Swades (2004)

Swades Overview

It is movies that can make you laugh, movies that can make you cry, and then there are the movies that slowly shift your perspective on your own life. The last group of texts includes Swades (2004). Swades is directed by Ashutosh Gowariker, starring Mohan Bhargava, an Indian scientist whose childhood friend Kaveri Amma grew up in the United States with NASA, and who is now back in India looking for her. The journey begins as an individual one, but slowly turns into something bigger. Mohan is suddenly faced with a host of issues that are challenging him: poverty, inequality, casteism, poor education and the complex position of many Indians who live outside their country but have a stake in their homeland.
In fact, Swades isn’t even a movie about an Indian preference for India over America.

Swades Info

Director : Ashutosh Gowariker
Writer : Ashutosh Gowarikere, M. G. Sathya, Lalit Marathe
Producer : Ashutosh Gowriker, Ronnie Screwvala
Release Date : 17 December, 2004
Starring : Shah Rukh Khan, Gayatri Joshi, Kishori Ballal Production House : Ashutosh Gowariker Production, UTV Motion Pictures
Music Director : A. R. Rahman
Cinematographer : Mahesh Aney
Editor : Sandeep Francis
Genre : Drama
Language : Hindi
Runtime : 189 Minutes (3Hours 9 Minutes)

Swades Story Highlights

Mohan has established himself in the United States in the beginning of Swades. He is an integral part of his work at NASA, he is comfortable, and he is well accepted in his professional life. He goes to India to look into Kaveri Amma’s past to find her in a village called Charanpur where she is living with her children now. His goal is only short term. He wants to take her back to the USA where he can take care of her. However, Charanpur begins to prove his theory wrong. While Mohan finds a community warm and kind, it is also a community that faces poverty, social division, illiteracy and a lack of basic infrastructure. He doesn’t just take the village for granted,This is where Swades is more interesting than a typical “return to one’s roots” tale. Mohan is not suddenly nostalgic for the old India, and does not leave her behind. Instead, his knowledge of India deepens. He starts to see the problem and opportunities in it.

Plot

Swades is about NASA scientist Mohan Bhargava, who comes back to India to look for his mother, Kaveri Amma, who raised him. He goes to a small rural village and starts to think about bringing her back to the USA. Yet he is exposed to poverty, social inequality, poor education and lack of basic infrastructure as he spends his time in those areas. He slowly starts to feel more at ease with the villagers, particularly teacher Gita. Mohan, with his knowledge of science and technology, decides to aid the community in generating electricity through a small hydroelectric project. His journey turns from just meeting someone from his past to realizing his own connection to India and that one can make an impact by taking responsibility.

Pros

• Powerful story, Personal and social responsibility.
• Shah Rukh Khan’s acting: Mohan Bhargava’s character is played by Shah Rukh Khan, who seems to be very natural and believable in this role.
• Demonstrates patriotism in action and in contribution, not speech.
• Excellent music A. R. Rahman’s musical score gives the story a touch of emotion.
• The film is warm and authentic because of its memorable characters, Gita, Kaveri Amma and the villagers.

Cons

• Slow pacing: Certain scenes may be too long for those who are used to high-speed movies.
• Idealistic moments: Some answers and character ideas may seem a bit simplistic.
• Poor commercial entertainment: It is devoid of the usual action, comedy or romance elements of Bollywood films.

Background Information

Final Thought

Swades (2004) is a more than a Shah Rukh Khan film, a patriotic film, or an NRI coming back to India film. It’s a movie about belonging. It questions if success equates with being completely removed from those who shaped you and those places. It challenges the idea that education is only about what you can make and your identity as a professional, but instead it’s also about the problems you can solve.

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