Sharman Joshi celebrates 20 years of Rang De Basanti, says it is a cult film hindi cinema will remember forever

Rang de basnti marked 20 years

• Rang De Basanti marks 20 years, Sharman Joshi recalls fond memories of filming
• The film set box office records and won the National Award for Best Popular Film.
• Rang De Basanti, a cult classic, shapes youth and patriotism themes in cinema.

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Rang De Basanti celebrates its 20th anniversary today, taking Sharman Joshi down memory lane. Directed by Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra, the film not only captivated audiences but also became a cultural touchstone that transformed how Hindi cinema viewed themes of youth and patriotism. “Time flies,” says Sharman, expressing sincere happiness and gratitude for having been part of a rare film that continues to resonate with viewers long after its release.

“Rang De Basanti is a memorable film, a cult film and a film that Hindi cinema will remember forever. I was fortunate and blessed enough to be a part of a rare cinema that continues to touch people from across generations. For me, Rang De Basanti and 3 Idiots stand at the top throughout my work, and I feel so fortunate that I was given the opportunity by the Almighty, the directors and producers - to be part of such wonderful films,” he expresses.

Further, the actor looks back at the shooting days, recalling memories where shooting the film didn’t feel like work! “I had the most fun shooting the film, it never felt like work - but every scene, every laugh every shot and every emotion added to my experience that I will cherish forever,” he adds.

Upon release, Rang De Basanti broke all box office records in India, becoming the country's highest-grossing film in its opening weekend and holding the highest opening-day collections for a Hindi film. Rang De Basanti grabbed the honour of a National Film Award for Best Popular Film and was also nominated for Best Foreign Language Film at the 2007 BAFTA Awards. Additionally, the film was also chosen as India’s official entry for the Golden Globe Awards and Academy Awards in the Best Foreign Language Film category.

Also read: Sharman Joshi shares update on father-in-law Prem Chopra’s health, expresses gratitude to cardiologists after successful TAVI procedure

Overall, the coming-of-age political action film became a landmark creation in Sharman Joshi’s career, which saw him merge friendship as well as patriotism alongside co-stars Aamir Khan, Siddharth, Atul Kulkarni, Kunal Kapoor, Alice Patten, Waheeda Rehman and Soha Ali Khan.