Celebrating 'Swades'

As the nation celebrates its seventieth year of Independence, we Indians have a lot to be proud of. We have come a long way and we are well on the way to becoming a country that the world looks up to. We are also fortunate to have a leader like Shri. Narendra Modi who is trying to make a difference in the lives of the common people through countless welfare schemes. There are oppositions, still he is going strong. This reminds me of a movie that drove home the point made by Mahatma Gandhi – “Hesitating to act because the whole vision might not be achieved, or because others do not share it, is an attitude that only hinders progress “ . The movie was ‘Swades’, directed by Ashutosh Gowariker, starring Shah Rukh Khan in the lead role, and released in the year 2004. It is one of those rare jewels of Indian Cinema which portrayed patriotism in a very subtle manner using a simple but moving tale. It is undoubtedly one of the best patriotic movies of our times, perhaps the best.

‘Swades’ tells the story of protagonist Mohan Bhargava, a Project Manager at NASA, played by Shah Rukh Khan, who comes to India for a short while and how that journey changes his perspective about his country and his duties and obligations towards the people of the country. The movie was released at a time when brain drain was on a rise, with the I.T boom luring many qualified Indian professionals to pursue career opportunities abroad. I remember, I was in the first year of my engineering degree at that time. The only dream that we youngsters had at that time was to complete our engineering degree and secure a high paying I.T job in the U.S. This movie was an eye-opener for many such youngsters who were forced to rethink.   

This Independence Day, let’s celebrate the spirit of ‘Swades’. Here’s why ‘Swades’ makes for a re-watch if you’ve watched it earlier, or why it a must-watch if you haven’t.  Lessons from ‘Swades’ and some of the most memorable scenes from the movie:

Be it your parents or your country, they need your support

Ever wondered why that feeling of going home always brings an inexplicable feeling of joy and peace in our hearts. One of the reasons is the voices and faces that greet us as we open the doors of our homes. Our homes do not feel complete without the elders – grandparents and parents. Merely seeing their face itself gives us such relief. However it is a pity that in many homes, elderly do not get the love and affection they deserve, and are forced to stay in old-age homes, as their sons and daughters leave them in pursuit of their career or riches. The film draws a parallel between children who in their selfish desire to achieve success in life abandon their parents, and citizens who leave their country in search of better opportunities abroad. Just like our parents and elders need the support of their children, our country too needs the support of its people.

We all are one

There are numerous instances in the movie, where the topic of gender inequality and caste system comes up. The movie throws light on the inequalities that still exist in certain parts of India, discrimination based on a person’s caste and discrimination based on gender. It tells us that what has been going on for ages doesn’t necessarily have to be right. If it is wrong, it has to be changed.

Stand up for what is right and take action rather than blaming each other

The movie teaches us that one should always stand up for what one believes is right, whether others believe in it or not, whether others support you or not. Instead of blaming each other for things that are going wrong, the movie urges us to take collective action and set things right.

There is a part of India that is still struggling to make ends meet

One of the most moving, heart-wrenching scenes of the movie is the one where Mohan meets a farmer who tells him about his plight, about how he ended up losing everything he had, due to the injustice meted out to him by the society. It is one of the turning points of the movie.  While there is a part of India that is making rapid progress, there is a part of India that is still struggling to make ends meet, to stay alive. Majority of the people who are economically well-off are either unaware of this latter section of the public or conveniently chose to ignore them. An eye-opener of a scene this one, credits to the actors and the director for portraying the emotions so well. Don’t be surprised if your eyes well-up after watching this scene.

The nation beckons

This one goes without mentioning; when you have a lyricist like Javed Akhtar penning the lyrics and a maestro like A.R Rahman composing and singing the song, the result is a masterpiece. Every Indian’s heart skips a beat when they hear “Yeh jo des hai tera” from Swades. Even after all these years, the song still continues to tug at our hearts. What better way to say that the nation beckons than this beautiful song.

Serving your country takes you places

There is no feeling better than the one of having made a difference in the lives of the people of your country. While some may argue that a job back home, may not always have the same perks as a job abroad, the pride and joy of serving one’s nation is unparalleled. One of my favourite scenes in the movie is where Mohan is leaving NASA and his Manager at NASA tells him, “You could have gone places” to which he replies, “I am going places”.  

‘Swades’ is a movie that not only makes us realize our love for the nation, it also makes us realize the goodness of people. It is a movie that I always go back to whenever I feel low in life, whenever I feel the need for some inspiration in life. There is a saying in Malayalam, “Nattinpuram nanmakalal samrudham” which translates to “Villages abound in goodness” in English. One of the reasons why this movie touched a chord with many of us is the setting of the movie – the village which has a nostalgic feel to it, and the endearing characters in the movie – from the protagonist to the different people in the village, all of whom we can very well relate to, and yes, that feeling of homecoming that just warms everyone's hearts.

With an IMDB rating of 8.3, this movie is definitely worth watching, more than once. If you still haven’t watched it, what better time to watch it than now, when the feeling of patriotism is in the air with Independence Day celebrations still on. This Independence Day as we salute the heroes who got us our independence, let's also salute the unsung heroes who have dedicated their whole lives towards serving the nation and making it a better place for its people. Jai Hind!