A lot of rage, a little Rang De
May 24, Midnight: Laughter
There is a buzz, suddenly. More students move into the carpeted area. Up front, a resident doctor adjusts the projector connected to his laptop. The cloth backdrop lights up, and a movie begins.
Aamir Khan's Rang de Basanti.
The film opens with an exhortation to India's youth, asking them to wake up. The students cheer loudly. Some applaud. On screen, Aamir and his friends drive around India Gate, bottles of beer in hand, heads shaking to the hit track Apni Tho Paathshaala Masti Ki Paathshaala...
It is a strange picture -- Bollywood's colourful heroes inciting India's future doctors to rebellion. Maybe cinema really can change the world. The film continues, its bloody end set to occur later in the wee hours.
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