Mangal Pandey: The Rising
Even as sheer fiction the film does not hold. The narrative is inconsistent, the songs forced and the characters hopelessly ill-conceived.
Indian historians, Ballia residents, British scholars—they're complaining about the distortion of history in Mangal Pandey. But even as sheer fiction the film does not hold. The narrative is inconsistent, the songs forced and the characters hopelessly ill-conceived. There's Mangal (Aamir), the East India Company sepoy and the initiator of the mutiny/freedom struggle. He is into bhang, brothels, wrestling and is a casteist to the core. From these depths to acquiring the moral shades of nationalism, his transformation needed to be credible and compelling. It is not. Ditto for his love for the nautch-girl Heera (Rani) and his friendship with the angrez officer William Gordon (Toby).
Largely, the film looks utterly disjointed, as if the director shot several scenes and then strung them together on the editing table. The dialogues make you cringe: "Hum to apna jism bechte hain, tum apni aatma bechte ho". Rani Jhansi, Tatya Tope in their nominal appearances seem to have been lifted from some fancy dress contest. The ultimate trav-esty: Wasting an artiste like Habib Tanvir as a two-second Bahadur Shah Zafar. And then there's Sophiya Haque doing an embarrassing MTV-style masala item number.
The efficient Aamir suffers from misplaced confidence in a film that doesn't rise up to the burden of expectations. His search for substance gets no help from Farrukh Dhondy's tacky script. Note how he tries hard to emote with dedication in the scene where Rani comes with sindoor for a token marriage. His fine expressions get totally lost in the silliness of this filmi situation. Rani is her self-assured self but why have her there for just three scenes? Amisha too doesn't get much screen time as a widow saved from the sati pyre by Gordon. However, she didn't deserve even this bit. She cuts a quivering, fluttering, pathetic figure. Someone teach her acting, please or offer her VRS. Ironically, the only character that shapes up well is Gordon. He runs away with the best lines and everyone's sympathy, more so when he defends Mangal in the court martial. As for that emotion called patriotism, it too falls flat. Mangal's cry for rebellion—"Halla bol"—leaves you cold, unmoved. Mangal Pandey is too dull. You'd forget it once you walk out of the hall.
INDIAN Top 5
1. Mangal Pandey: The Rising
2. Maine Pyaar Kyun Kia
3. Viruddh
4. Dus
5. Sarkar
US Top 5
1. Four Brothers
2. The Skeleton Key
3. The Dukes of Hazzard
4. Wedding Crashers
5. Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo
Courtesy: Film Information
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