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Swades

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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Swades
Theatrical release poster
Directed byAshutosh Gowariker
Screenplay byAshutosh Gowariker
Story byM. G. Sathya
Ashutosh Gowariker
Dialogues by
Produced byAshutosh Gowariker
StarringShah Rukh Khan
Gayatri Joshi
Kishori Ballal
CinematographyMahesh Aney
Edited byBallu Saluja
Music byA. R. Rahman
Production
companies
UTV Motion Pictures
Ashutosh Gowariker Productions
Distributed byUTV Motion Pictures
Release date
  • 17 December 2004 (2004-12-17)
Running time
195 minutes
CountryIndia
LanguageHindi
Budget₹25 crore[1]
Box officeest. ₹34.64 crore[2]

Swades (transl. Homeland) is a 2004 Indian Hindi-language drama film co-written, directed and produced by Ashutosh Gowariker.[3] The film stars Shah Rukh Khan, alongside Gayatri Joshi, Kishori Ballal, Daya Shankar Pandey, Rajesh Vivek, and Lekh Tandon.

The plot was based on two episodes of the series Vaapsi on Zee TV's Yule Love Stories (1994–95) which starred Gowariker.[4] The story of a man setting up a micro hydroelectric project to generate electricity was reported to be inspired by the 2003 Kannada film Chigurida Kanasu which was based on the novel of the same name by K. Shivaram Karanth[5][6][7] and Bapu Kuti by Rajni Bakshi.[8] Story writer MG Sathya had revealed that he was swayed over by the Gandhian principles and the socio - political environment during his formative years while studying in Kannada medium school in Jalahalli, Bengaluru.[9] The music and background score was composed by A. R. Rahman, with lyrics penned by Javed Akhtar.

Swades was theatrically released on 17 December 2004, to critical acclaim. However, it emerged as a commercial failure at the box office. At the 50th Filmfare Awards, Swades won Best Actor (Khan) and Best Background Score (Rahman). Despite its commercial failure, Swades is regarded ahead of its time and is considered a cult classic of Hindi cinema and one of Khan's best films.[10][11] The film is owned by Red Chillies Entertainment.[12]

Plot

Mohan Bhargava is a successful Non-Resident Indian (NRI) working as a Project Manager on the Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) program for NASA in Washington, D.C. Mohan originally relocated to the United States for his higher education and chose to remain there after his parents tragically died in a car accident in India. Over time, he becomes deeply concerned about Kaveri Amma, the beloved nanny who raised him during his childhood in Uttar Pradesh. Following his parents' deaths, Kaveri Amma had relocated to an old age home in Delhi and eventually lost touch with him.

Hoping to find Kaveri Amma and bring her back to live with him in the United States, Mohan takes a few weeks of leave following the successful launch of his project's first phase. He visits the Delhi old age home, only to discover that she relocated a year prior to a remote village named Charanpur. To ensure he has access to modern amenities during his journey, Mohan rents a fully equipped recreational vehicle and drives to the village.

Upon arriving in Charanpur, Mohan reunites with Kaveri Amma and reconnects with his childhood friend, Geeta. He learns that Geeta brought Kaveri Amma to live with her family after Mohan's parents passed away. Geeta runs the local village school and works tirelessly to improve the community through education, though her efforts are constantly hindered by deep-seated caste segregation and religious biases. Geeta initially resents Mohan's presence, fearing he will take Kaveri Amma away and leave her and her younger brother, Nandan, isolated. Kaveri Amma informs Mohan that she cannot leave until she fulfills her responsibility of securing a suitable marriage alliance for Geeta. Drawn to Geeta’s progressive ideals regarding women's empowerment and gender equality, Mohan decides to assist her by actively campaigning for the education of girls and marginalized lower-caste communities. He quickly befriends two locals, Nivaaran and Mela Ram, who join his advocacy, earning the respect of the benevolent village chief, Dadaji.

As Mohan and Geeta grow closer, Kaveri Amma sends Mohan to the neighboring village of Kodi to collect land rent from a tenant named Haridas. The visit profoundly alters Mohan's worldview. He finds Haridas living in extreme poverty, unable to provide daily meals for his family. Haridas explains that as a member of a marginalized caste, his traditional weaving occupation collapsed, forcing him into tenant farming. Consequently, the upper-caste villagers socially boycotted him and denied his crops access to the local water supply. Confronted by this systemic oppression, Mohan realizes that millions of rural citizens endure similar hardships. He returns to Charanpur deeply shaken and resolves to use his engineering expertise to uplift the community.

Extending his vacation by three weeks, Mohan addresses Charanpur's severe infrastructure deficit, specifically its inconsistent electricity and frequent blackouts. He conceives a plan to establish a localized, sustainable micro-hydroelectric power plant utilizing a nearby mountain spring. Financing the necessary industrial equipment entirely out of his own pocket, Mohan mobilizes the divided villagers to collectively construct a water reservoir and turbine system. The project succeeds, providing Charanpur with consistent, self-sustaining electricity.

Following the sudden death of Dadaji, Mohan faces immense pressure from NASA to return to Washington, as the GPM project has entered its critical final phase. When he asks Kaveri Amma to join him, she declines, stating that she is too old to adapt to a foreign country. Geeta similarly asserts her commitment to her homeland, explicitly asking Mohan to permanently relocate to India. Torn between his corporate ambitions and his newfound purpose, Mohan returns to the United States to fulfill his contractual obligations. However, plagued by memories of his time in Charanpur, he finds himself increasingly alienated by his American lifestyle. Following the successful launch of the satellite project, Mohan resigns from NASA and permanently returns to India. He plans to manage a regional collaboration from the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, allowing him to serve his country while maintaining his scientific ties to NASA. The narrative concludes with Mohan playfully wrestling Nivaaran outside the village temple.

Cast

Production

Inspiration

Swades is inspired by the story of Aravinda Pillalamarri and Ravi Kuchimanchi, the non-resident Indian couple who returned to India and developed a pedal power generator to light remote, off-the-grid village schools.[13][14][15][16][17] Gowariker spent considerable time with Pillalamarri and Kuchimanchi, both dedicated Association for India's Development (AID) volunteers. He supposedly visited Bilgaon, an Adivasi village in the Narmada valley, which is the backdrop of the Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA) movement. The people of Bilgaon are credited with doing 200 person-days of shramdaan (community service) to make their village energy self-sufficient. The Bilgaon project is recognised as a model for replication by the Government of Maharashtra.[18]

The film was reported to be inspired by two episodes of the series titled Vaapsi on Zee TV's Yule Love Stories (1993–95). The story of the lead role setting up a micro hydro electric project to generate electricity was reported to be inspired by the Kannada novel Chigurida Kanasu by K. Shivaram Karanth[5][6][7] and Bapu Kuti by Rajni Bakshi.[8]

Themes

Mahatma Gandhi's great-grandson, Tushar Gandhi, noted the theme of Gandhism in the film.[19] The name of the main character portrayed by Shah Rukh Khan is Mohan, which was Gandhi's birth name (Mohandas or "Mohan"). The film opens with the quotation:

Hesitating to act because the whole vision might not be achieved, or because others do not yet share it, is an attitude that only hinders progress.

— Mahatma Gandhi

Gowariker tries to address the lack of scientific temperament and widespread ignorance among the rural folks through the energetic number "Ye Tara Wo Tara", where Mohan is seen encouraging the children to experience the fascinating world of stars through his telescope. In a symbolic manner, the song rejects the defunct divisions of caste and class and at the same time, through its protagonist, tries to instill in the audience an appreciation of curiosity and observation.

Casting and filming

Panorama of Menawali, the village in Maharashtra where Swades was shot

Gowariker initially offered Mohan's role to Aamir Khan (who worked in Gowariker's 2001 film Lagaan), but he rejected it because he found the story to be weak. Mohan's role was then offered to Hrithik Roshan, who refused after reading the script.[20] Gowariker contemplated casting R. Madhavan before offering Mohan's role to Shah Rukh, who finally accepted it after listening to the story and he started crying during the story's narration.[21] Bhanu Athaiya, an Oscar winner for Gandhi (1982), was the costume designer for the film.

Swades was the first Indian film to be shot inside the NASA headquarters and inside the NASA research center at the Launch Pad 39A of the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.[22][23] The rainfall monitoring satellite known as the Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) in the film is an actual NASA mission and was launched in 2014.[24][25][26] A major part of the film was shot in Menawali, Maharashtra.[27][28]

Soundtrack

The song "Dekho Naa" is a modified version of the song "Kichchu Tha" from the film, Baba (2002). The song "Aahista Aahista" is set in raag Charukesi.

Swades
Soundtrack album by
A. R. Rahman
Released10 November 2004
RecordedPanchathan Record Inn
GenreFeature film soundtrack
LabelT-Series
ProducerA. R. Rahman
A. R. Rahman chronology
New
(2002)		 Swades
(2004)		 Kisna: The Warrior Poet
(2005)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Planet BollywoodStarStarStarStarStarStarStarStarStar link

All lyrics are written by Javed Akhtar; all music is composed by A. R. Rahman.

No.TitleArtist(s)Length
1."Yeh Taara Woh Taara"Udit Narayan, Master Vignesh, Baby Pooja7:13
2."Saanwariya Saanwariya"Alka Yagnik5:17
3."Yun Hi Chala Chal"Udit Narayan, Kailash Kher, Hariharan7:28
4."Yeh Jo Des Hai Tera"A. R. Rahman6:28
5."Aahista Aahista"Udit Narayan, Sadhana Sargam6:35
6."Pal Pal Hai Bhaari"Madhushree, Vijay Prakash6:50
7."Dekho Na"Alka Yagnik, Udit Narayan5:46
8."Pal Pal Hai Bhaari" (Flute)Naveen3:38
9."Yeh Jo Des Hai Tera" (Shehnai)Madhukar Dhumal4:00

On 27 March 2021, members of United States Navy Band sang "Yeh Jo Des Hai Tera" for Taranjit Singh Sandhu, the Ambassador of India to the United States and United States Navy Chief of Naval Operations at a special dinner event.[29] The video of the band members singing surfaced on Twitter and received praise and nostalgia from Shahrukh Khan, A. R. Rahman and netizens alike.[30][31]

Tamil version

The Tamil soundtrack under the title Desam[32] was composed by A.R. Rahman. All Lyrics were written by Vaali. According to the Indian trade website Box Office India, with around 13,00,000 units sold, this film's soundtrack album was the eleventh highest-selling of the year.[33]

TitleSinger(s)Length
"Thirukona Moolam"S.P. Balasubrahmanyam, Master Vignesh, Baby Pooja7:13
"Kaaviriya Kaaviriya"Madhushree, Alka Yagnik (humming)5:17
"Unnai Kelai"T. L. Maharajan, Hariharan7:28
"Unthan Desathin Kural"A. R. Rahman6:28
"Thai Sonna"K. J. Yesudas, Madhushree6:35
"Mazhai Mega Vanna"K. S. Chithra, Srinivas6:50
"Kettenaa Naan"Mohammed Aslam, Sadhana Sargam5:46
"Unthan Desathin Kural" (Shehnai)Madhukar T. Dhumal4:00

Reception

Critical reception

The film received universal critical acclaim and went on to become a cult classic, and Khan's performance as Mohan Bhargava is considered one of his best to date.[34]

Subhash K. Jha of Indiatimes Movies gave the film 4.5 stars out of 5 and said, "Swades is a unique experiment with grassroots realism. It is so politically correct in its propagandist message that initially you wonder if the Government of India funded the director's dream."[citation needed]

Mayank Shekhar from Mid-Day gave it 4 stars, stating, "I cannot think of a better film for the longest that deserved a stronger recommendation for both touring cinemas of India's villages, and plush multiplexes of Mumbai or Manhattan."[citation needed]

Jitesh Pillai of the Sunday Times of India gave the film 4 stars and said "After Lagaan, what? The answer's blowing in the wind. Swades! Here's the verdict: This is a gutsy and outstanding film. Welcome back to real, solid film-making." He added, "Swades is undoubtedly the No. 1 movie of the year."[35]

Shradha Sukumaran of Mid-Day gave it 3.5 stars and said, "At the end of it, Swades is a far braver film than Lagaan. It could have hit the high note – if it hadn't tried so hard."[citation needed]

Avijit Ghosh wrote in The Telegraph, "With its gentle humour, the film acts as an entertaining vehicle for social change. And hopefully, it will do more for positive nationalism than the Union government's Directorate of Audio Visual Publicity (DAVP) ads ever will."[36]

Box office

Swades earned ₹15.25 crore (US$1.6 million) net box office in India.[37][38] In the overseas market, the film made $2,790,000.[39] It had a lifetime worldwide gross of ₹34.64 crore (US$3.6 million). The film topped the box office in Chennai on its opening weekend.[40]

Awards

Shah Rukh Khan at Kennedy Space Center in Merritt Island, Florida. Khan earned critical acclaim for his portrayal of a NASA Scientist in this film

National Film Awards

Global Indian Film Awards

Zee Cine Awards

  • Best Director (Critics) – Ashutosh Gowariker
  • Best Female Debut – Gayatri Joshi[citation needed]
  • Best Story – Ashutosh Gowariker
  • Best Sound Re-recording – Hitendra Ghosh

Star Screen Awards

Stardust Awards

Bollywood Movie Awards

  • Best Female Debut – Gayatri Joshi

Film Café Awards

  • Best Actor – Shahrukh Khan[42]

50th Filmfare Awards:

Won

Nominated

Legacy

The character of Mohan Bhargav, played by Khan, was reprised again in Brahmāstra: Part One – Shiva. Director Ayan Mukerji confirmed that it is the same character from Swades.[43][44][45] In the 2023 film Jawan, Khan's character Azad is raised by a character named Kaveri after his parents are presumed dead.[46]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Box Office: Crash of the big 'uns". Filmfare. January 2001. Archived from the original on 1 March 2005. Retrieved 18 May 2021.
  2. ↑ "Swades". Box Office India. Archived from the original on 21 November 2023. Retrieved 4 October 2023.
  3. ↑ "Meet Aravinda and Ravi, The Inspiration Behind Shahrukh Khan's Movie 'Swades'". indiatimes.com. 17 December 2018. Archived from the original on 5 April 2019. Retrieved 5 April 2019.
  4. ↑ "SRK's 'Swades' was inspired by Ashutosh Gowariker's show, where he played Mohan?". India Today. 11 August 2023. Archived from the original on 7 September 2023. Retrieved 12 December 2023.
  5. 1 2 "Top ten Kannada films to have been remade". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 4 September 2023. Retrieved 17 July 2020.
  6. 1 2 "Eight Bollywood movies that are actually remakes of South Indian films". 20 June 2019. Archived from the original on 21 June 2020. Retrieved 18 October 2019.
  7. 1 2 "Can't thank Ashutosh Gowariker enough for Swades: Shah Rukh Khan", Indian Express, 17 December 2016, archived from the original on 25 August 2019, retrieved 25 August 2019 – via PTI
  8. 1 2 "Bet You Didn't Know – the real story behind Ashutosh Gowariker's Swades!". 22 October 2009. Archived from the original on 25 August 2019. Retrieved 25 August 2019.
  9. ↑ "Swades went beyond being a film—it became a movement: Writer MG Sathya". Timesofindia.indiatimes.com. 22 December 2024. Retrieved 4 July 2026.
  10. ↑ "Lost in Translation – Part 1/2". Filmfare. 8 September 2011. Archived from the original on 10 October 2011. Retrieved 14 March 2012.
  11. ↑ Deepak Mahaan (4 August 2011). "Arts / Cinema : Intoxicated with second love!". The Hindu. Chennai, India. Archived from the original on 30 August 2011. Retrieved 14 March 2014.
  12. ↑ "Red Chillies Entertainments". redchillies.com. Archived from the original on 6 October 2016. Retrieved 30 September 2016.
  13. ↑ "Indian-American who inspired SRK's Swades questioned on immigration status". Hindustan Times. 28 January 2017. Archived from the original on 28 January 2023. Retrieved 19 June 2025.
  14. ↑ "Meet Aravinda and Ravi, The Inspiration Behind Shahrukh Khan's Movie 'Swades'". Indiatimes. 17 December 2018. Retrieved 19 June 2025.
  15. ↑ "The Real Swadesis: Aravinda and Ravi". Archived from the original on 7 January 2008. Retrieved 25 December 2007.
  16. ↑ "Bilgaon Village: From Darkness to Light". AID Austin. Archived from the original on 17 January 2008. Retrieved 25 December 2007.
  17. ↑ "The Bilgaon model". FRONTLINE (THE HINDU). Archived from the original on 8 December 2008. Retrieved 25 December 2007.
  18. ↑ "The Bilgaon model". Frontline. 23 October 2003. Archived from the original on 24 May 2024. Retrieved 24 May 2024.
  19. ↑ Jha, Subhash K. (19 November 2015). "\'I\'m pleased with Hirani\'s Gandhigiri,\' says Gandhi\'s grandson". Sify. Indo-Asian News Service. Archived from the original on 21 November 2015. Retrieved 19 November 2015.
  20. ↑ "Ash, Hrithik ready to go back in time". The Times of India. 11 October 2006. Archived from the original on 21 October 2012. Retrieved 28 July 2008.
  21. ↑ "It's silly to slot filmmakers: Madhavan". Hindustan Times. 6 September 2005. Archived from the original on 10 November 2023. Retrieved 10 November 2023.
  22. ↑ "Swades". BBC. 2004. Archived from the original on 3 April 2009. Retrieved 29 August 2007.
  23. ↑ "Radio Sargam Interview: Shah Rukh Khan!". Radio Sargam. Archived from the original on 16 August 2007. Retrieved 29 August 2007.
  24. ↑ "Lights, Camera, Liftoff!". NASA. Archived from the original on 18 February 2008. Retrieved 29 August 2007.
  25. ↑ "Global Precipitation Measurement". NASA. Archived from the original on 5 September 2008. Retrieved 28 July 2008.
  26. ↑ "GPM Launch Information". NASA. 22 January 2014. Archived from the original on 2 March 2014. Retrieved 19 February 2014.
  27. ↑ "Error". epaper.timesofindia.com. Archived from the original on 9 August 2018. Retrieved 22 May 2017.
  28. ↑ "The village where Shah Rukh Khan's Swades was shot". 19 August 2009.
  29. ↑ Taranjit Singh Sandhu [@SandhuTaranjitS] (27 March 2021). "'ये वो बंधन है जो कभी टूट नहीं सकता! This is a friendship bond that cannot be broken ever.' 🇮🇳🇺🇸 US Navy singing a popular Hindi tune @USNavyCNO 's dinner last night! https://t.co/hfzXsg0cAr" (Tweet). Archived from the original on 18 April 2021. Retrieved 9 June 2021 – via Twitter.
  30. ↑ A.R.Rahman #99Songs 😷 [@arrahman] (28 March 2021). "Swades rules for ever🌹@AshGowariker #sharukhkhan @Javedakhtarjadu https://t.co/DGgN5xRsEp" (Tweet). Archived from the original on 17 April 2021. Retrieved 9 June 2021 – via Twitter.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  31. ↑ Shah Rukh Khan [@iamsrk] (29 March 2021). "Thank u for sharing this sir. How lovely. Git all nostalgic about the time spent making this beautiful film and belief sung in the song. Thanx @AshGowariker @RonnieScrewvala @arrahman & everyone who made it possible. https://t.co/rFRKcHTDCg" (Tweet). Archived from the original on 18 April 2021. Retrieved 9 June 2021 – via Twitter.
  32. ↑ Kamini Mathai (2009). A.R. Rahman: The Musical Storm. Penguin Books India. pp. 256–. ISBN 978-0-670-08371-8.
  33. ↑ "Music Hits 2000–2009 (Figures in Units)". Box Office India. Archived from the original on 15 February 2008.
  34. ↑ Verma, Sukanya. "10 Best Bollywood Movies of the Decade". Rediff.com. Archived from the original on 21 January 2012. Retrieved 27 June 2011.
  35. ↑ Pillai, Jitesh (22 December 2004). "Swades". The Times of India. ISSN 0971-8257. Archived from the original on 21 February 2023. Retrieved 21 February 2023.
  36. ↑ "A film that dares". The Telegraph. Calcutta, India. 24 December 2004. Archived from the original on 24 January 2005.
  37. ↑ Boxofficeindia.com. Web.archive.org (14 October 2013). Retrieved on 2015-03-30.
  38. ↑ Boxofficeindia.com. Web.archive.org (26 September 2013). Retrieved on 2015-03-30.
  39. ↑ "Top Lifetime Grossers Overseas". Archived from the original on 6 October 2013. Retrieved 28 July 2023.
  40. ↑ "Chennai Box Office – sify.com (1970)". Sify. Archived from the original on 9 September 2017.
  41. ↑ Suhasini, Lalitha (19 July 2005). "Destiny's child". The Indian Express. Pune Newsline. Archived from the original on 13 August 2013. Retrieved 25 April 2009.
  42. ↑ "Film Cafe: Winners". BBC Radio. Archived from the original on 12 December 2023. Retrieved 28 July 2008.
  43. ↑ Hazra, Priya (19 September 2022). "SRK's Character In 'Brahmastra' Is Actually Mohan Bhargav From 'Swadesh, Confirms Ayan Mukerji". ScoopWhoop. Archived from the original on 6 February 2023. Retrieved 6 February 2023.
  44. ↑ Samaiya, Praneet (21 September 2022). "Ayan Mukerji Confirms That Shah Rukh Khan's Character In Brahmastra Is Mohan Bhargav From Swades". Cine-tales.com. Archived from the original on 12 December 2023. Retrieved 6 February 2023.
  45. ↑ Pall, Omair (18 September 2022). "Ayan Mukerji Confirms Shah Rukh Khan's Mohan Bhargav From 'Brahmastra' Is Not A Coincidence!". Mashable. Archived from the original on 6 February 2023. Retrieved 6 February 2023.
  46. ↑ "Ashutosh Gowariker on Swades references in Jawan, Brahmastra: 'It's flattering'". 19 October 2023. Archived from the original on 1 February 2024. Retrieved 1 February 2024.

Reviews

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