Published By: Sayan Paul

20 Years Of 'Swades': The Film Was Inspired By A 90s TV Show - And There's Another Twist

Released on December 17, 2004, 'Swades' received rave reviews from critics. However, it failed at the box office.

These days, mainstream Indian cinema has become all about their box office numbers. I mean, so much (from stories to performances to technicalities and more) goes into making a film, and yet, its worth is measured by none of them after release. Ignoring its merit, discussions about cinema now narrow down to this: Hey, how is that film? - Oh, it has earned Rs 500 crore, or Rs 1000 crore, so you cannot miss it. However, you know, cinema is first an art, and then a business. Hence, years later, what stays in our minds is the film's artistic value and not the collections. And this is exactly where 'Swades', directed by Ashutosh Gowariker and starring Shah Rukh Khan, won. Released on December 17, 2004 - exactly 20 years ago - the film emerged as a commercial failure at the box office. But look at it today - it's considered "ahead of its time", a "cult classic", and one of SRK's finest. In fact, so many other films, including a few of the superstar himself, were released that year, but none of them come close.

We are celebrating 20 years of 'Swades' today. On this occasion, let's learn an interesting fact about the film that you didn't know.

'Swades' Was Inspired By A 90s TV Show

Yes, you read it absolutely right! 'Swades' was actually inspired by an episode titled 'Vapasi' of ZeeTV's popular show, 'Yule Love Stories'. Moreover, the core plot is believed to have been based on the 2003 Kannada film 'Chigurida Kanasu' which again was based on the novel of the same name by Jnanapith awardee K. Shivaram Karanth and 'Bapu Kuti' by Rajni Bakshi.

In that episode, the lead character, Mohan, is an NRI who returns to India to find Kaveri Amma; and eventually falls in love with a woman named Geeta. Well, if you have seen 'Swades', you know that the plot remains the same.

Credit: Pankaj

Now, There's A Twist

The twist here is that Ashutosh Gowariker - the director of 'Swades' - himself played the role of Mohan Bhargava in that TV show. He delivered a brilliant performance, earning enormous acclaim from across the nation.

Credit: Mimansa Shekhar

It's worth noting that Gowariker started his career in Hindi cinema as an actor. He made his debut in 1984 with Ketan Mehta's film, 'Holi'. He acted in several films, including 'Naam', 'Goonj', 'Chamatkar', and 'Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa'. Besides 'Yule Love Stories', he appeared in many other television shows as well, such as 'Kacchi Dhoop', 'Circus', and 'C.I.D.'.

Have A Look:

Credit: Zee TV

Some Interesting Facts To Know

Gowariker and Shah Rukh Khan shared the screen in several films and TV shows during the 90s. Later, the two collaborated as a director and an actor in 'Swades'.

The character of Kaveri Amma - in both the show and the film - was portrayed by the late Kishori Ballal.

Credit: Red Chillies Entertainment

Gowariker's first choice for Mohan's role was Aamir Khan, who acted in his 2001 film 'Lagaan'. The latter rejected it as he found the story weak. It was then offered to actors such as Hrithik Roshan and R. Madhavan before SRK finally came on board.

'Swades' was the first Indian film to be shot inside the NASA headquarters and the NASA research center.

Credit: Red Chillies Entertainment

The Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) - the rainfall monitoring satellite shown in the film - is an actual NASA mission, launched in 2014.