Customer Reviews

The Mangal Pandey: The Rising

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

As a film, "Mangal Pandey: the Rising" is truly magnificent. A fantastic cross-over between British and Indian cinema, it tells the story of a lone Sepoy soldier in Imperial India who took a stand against the British rule. The story unfolds, portraying the British to be basically bad save for one man named William Gordon. Even though the film takes a biased view, it still raises some interesting points, and one can't help but be moved by Mangal's passion to see his fellow Indians free, not just from British rule, but from all oppression. The underlying themes are of the inherent right of all humans to be free and treated with equality.

The film is unlike any other "Bollywood" film I have seen. It is very serious, and the musical numbers sometimes feel almost like that of a Greek chorus interacting with the main characters. I felt that this movie captured not only the riches of India, but also the exploitation put upon it by the East India Company. The only thing I found myself questioning was the accuracy of the cartridge scandal. The film made it seem a fact that the new cartridges for the rifles were greased with pig and cow fat, yet in my research in other sources, it claims that was just a rumor. I suppose it all depends on who is telling the story.

Overall, I would highly recommend this film, but I would also recommend not to take it as complete historical fact. It is based on historical figures and on a true story, but some things have been changed to make it more "cinema friendly."

Everyone knows about Gandhi, but how many know the story of Mangal Pandey and the first movement for independence in India?

I use this film in my Modern World History and AP World History classes and my students LOVE it. As a teacher, I think Mangal Pandey: The Rising is an excellent resource because it provides an Indian perspective on British imperialism. It addresses a wide variety of topics: the caste system, Hindu traditions, the British East India Company, the opium trade, the "cartoos controversy" (the Hindu & Muslim sepoy soldiers refused to use cartridges that had been greased with pig & cow fat because it was offensive to their religions), how the rebellion spread across India, and much more.

When I first introduce the film and explain that it is a subtitled foreign-language film with a lot of singing and dancing, I hear audible groans in the classroom. However, within about 15 minutes, they are hooked! They love the dramatic story of the uprising and they really enjoy the Hindi songs.

Most world history textbooks still teach imperialism from the European perspective. The British referred to this uprising led by Mangal Pandey as the "Sepoy Mutiny"-- implying that it was limited to sepoy (Indian) soldiers defying orders from their British officers. However, this same event is remembered in India as the first war of independence. It was a major turning point in the struggle to break free from British rule (which did not happen until 90 years later in 1947).

I highly recommend this film. In addition to being educational, it is also very entertaining.

This is a remarkably silly and historically inaccurate movie about an otherwise fascinating period in Indian history. Mangal Pandey is shown killing several British officers and leading an armed rebellion. In fact, he didn't kill anyone. Nor did he lead a revolt. He was responsible for a one-man mutiny on March 29, 1857, when he shot at his European sergeant major and wounded an English officer before trying and failing to commit suicide. After a court martial by his fellow Indian troops - not by British officers as shown in the film - he was hanged, and his regiment, the 34th Native Infantry, disbanded. Juvenile anti-British caricatures are par for the course in Indian films and books that deal with the Raj, and many Indians know their own history only in terms of the nationalist myths fabricated by the independence movement of the 1940s. You would never guess from The Rising that the Mutiny left two thirds of the subcontinent untouched, that two of the East India Company's three huge armies remained loyal, and that the Mutiny was much closer to an Indian civil war than to a revolution. As Saul David, the acclaimed author of The Indian Mutiny has pointed out, the film invents a ruthless fantasy-Raj, against which patriotic Indians of all religions, ethnicities and castes unite to fight for freedom, thanks to Mangal Pandey's supposed vision of a free, democratic India. The truth is very different, and it is sad that even as India rises to become a modern world power, its filmmakers remain stuck in a post- colonial time warp, depicting their country's fascinating past in such a crude, dishonest and simplistic way.

This movie is 2 things at once. It is a historical document that succinctly goes to the core of a period that has importance both to Indians and British. It also beautifully portrays the bond between a sepoy Mangal Pandey (an Indian soldier fighting for the British)- Aamir Khan- and his British officer- Toby Stephens.
The events are about what is referred to as India's first war of independence. In fact it isn't a fight against the British army and government but against the East India company who had their own armies, corruption and big business exploitation of the day. In my ignorance this wasn't something I knew about and without laboring any point they sketched the dilemmas this posed for the Indians. It is about the ending of the stranglehold the company had on India, when they were replaced by British government rule. Obviously the British government weren't exactly the good guys by contrast as we all know and this ended too 90 years later.
There are many things that impressed me about this movie. The script is tight and excellent. The cinematography is superb. The soundtrack by A.R. Rahman is at his high level of excellence.
It is a particularly good mix of British and Indian. Often these sacrifice one culture or the other and stereotype. Not this one. The British actors are from their finest and they talk like British (instead of a strange stilted English with odd phrases you often get in hindi movies). It is also very much a hindi movie. It has top hindi actors throughout (including minor romantic threads with Rani Mukurgee and Amisha Patel, with Kiron Kher as a brothel head) and narrated by Om Puri. It also has singing and a little dancing in context. When the British speak to the Indians they speak in hindi (and don't seem to be dubbed either).
Now both Aamir and Toby are absolutely superb. Aamir has all the charisma required for the role and Toby is not only an attractive match for him but can do the compassion and warmth required too.
It isn't just a 'let's get the British' either. There are sympathetic caring British officers and and officer's daughters. It also footnotes briefly as part of the plot how the British did bring some compassion with them in ending the burning of widows on their husband's funeral pyres.
This isn't melodrama but beautifully rich textured portrayal of complexity, heart, dilemmas and a great understanding of a period in history as well as Indian culture.
This naturally has violence in it but it isn't unrelenting bloodbath as I had wondered about when getting it. It is mostly about the human interactions and dynamics of the situation, times and the friendship.
I usually prefer my movies lighter but I was so impressed by this one it is a 5 star even though it is hardly a happy little piece!
Elsewhere on the Net it tends to score above average (eg 8 out of 10). There have been challenges to its exact historical accuracy - even questioning how much a of a hero Mangal was - especially as he may have been under the influence of opium which intensifies emotion when he incited rebellion). They do say at the beginning that they have fleshed it in a bit and taken some liberties here and there. For me though it still reveals the times, the reach of the East India company and the texture of what took place. As a story it is worth watching in its own right- even if its just for the bond between the 2 men.

If you are not a FAN of Bollywood, just overlook the "music on elephant" scenes as what was necessary to have the movie made. It is all really well-done and points to a lesser-known time in the history of the British world.

A powerful story starring Aamir Khan in excellent form.
It features the start of the struggle for independence from British rule.

Educational and edifying. A little unclear as to whether one needed subtitles until well into the film. On the other hand, I was very impressed with the accomplished speaking of a foreign language by Toby Stephens. Must have taken a great deal of preparation. Indicative of all the roles he takes upon himself. All in all, a very impressive film.

I frankly was very disappointed by this film as it is a great story that needs to be told. In that I thought that the plot was poorly written and the actors were out of their limit. (But the photography and scene location were 1st rate to give credit were credit is due)
Also some issues that were not brought up that should of been confronted were the following.
British Officers preaching to their Indian troops about Christainity
Poor Quality British Army Officers in "John Company"
Bad Political Leadership at the Top especially Canning
Issues of Pay, Overseas Service and other troop issues that effected the troops caste
Too narrowing of the enlistment population to certain castes
The 100 year Anniversity of the Battle of Plassey and the rumored fall of the British Raj when that day happened
The General fear of a British imposed decline of Caste on the Hindus
The Introduction of Technology (Telegraphs, Rail Roads etc)
The Near Defeat of a British /Indian Army in the Sikh Wars
Rumours about a major defeat of the British Army in the Crimean War
The Small Number of British Troops in India at the time of the Mutiny
Famines (which were of both British and Natural causes)
Tax Issues for the Lower Castes
A large number of very Unhappy Indian Princes who had suffered at the hands of a very aggressive goverment
ETC ETC
But other wise it is a good Soap Opera!
(I just know that I am going to get a lot of very negative comments about this one!)