Rakeysh got his first cycle in class XI

I got a chance to relive my days of youth, college and all, when I was making “Rang De Basanti”. Many scenes in the movie have been carved out of my own experiences in my college days – things that me and my friends used to do and say.
I am from DU, from SRCC and the whole political undertone in Delhi during those days – my growing up years – was all reflected in the movie.So whether it was the college or the hangouts where we used to go frequently, they are all there in “RDB”. We also used to go to India Gate, salute the soldier memorial, go for an evening sair, have ice creams – you know, that’s so Delhi even today.
And in those days, we, me and my friends, saw a lot of Delhi. We used to go to Surajkund, drink beer and fall into the water in the pond there. And we always wanted to change the world. So you saw a lot of the Delhi of my days reflected in “RDB” too. And I must say I’ve had every experience integral to Delhi’s middle class families in those days. DTC was the prime mode of transport and I still remember having an All Route Bus Pass. Every month, we used renew the pass in Connaught Place – there was a place there where the students could get a discount and get a pass for `12.50. I still remember the bus route I used to take most often – 611 – though I don’t know if buses still run that route.
I belong to DU – even today. And that sense of belonging comes from the fact that my college days have given me a lot – whatever I am, it’s because of the college I went to, did the things that I did with my friends, and because I was able to sense what true freedom is in those days. I have been shaped during my DU days.
Though I was a sportsman, I could see and feel the extremely vibrant political undertone in the campus. That is why I perhaps connect with the youth so much, and my movies too show that connect. I feel blessed. Even in those days, I was politically very ‘alive’. I would read and imbibe all that was happening around me – and a reflection of that is what you get to see in my movies. Having said that, I was a confirmed vela – technically, I was the chief vela of my college. The day we could collect 100 rupees between the four or five of us, we used to head to ISBT, buy a one way ticket and end up somewhere in the Himalayas. Aur wapas aane ka paisa kahan se aayega, uska kuch pata nahi. We used to just head out. Somebeody would see us and go back and tell our folks ke woh phir se chale gaye.
Velapanti – it is such a unique characteristic of Delhi, only a true Delhiite would understand the value of the phrase. That is why in “RDB” the boys were shown doing a lot of velapanti. It was something I used to completely adore. And later I realised doing nothing sometimes means doing everything. It is the route to self-discovery. Because you are giving yourself time, meeting people, travelling, reflecting upon what’s going on around you, inside you, your head.
I have also realised, from my own college days’ experiences, that it is very important to travel. I used to travel a lot from Delhi when I was in college, you know. Pushkar mein kuch ho raha hai toh wahan chale gaye, Jaipur chale gaye, Amer chale gaye. Aur idhar Manali, Kullu chale gaye, trekking karte rahe, Leh Ladakh chale gaye, Nainital chale gaye, Corbett chale gaye. We’ve been to almost every place in and around Delhi.
I remember I first got my first cycle when I was in Class XI or XII – which is quite late in life for a boy. I got so excited, you know. You just couldn’t take me off the cycle, I would ride it everywhere – take it to National Stadium, go to India Gate, I just lived with my cycle – and even slept with it. This passion continued. Once in college, I just took my cycle, hit the highway, matlab, I thought I will go somewhere. So I went to Ghaziabad, and from there to Roorkee and from there landed up in Rishikesh, did some rafting. Itna thak gaya tha, ke gir gaya. Toh I went to a rafting camp there. They took one look at me and one of them asked, ‘Where are you from?’ I said I am from Delhi. ‘You cycled all the way?’ he asked, and couldn’t believe it when I said yes. But they welcomed me to their camp. And so, I worked with them for the next 3-4 days, because I had no money to pay them, you see. In return, they gave me free boarding and lodging and food and let me raft. And then I came back. And till this date, I remember that episode as a ‘freeing’ exercise for me.
(As told to Jyothi Prabhakar)
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