Swades (2004)
"Swades: We, the People" (original title)

A successful Indian scientist returns to an Indian village to take his nanny to America with him and in the process rediscovers his roots.

Director:

Ashutosh Gowariker

Writers:

M.G. Sathya (story), Ashutosh Gowariker (story),

Stars:

Shah Rukh Khan, Gayatri Joshi, Kishori Balal

12 wins & 23 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Shah Rukh Khan	...	Mohan Bhargav
Gayatri Joshi	...	Gita
Kishori Balal	...	Kaveri amma
Smith Seth	...	Chiku (as Master Smith Seth)
Lekh Tandon	...	Dadaji - Freedom Fighter
Rajesh Vivek	...	Nivaran Dayal Shrivastav
Daya Shankar Pandey	...	Mela Ram
Farrukh Jaffar	...	Fatima Bi
Vishnudutt Gaur
Raja Awasthi
Vishwa S. Badola	...	(as Visshwa S. Badola)
Bhim Vakani
Rahul Vohra	...	Vinod (as Rahul Vora)
Rajesh Balwani
Bachan Pachehra	...	(as Bachan Pachera)

Storyline

Set in modern day India, Swades is a film that tackles the issues that development throws up on a grass root level. It is to this India, which is colorful, heterogeneous and complex that Mohan Bhargava (Shah Rukh Khan), a bright young scientist working as a project manager in NASA, returns to on a quest to find his childhood nanny. The film uses the contrast between the highly developed world of NASA, which has been at the forefront of advances in space research, and this world back home in India, which is at the crossroads of development. Mohan's simple quest becomes the journey that every one of us goes through in search of that metaphysical and elusive place called "home".

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Plot Keywords:

india | village | nasa | postmaster | childhood nanny | 

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Taglines:

We, the people

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Genres:

Drama

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

India

Language:

Hindi English

Release Date:

17 December 2004 (India)

Also Known As:

Swades

Filming Locations:

Goddard Space Flight Center - Greenbelt Road, Greenbelt, Maryland, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

£96,842 (UK) (17 December 2004)

Gross:

$1,223,240 (USA) (4 February 2005)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Ashutosh Gowariker Productions Pvt. Ltd., Dillywood, UTV Motion Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

210 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital Dolby SR Mono

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

When Mohan and the villagers get together in the school for a celebration, we can see a blackboard in the background with a design drawn on it with chalk. That design is actually the logo of Ashutosh Gowariker Productions.

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Goofs

In the beginning of the song "Yeh Raasta Hai"(after picking up the stranger en route to Charanpur), the song is shown as being played on the caravan's stereo. But in the shots of the media player, it doesn't display anything, indicating that it is actually not switched on.

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Quotes

Fatima Bi: Apne hi paani me mil jaana barf ka muqqadar hota hai.

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Connections

Referenced in Golmaal: Fun Unlimited (2006)

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Soundtracks

"Pal Pal Hai Bhaari"
Instrumental: Flute
Composed by A.R. Rahman

User Reviews

An Excellent Movie with an excellent backdrop

A worth watching Movie by Ashutosh Gowariker.

Leaves a impression on mind after you have seen the movie.

Though there are technical faults in the storyline yet those can be left aside on the backdrop of a heart-touching theme. A theme for the people who are leaving their countries / states in search of a better life without realising the fact that they can create a better living environment at home itself.

An insight on the problems of India whose underdeveloped part is somehow or other responsible for itself for the underdevelopment. The social jinx in the rural India which should have been broken long before are now hampering the progress of the villages.

The movie is another Gem after Lagaan in the collection of Ashutosh and Indian Cinema as a whole.

Great Job by Shahrukh. Exquisite appearance by Gayatri. Grand Show by Ashutosh.

Purnendu