Rang De Basanti, a milestone film in Indian cinema, was soon completing 20 years of its release. A special screening of the film was organized on this occasion. However, due to the sudden death of former Lok Sabha MP Ajit Pawar, mourning has spread across the country, and in this background, the makers of Rang De Basanti have decided to postpone this special screening.

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Directed by director Rakesh Omprakash Mehra, Rang De Basanti starred Aamir Khan, Siddharth Suryanarayan, Soha Ali Khan, Sharman Joshi, Kunal Kapoor, Atul Kulkarni and veteran actor Anupam Kher in lead roles. Released in 2006, the film made a huge impact not only at the box office, but also at the social and ideological levels.

An effective confluence of patriotism, youth discontent, anti-establishment questions and ideological awareness was seen in Rang De Basanti. This film is said to have changed the direction of storytelling in Indian cinema. The film became a social movement that made the young generation think. The story of the journey from a “sleeping citizen” to an “aware citizen” feels just as relevant today.

Meanwhile, the entire country is mourning the untimely death of former Lok Sabha MP Ajit Pawar. Active in public life, his death has been mourned in the political, social and cultural spheres. Against this backdrop, the makers of Rang De Basanti took a sensitive stance and decided to suspend the festival programme.

The makers have expressed their feelings by sharing an official statement on social media. In the post, he wrote, “Due to the untimely death of Mr. Ajit Pawar ji and in view of the mourning period in the state, the special screening of Rang De Basanti scheduled for January 30 has been postponed. We mourn with the entire nation and express our heartfelt condolences.”

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This decision has been welcomed by many on social media and the sensitivity of the makers is being appreciated. Meanwhile, it has been informed that the new date of the special screening will be announced soon. While on one hand the historical journey of a film like Rang De Basanti is being remembered, on the other hand the country is mourning the death of an important personality. In this background, this decision is considered to be a sign of social responsibility.