by Subhash K Jha

Two weeks after its release it's crystal-clear that Rang De Basanti has gone beyond being a flick-of-the-finger experience.

The ramifications are far and wide. And director Rakeysh Mehra is personally visiting every major city in the country to see how the film has connected with people.

"The credit must go to the audiences for its success. It's crazy...I was at Abhishek's birthday bash on Sunday night. The entire industry was there. Everyone from actors, directors to producers came up to me to speak about Rang De Basanti. Now I'm dying to show the film to Amitji. I'm feeling incomplete without his viewing the film."

In a day or two Mr Bachchan is expected to visit a theatre close to his home to watch his Aks director's achievement. "From Day- 1 of release he has been in touch. The day the film was ready, Amitji was the first one I called. The second weekend...and it's still going houseful. It hasn't gone to the 'C' centres yet. The prints are consumed by 'A' and 'B' centres. My Mumbai distributor Anil Thadani educated me on the collections. Earlier there were twenty-eight shows per week. Now it's like fourteen shows per day. So technically the film has already completed 100 days."

The film has triggered off a debate on communal strife. "It was so important for Om Puriji to play the brief part of a Muslim father. I needed a powerful voice. It had to be the voice of the minority. It had to be convincing. I was in Ahmedabad on Monday. I was invited by Ashok Bohra (who pioneered the multiplex movement in Gujarat ) to see the film in Old Ahmedabad which is a riot-sensitive area.

I had a really rewarding time. Suddenly I realized I was watching the film with a very sensitive audience. The Hindu-Muslim issue in Rang De Basanti concerned them. I spoke to the audience after the film. In fact the next show was delayed by half an hour while I spoke to the audience which was seventy percent Muslim and thirty percent Hindu. We had an informal debate.They were very happy with my film because it propagates the idea of living in communal harmony."

The film's relevances are multiplying with every passing day. "I'm just a cog in the wheel. Rang De Basanti is a venting of so many ideas simmering within me. Please try to understand, I'm not important. The film is. But I can't allow myself to be weighed down by these considerations. A lady in Ahmedabad asked me to do more films like Rang De Basanti which provoke thought.

But I can't be holier-than-thou about it. I can't whip up an identical sincerity and passion within myself. Things that bother you come out on screen. There're so many other issues other than the ones in Rang De...Just because it worked I can't take on the role of social reformist. If and when it happens again, it will. I've to completely believe in what I do."

Rakeysh has already been to Kolkata and Delhi with his cast. On Wednesday he's in Hyderabad. He's in Bangalore on Friday and Chennai on Saturday. "The IIT in Chennai will hold a screening for 3000 students in an open-air theatre...It's done very well abroad.It's gone beyond anything I had ever anticipated."

Rakeysh is shy when asked about the success bash in Mumbai. "It was my producer Ronnie Scewvala. He threw a small bash and put my name as a host. We hadn't really celebrated the film's completition or success."

For the first time in living memory a film hasn't been bitched out by jealous elements in the industry. "I'm lucky. They love my film. The best message came from Arshad Warsi. He said, 'Even the film's food is a hit.'. Both Arshad and I are passionate about food. At one time I had offered Arshad a role in Rang De Basanti.

They've understood...kuch to hai...kuch to ho rahaa hai...The film has gone out of my hands. It's no more my film. I've quietly stepped back. People say I've opened a pandora's box. But I've actually closed it. I had pre-conceived notions about how the film industry reacts to others' successes. But when I see their genuine love for Rang De Basanti I'm pleasantly surprised....I want to go to every city in India and see personally how the film has connected."