Meet Rahul Modi: There can’t be a better moment than this

As we will soon feel the election fever on our foreheads, and our ears will react every time they hear the names of Narendra Modi and Rahul Gandhi, it’s time we met 'Rahul Modi' — the most powerful hybrid we can think of now.

Interestingly, late film director Kundan Shah thought of this jugalbandi a long time ago — in the year 2000, to be precise.

We are happy to help those who don’t remember that iconic 'Rahul Modi'.

To be truthful, the character was not iconic. A better expression would be 'ahead of its time'.

So, Rahul Modi is an uber rich, flamboyant college boy who impresses girls by jumping from one cliff to the other on his bike and then kisses them in the college canteen. We will not bore you with the entire storyline of Kya Kehna — the Preity Zinta-Saif Ali Khan-Chandrachud Singh movie that talked about teenage pregnancy, a woman’s authority, etc., when no one was talking about those concepts.

We will rather focus on Rahul Modi.

'Rahul' has been Bollywood’s favourite guy for a long time. But Modi? This surname, mostly found in north and north-west India, may sound a little odd in the backdrop of the cool hill station this story is set.  But that’s of course not the only thing that was odd in this film. Rahul Modi drives around with a car with the number plate screaming Dadra and Nagar Haveli in its bold ‘DN’. Maybe Rahul Modi and his family — a silent father and a mother who wears an off-shoulder dress at dinner — moved to the hills recently.

Rahul Modi is very clear about what he wants in his life. He never falls in love. Impressing and impregnating girls is a game to him. But he is not chary to meet Priya’s (Preity Zinta) parents when a much-hassled Priya conveys her family’s eagerness. He meets them, admits that he is in love with Priya, but can’t marry her because a) his rich parents would oppose it and b) he doesn’t want to marry Priya. (Loving is not marrying, in Rahul Modi's book).

Later, when Priya’s father and brother visit Rahul Modi’s haveli to give him the news of Priya’s pregnancy, he warmly greets them. Then, he suggests they opt for abortion. Not to miss, he raps his mother when she starts doubting whether Priya was actually carrying Rahul’s child or not. He admits that it’s his child. But he still doesn't want to marry her.

As the storyline meanders through various ups and downs, towards the end, we finally find a different Rahul Modi who now wants to marry Priya after Priya gives birth to his daughter.

But Priya rejects Rahul Modi.

Throughout the film, he has been referred to as Rahul, obviously — a few times as 'Mr Modi' and only once as 'Rahul Modi' when Priya goes to his palace to meet him.

Yes, the film was truly ahead of its time.

But what intrigues me is that Rahul Modi never understands what others want of him.

He thinks the world is constantly revolving around him. So when, towards the end, Priya says that she hasn't yet said 'yes' to his marriage proposal, he says, "Then do it now."

He takes life easily. So he doesn't actually get hurt when Priya decides to marry the other guy (Chandrachud Singh) and life doesn't give him a second chance. He congratulates the duo with a smile.

We can actually learn a lot from Rahul Modi.

Also Read: Finally, the chor-chowkidar story comes to an end. Here’s how