February 2008}}

The film also received positive reviews from critics outside India. The review from the BBC gave it the highest possible five star rating and added that it was "an entertaining mix of romance, history and social commentary".{{cite news|title=Movie Review: Rang De Basanti (Paint It Saffron) |last=Pandohar |first=Jaspreet |publisher=BBC |date=25 January 2006 |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/films/2006/01/27/rang_de_basanti_2006_review.shtml?display=1 |access-date=23 March 2008 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121111194243/http://www.bbc.co.uk/films/2006/01/27/rang_de_basanti_2006_review.shtml?display=1 |archive-date=11 November 2012 }} The Bloomberg website wrote positively about "the raw energy of a young cast and A. R. Rahman's splendidly rousing soundtrack".{{cite news|title=Aamir Khan's Rang de Basanti Has Raw Energy: Movie Review |last=Mohideen |first=Nabeel |publisher=Bloomberg.com |date=1 February 2006 |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000088&sid=aLgKdgt4AprM&refer=culture |access-date=23 March 2008 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071008133922/http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000088 |archive-date= 8 October 2007 }}

Sight & Sound magazine conducts a poll every ten years of the world's finest film directors to find out the Ten Greatest Films of All Time. This poll has been going since 1992, and has become the most recognised{{cite web|url=https://www.rogerebert.com/rogers-journal/the-best-damned-film-list-of-them-all |title=The Best Damned Film list of them all |work=Roger Ebert Journal |access-date=26 December 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140113193804/http://www.rogerebert.com/rogers-journal/the-best-damned-film-list-of-them-all |archive-date=13 January 2014 }} poll of its kind in the world. In 2012{{cite web|url=http://explore.bfi.org.uk/sightandsoundpolls/2012/voter/920 |title=Cyrus Frisch |work=explore.bfi.org |access-date=26 December 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131117170914/http://explore.bfi.org.uk/sightandsoundpolls/2012/voter/920 |archive-date=17 November 2013 }} Cyrus Frisch voted for "Rang De Basanti". Frisch commented: "Corruption became the subject of fierce debate in India after the major success of this film among youngsters."

The film was mentioned in critic and author Shubhra Gupta's book, 50 Films That Changed Bollywood, 1995–2015.{{cite book|title=50 Films That Changed Bollywood, 1995–2015|last=Gupta|first=Shubhra|publisher=Harper Collins|year=2016|isbn=9789351778486}}

A major point of criticism the film faced was regarding the possibility of the Indian Army attacking students in a radio station. When Rakeysh was questioned about the same in a scriptwriter's conference conducted by the Film Writers Association in the year 2008, he said the following, "So, in 2005, in Allahabad, a bunch of 4 students took the TV station there, and they were shot dead. Everything I did, it was kind of borrowed, as I said right here. Obviously, what I am also learning is the way I tell a story is not real; you can term it as a-real. For maximum impact, for the message to go through, I felt—since the story was against the establishment—let the establishment do it. After all, the establishment did hang Bhagat Singh. After all, the establishment did come down on the innocent, innocent students in Mandal Commission. After all the establishment did come down on Tiananmen Square. After all the establishment did come down when the whole concept of Flower Power emerged in America. So it's all there. It's borrowed, maybe not as realistically, but it is definitely there in the society. During emergency, there are horror stories. If we have to go back to Kriplani and his movement in Bihar, the stories are absolutely horrific."{{Cite AV media|website=YouTube|publisher=Film Writers Association|title=IS THE INDIAN SCRIPT UNIQUE|date=13 April 2012|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8BFSpBoX9uM&t=1h5m57s|time=1:05:57|access-date=1 August 2016}}

Since the film "reflected contemporary Indian reality and had cinematic excellence", it was chosen as India's official entry for the 79th Academy Awards despite stiff competition from films such as Krrish, Omkara, Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna and Lage Raho Munna Bhai.{{cite news|title=Rang De Basanti chosen for Oscars |publisher=BBC |date=26 September 2006 |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/5380456.stm |access-date=27 June 2008 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080113160322/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/5380456.stm |archive-date=13 January 2008 }}{{cite news|title=Bollywood film Rang de Basanti is India's entry for Oscars |publisher=Monstersandcritics.com |date=26 September 2006 |url=http://www.monstersandcritics.com/movies/news/article_1204983.php/Bollywood_film_Rang_de_Basanti_is_Indias_entry_for_Oscars |access-date=27 June 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081212011233/http://www.monstersandcritics.com/movies/news/article_1204983.php/Bollywood_film_Rang_de_Basanti_is_Indias_entry_for_Oscars |archive-date=12 December 2008 }} While discussing if the selection committee's choice was correct, critics felt that the academy members could have better related with Omkara, an adaptation of Shakespeare's play Othello.{{cite news|title=Will Rang De Basanti make the Oscars cut? |work=The Economic Times |last=Doctor |first=Vikram |date=26 September 2006 |url=http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/2027029.cms |access-date=27 June 2008 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090111164136/http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/2027029.cms |archive-date=11 January 2009 }} Despite these qualms and Mehra's belief that his film did not stand a chance at the Oscars,{{cite news|title=An Oscar for the mantelpiece |work=The Times of India |date=5 September 2006 |url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/lucknow-times/an-oscar-for-the-mantelpiece/articleshow/1960026.cms |access-date=27 June 2008 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121111132655/http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/lucknow-times/An-Oscar-for-the-mantelpiece/articleshow/1960026.cms |archive-date=11 November 2012 }} the efforts to publicise the film in the United States began earnestly. Music composer A. R. Rahman performed several concerts across the East Coast to promote the film. Besides his efforts, producer Screwvala planned to use resources and expertise from his partners in 20th Century Fox and Walt Disney Pictures for organising its publicity efforts.{{cite news|title=Aamir's Oscar plans for Rang De Basanti |work=Rediff.com |date=27 September 2006 |url=http://www.rediff.com/movies/2006/sep/27oscar.htm |access-date=27 June 2008 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061016210512/http://www.rediff.com/movies/2006/sep/27oscar.htm |archive-date=16 October 2006 }} When the nominations in the foreign film category did not feature this film, it sparked off debates on whether the film should have been India's entry for the Oscars. In one such debate on a television channel that involved Screwvala, the selection committee was questioned about its knowledge of the requisite artistic criteria for such award ceremonies. While one outcome of the debate was on how Omkara would have been a better choice, the other discussed the West-centric sensibilities of the academy members. However, results from a simultaneously conducted SMS poll indicated that 62 percent felt that the film was the right choice for the Oscars.{{cite news|title=Why Rang De Basanti was the wrong one for Oscar? |publisher=Moneycontrol.com |date=18 January 2007 |url=http://www.moneycontrol.com/india/newsarticle/stocksnews.php?cid=1&autono=31493&source=ibnlive.com |agency=IBNLive.com |access-date=27 June 2008 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110723180435/http://www.moneycontrol.com/india/newsarticle/stocksnews.php?cid=1&autono=31493&source=ibnlive.com |archive-date=23 July 2011 }}

|- style="background:#d9e8ff;"

| style="text-align:center;" colspan="3"|

;Total number of awards and nominations{{efn|Awards in certain categories do not have prior nominations and only winners are announced by the jury. For simplification and to avoid errors, each award in this list has been presumed to have had a prior nomination.}}

|-

|{{won|Totals}}

|{{won|50}}

|{{nom|112}}

|- style="background:#d9e8ff;"

| colspan="3" style="font-size: smaller; text-align:center;" | References

|}

The film was selected as India's official entry to the 79th Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Film but it was not Nominated.{{cite news|access-date=21 April 2009 |url=http://news.webindia123.com/news/new/archives/ar_showdetails.asp?id=461910&cat=India&n_date=2006 |title=Rang De Basanti, India's official entry to Oscars |date=26 September 2006 |work=Webindia123.com |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120307132234/http://news.webindia123.com/news/new/archives/ar_showdetails.asp?id=461910&cat=India&n_date=2006 |archive-date= 7 March 2012 }}

File:RDB advertisements.jpg

Rang De Basanti had a noticeable impact on Indian society. A study of bloggers behavioural patterns during the first month of the film's release revealed a significant increase in public ire towards government and politicians for constantly being mired in corruption and bureaucracy and their inefficiency in providing basic amenities. Intense political discussions spurred on by the film's influence were observed in these patterns. While commenting on this, writer D'Silva said that the film "has struck a chord somewhere".{{cite news|access-date=15 June 2008 |url=http://www.rediff.com/movies/2006/feb/14rang.htm |title=Vajpayee sings Rang De tune! |first=Nanditta |last=Chibber |date=14 February 2006 |work=Rediff.com |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070817180931/http://www.rediff.com/movies/2006/feb/14rang.htm |archive-date=17 August 2007 }} Besides instigating political thought and discussions, it evoked social awakening for many. Some discussions rallied on how citizens should support and contribute to non-governmental organisations and exercising simple citizen duties of paying taxes and voting, while the others contemplated on how to become more responsible towards the country. Unlike other Indian films with jingoistic overtones, many young Indians could relate well to the characters of this film.{{cite news |access-date=17 February 2009 |url=http://www1.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Cities/Hyderabad_Times/GenX_patriotism_The_new_formula_/articleshow/msid-1400916,curpg-1.cms |title=GenX patriotism: The new formula |first=Nikita |last=Doval |work=The Times of India |date=4 February 2006 |series=Hyderabad Times |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090111112911/http://www1.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Cities/Hyderabad_Times/GenX_patriotism_The_new_formula_/articleshow/msid-1400916,curpg-1.cms |archive-date=11 January 2009 |df=dmy-all }}

While such reactions were observed on the Internet, youth activism took to streets to protest on public interest issues. A direct impact was on the 1999 Jessica Lall Murder Case, one of the high-profile murder cases in India. A month after the film's release, a court acquitted the main accused because of inefficient prosecution and hostile witnesses.{{cite news|access-date=15 June 2008 |url=http://www.rediff.com/news/2006/feb/21manu.htm |title=Manu Sharma, eight others acquitted in Jessica murder case |date=21 February 2006 |work=Rediff.com |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081004044930/http://www.rediff.com/news/2006/feb/21manu.htm |archive-date= 4 October 2008 }} This sparked intense civil protests and media campaigns that sought his re-arrest. Taking cue from the scene in which the protagonists hold a silent, candlelight vigil at New Delhi's India Gate, one such group of demonstrators carried out a similar rally to voice their protest.{{cite news|access-date=15 June 2008 |url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9506E3DB1031F930A25750C0A9609C8B63 |title=Acquittal in Killing Unleashes Ire at India's Rich |first=Somini |last=Sengupta |date=13 March 2006 |work=The New York Times |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121107102725/http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9506E3DB1031F930A25750C0A9609C8B63 |archive-date= 7 November 2012 }} Shortly thereafter, a survey was conducted to assess reasons for the sudden upsurge in people's social involvements. Eighteen percent of the respondents felt that movies like Rang De Basanti were the main reason behind it.{{cite news|access-date=15 June 2008 |url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/bombay-times/we-will-not-take-things-lying-down-anymore/articleshow/1531536.cms |title=We will not take things lying down anymore |first=Purnima |last=Sharma |date=15 May 2006 |work=The Times of India |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121113055016/http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/bombay-times/We-will-not-take-things-lying-down-anymore/articleshow/1531536.cms |archive-date=13 November 2012 }} Another such massive youth activism was seen in the Priyadarshini Mattoo rape and murder case where similar rallies were organised in India, United States and around the world.{{cite news |access-date=15 June 2008 |url=http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/videos.aspx?id=4978 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120908064437/http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/videos.aspx?id=4978 |url-status=dead |archive-date=8 September 2012 |title=Making a difference |publisher=NDTV }}{{cite news|access-date=15 June 2008 |url=http://www.hindu.com/2006/07/24/stories/2006072413180100.htm |title=Seeking justice in Priyadarshini murder case |date=24 July 2006 |work=The Hindu |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090624130522/http://www.hindu.com/2006/07/24/stories/2006072413180100.htm |archive-date=24 June 2009 }} Following the release of the film, another social outcry was against the introduction of reservations for socially backward classes in educational institutions. Young doctors and engineers joined hands in peaceful rallies in major cities across India.{{cite news|access-date=15 June 2008 |url=http://www.businessweek.com/globalbiz/content/may2006/gb20060519_993959.htm |title=India's Affirmative Action Rocks the Boat |date=19 May 2006 |last=Kripalani |first=Manjeet |work=BusinessWeek |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080514080830/http://www.businessweek.com/globalbiz/content/may2006/gb20060519_993959.htm |archive-date=14 May 2008 }} Though the film was not released in the neighbouring Pakistan, it evoked similar reactions there. Inspired by the film, Pakistan's national newspaper, Jang, launched a television channel that was to focus on citizens' issues and support public awakening.{{cite news|access-date=24 August 2008 |url=http://www.paktribune.com/news/index.shtml?154528 |title=Rang De Basanti inspires new Pakistani news channel |date=18 September 2006 |work=The Pak Tribune |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061022090912/http://www.paktribune.com/news/index.shtml?154528 |archive-date=22 October 2006 }} Reacting to these strong social reactions, actor Kunal Kapoor thought that the film was just a catalyst that presented "patriotism in a package that the youngsters understood and empathised with".{{cite news|access-date=16 August 2008 |url=http://www1.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1434954.cms |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090114100731/http://www1.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1434954.cms |url-status=dead |archive-date=14 January 2009 |title=Why are we embarrassed to show love for India? |date=24 January 2007 |last=Sharma |first=Jyoti |work=The Times of India}}

In the Indian media, frequent referencing of the film was evident, with many brands using pictorials from the movie.{{cite web|access-date=27 June 2008 |url=http://www.amul.com/2005hits/page15.html |title=Amul Hits of 2005–2006 |publisher=Amul |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080829203144/http://www.amul.com/2005hits/page15.html |archive-date=29 August 2008 }} In addition, the media also uses the terms "RDB" (abbreviated title of the movie) and "RDB effect" while referring to instances of public activism on matters of public interest. When the 2007 University of Delhi Student Elections focused more on the important issues facing the students than in the previous years, one student referred to this as the "RDB Syndrome".{{cite web|access-date=5 July 2008 |date=11 November 2007 |url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2007-11-11/special-report/27953535_1_jnusu-elections-student-politics-aisf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121021041515/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2007-11-11/special-report/27953535_1_jnusu-elections-student-politics-aisf |url-status=dead |archive-date=21 October 2012 |title=Campus netagiri gets radical |last=Saxena |work=The Times of India |first=Shobhan }} On similar lines, Kamal Sunavala wrote a play titled Under the Influence which focuses on a young Indian expatriate whose life changes after watching this film.{{cite news|access-date=27 June 2008 |url=http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp?newsid=1124157 |title=Play it again, son! |date=28 September 2007 |last=Guha |first=Aniruddha |newspaper=Daily News & Analysis |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090115015528/http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp?newsid=1124157 |archive-date=15 January 2009 }}

{{Portal|India|Bollywood|Film}}

• Dilip, Meghna (2008), "[http://scholarworks.umass.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1116&context=theses Rang De Basanti – Consumption, Citizenship And The Public Sphere]", Master of Arts Thesis, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, February 2008.

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• {{IMDb title|0405508|Rang De Basanti}}
• {{Rotten Tomatoes|rang_de_basanti}}
• {{Mojo title|rangdebasanti}}
• [http://www.rediff.com/movies/rangde.htm Rang De Basanti] at Rediff.com

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