MANGAL PANDEY- THE RISING- A review

Mangal Pandey- The Rising
Starring: Aamir Khan, Toby Stephens, Amisha Patel, Rani Mukerji, Kirron Kher
Music: AR Rahman
Director: Ketan Mehta (of Maya Memsaab, Aar Ya Paar, O Darling! Yeh Hai India
fame)

It’s finally here. It’s playing at a theatre near you. It’s cassettes are all over the place. Enter any Hindi Music buff’s house and you’ll hear Mangala Mangala echoing from every brick. MSN is spinning money thanks to Aamir Khan’s blog. Titan caught Aamir before the star cut his hair. Kitty-parties and gossip circles chatter excitedly in anticipation. Every mortal with a semblance of interest in Hindi Cinema wants to watch it.
But the suspense is now out and the critics’ first question reads, “Was it worth the wait?”
For me, it’s a clear no. The USP of The Rising was Aamir Khan’s first appearance since Dil Chahta Hai. But what’s the mileage star power can give to a film? Generally, star power is all you need to make a hit film. Sadly, the star here had little power and had to share precious screen time with Toby Stephens (who essayed the role of Capt.William Gordon quite brilliantly) and the two heroines- Amisha Patel and Rani Mukerji.
Ketan Mehta, who hitherto made films with simple plots, ordinary cinematography, and modest budgets, was expected to transcend the divide between mediocre and classy cinema. But the story lacked substance and the storytelling lacked novelty.

Mangal Pandey assumes a lower standing in the Indian independence struggle than Mahatma Gandhi, Bhagat Singh, Lala Lajpat Rai, etc. Mangal Pandey, to most people, was just the instigator of the Revolt of 1857 who refused to use cartridges greased with the fat of cows and pigs. He did not enjoy the following that Bose, Gandhi, and Bhagat Singh got for their courage and initiative. He is known more for the repercussions his death caused than the patriotism his actions during his lifetime instilled. Also, little is known about Mangal’s childhood and personal life. Lack of availability such information reiterates his relative unimportance in India’s freedom struggle. Unlike the fiery and sagacious Bhagat Singh, this youth was more a hot-headed rebel than a revolutionary. I might be grossly undermining his contribution to India’s independence, but this is precisely where Ketan Mehta fails- he fails to elevate the image NCERT textbooks created of Mangal Pandey.

Flaws in the foundation of the plot notwithstanding, the film could’ve soared if Ketan Mehta had compromised on a couple of irritating songs and employed a better dialogue-writer. Though the cinematography was excellent, the dialogues lacked much-needed power and intensity. Also, Ketan Mehta tried to gain an impractiably high viewership and make it a come-one-come-all film. The titillating scenes and songs at regular intervals killed the pace of the film and dissipated the tension in the air. One feels a documentary on Mangal Pandey would fetch more laurels than this awry attempt at commercial success. I consider Rajkumar Santoshi’s The Legend of Bhagat Singh an exemplary film all patriotic-film makers must strive to emulate. The Indian audience is lenient enough to excuse the absence of the contrivances doled out generously by Hindi movies these days.

The music was uncharacteristic of the period and of AR Rahman. The Mujra and the Holi song were particularly shocking. Aamir Khan had few memorable scenes; Toby Stephens was excellent in his portrayal of a supporter of the rebellion. Rani Mukerji and Kirron Kher did their bit with élan. Amisha Patel was pathetic and a major liability of the film. Om Puri’s narration was nothing to write home about. The direction and dialogue-writing were lacklustre.

Generation of an overpowering sense of pride is a sine qua non of patriotic films. Failure on this count, and on several others, will see Mangal Pandey draw more flak than it would’ve bargained for. Aamir Khan might take this film to a respectable distance but it’s unlikely that the producer will break-even.