• Friday, December 17, 2004

• Country:

  India

• Language:

  Hindi

• Runtime:

  210 min

2004

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".Set in modern day India, SWADES tackles the issue facing the citizens of this nation at grassroots level. The India of SWADES is colorful, heterogeneous and complex and it is to this environment that Mohan Bhargava [Shah Rukh Khan], a bright young scientist working as project manager in NASA, returns to, on a quest to find his childhood nanny.

What begins as a simple mission prompted by nostalgia and affection turns into a journey to the heartland of rural India, both literally and metaphorically. Mohan finds his nanny, Kaveriamma [Kishori Ballal], the symbol of motherhood, in a village called Charanpur with an admirable young woman Gita [Gayatri Joshi] and her younger brother Chikku [Master Smit Sheth]. Mohan begins to interact with the Panchayat, which has at the helm the dogmatic but the just village ch

Taglines

• We, the people

Trivias

• Ashutosh Gowariker was the voice of Ravana in the song "Pal Pal Hai Bhari".
• For authenticity, Ashutosh Gowariker shot a scene at Launch Pad 39A, at Kennedy Space Center in Florida, USA. This is the first Indian film to actually be shot inside the NASA research center.
• Mohan Bhargava is working on a rainfall monitoring satellite known as the Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM), which is lifted into an orbit aboard a Space Shuttle. The GPM is an actual NASA mission, currently scheduled to launch in 2007.
• The mahurat (start-of-filming prayer) was done on 2 January 2004 and was given by Aamir Khan.
• Cameo: [Aamir Khan] among the child artists shown in the movie Yadon Ki Baraat.
• 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.
• Ashutosh Gowariker originally wanted Hrithik Roshan to play the lead role but he declined. The role then went to Shahrukh Khan.

Awards

1. Popular Award
   Event: Awards of the International Indian Film Academy
   Result: Won
   Category: Best Lyrics
   Recipient(s): Javed Akhtar
2. Filmfare Award
   Event: Filmfare Awards
   Result: Won
   Category: Best Actor
   Recipient(s): Shahrukh Khan
3. Silver Lotus Award
   Event: National Film Awards, India
   Result: Won
   Category: Best Cinematography
   Recipient(s): Mahesh Aney