My Mangal Experience !
If you are an Indian, August on course gets out that patriotic part of from you. If you are from south India and had your upbringing and schooling there, you might have noticed that August is the month of cultural and social competitions given the full fledge to patriotic topics. On the other side if you are from north India you might have flew the tricoloured kites. Overall August stands for memories of historic respectful incidents. This time its bit different for me. Witnessing an epic drama not only lingers entertainmental values but also takes our respect for our historic heroes. Mangal Pandey - the rising was one such experience.
The film had expectations to its greatest intensity. Celebrated actor, two years of tireless efforts, greatest of budgets, success of Lagaan and the story of the first revolution against the British rule formed the grounds for the hype created about the film. The film starts with a guerrilla theater by the elephant riders singing "Mangal mangal ho' (ha! ARRehman brought the hummer out of me). The street show reaches the prison where the final knots are tied for hanging Mangal Pandey. Subtle start !
The captive is not hung as the hangman letters the jailer of being offended by the act and others who were asked to hang him also reject the offer. So the penalization gets postponed until a
suitable person is found. On his way back to the cell, Pandey gazes at a british official who is one among his send off bevy. The story then narrates the friendship between the official and Pandey in the slopes of an Afghanian inselberg. Pandey saves the life of that official who is identified as Gordon.
Aamir suits 100% to the character but the recital slogs. An epic should clearly go by incidents whereas aamir has concentrated only on the imaginative part. Ingenuous dialogues are chewed over and are clearly deviating from expected incidents. Mangal's home village Nagwa is not even discussed once. Friendship between Mangal and Gordon is scripted nicely and Toby Stephens has done well as the British official. Rani Mukherjee as Hira is paid only for her spiciness. Her acting flavors are compromised for erotica.
"Tere adhavo pe mein vari vari" seems to be the worst utilization of Rani's skills in recent times. Though her counterparts are neatly clothed Rani has got very poor dressing. Amisha as Jwaala is saved by Gordon and Mangal as she is supposed to be burnt as "Sati". Gordon shelters her and Jwaala falls in love with Gordon as usual :-). I don't know how far these depicts are true. All these events helps only to the length and nothing is there to be risen by them.
But the second half compensates for the dull first half. The plan to preclude the company's domination in India with the help of neighbour rulers, Aamir's rising dialogues, his relationship with his comrades, the disclosure of each secret on either side are very well scripted. On finding that cartridges are loaded with flesh, Pandey's reaction to Gordon is superb. The instincts of a deceived Indian Sepoy is very well delivered by Aamir. Aamir has to be patted for his concentration and efforts towards the heart of revolution.
Jhansi Rani and all other revolutionists are shown at a glance. The film ends with Pandey's execution with "Mangal Mangal ho!" voicing in the backdrop and some video footages of rebellion acts after Pandey.
Second half has the qualities of the historic film concentrating on incidents ethical practices followed during 1857. Choreography and the picturisation doesn't support the 1857 standards with low baggages, sleeved dresses and MTV cultures. Clearly not needed for a film with patriotic motive. Overall the film has really let down the Lagaan fans of Aamir and Black fans of Rani. ARRehman sounds good in three of his six songs but the background score and re-recording doesn't seem that well ordinating with the script. Aamir amidst such ruins stands apart with his mustache, dialogues, glittering eyes and gestures Great actor indeed.
"Jago! Jago!" shouts someone somewhere waking up a man fell asleep!! "Mangal Pandey" surely is not up to expectations.
The film had expectations to its greatest intensity. Celebrated actor, two years of tireless efforts, greatest of budgets, success of Lagaan and the story of the first revolution against the British rule formed the grounds for the hype created about the film. The film starts with a guerrilla theater by the elephant riders singing "Mangal mangal ho' (ha! ARRehman brought the hummer out of me). The street show reaches the prison where the final knots are tied for hanging Mangal Pandey. Subtle start !
The captive is not hung as the hangman letters the jailer of being offended by the act and others who were asked to hang him also reject the offer. So the penalization gets postponed until a
suitable person is found. On his way back to the cell, Pandey gazes at a british official who is one among his send off bevy. The story then narrates the friendship between the official and Pandey in the slopes of an Afghanian inselberg. Pandey saves the life of that official who is identified as Gordon.Aamir suits 100% to the character but the recital slogs. An epic should clearly go by incidents whereas aamir has concentrated only on the imaginative part. Ingenuous dialogues are chewed over and are clearly deviating from expected incidents. Mangal's home village Nagwa is not even discussed once. Friendship between Mangal and Gordon is scripted nicely and Toby Stephens has done well as the British official. Rani Mukherjee as Hira is paid only for her spiciness. Her acting flavors are compromised for erotica.
"Tere adhavo pe mein vari vari" seems to be the worst utilization of Rani's skills in recent times. Though her counterparts are neatly clothed Rani has got very poor dressing. Amisha as Jwaala is saved by Gordon and Mangal as she is supposed to be burnt as "Sati". Gordon shelters her and Jwaala falls in love with Gordon as usual :-). I don't know how far these depicts are true. All these events helps only to the length and nothing is there to be risen by them.But the second half compensates for the dull first half. The plan to preclude the company's domination in India with the help of neighbour rulers, Aamir's rising dialogues, his relationship with his comrades, the disclosure of each secret on either side are very well scripted. On finding that cartridges are loaded with flesh, Pandey's reaction to Gordon is superb. The instincts of a deceived Indian Sepoy is very well delivered by Aamir. Aamir has to be patted for his concentration and efforts towards the heart of revolution.
Jhansi Rani and all other revolutionists are shown at a glance. The film ends with Pandey's execution with "Mangal Mangal ho!" voicing in the backdrop and some video footages of rebellion acts after Pandey.
Second half has the qualities of the historic film concentrating on incidents ethical practices followed during 1857. Choreography and the picturisation doesn't support the 1857 standards with low baggages, sleeved dresses and MTV cultures. Clearly not needed for a film with patriotic motive. Overall the film has really let down the Lagaan fans of Aamir and Black fans of Rani. ARRehman sounds good in three of his six songs but the background score and re-recording doesn't seem that well ordinating with the script. Aamir amidst such ruins stands apart with his mustache, dialogues, glittering eyes and gestures Great actor indeed."Jago! Jago!" shouts someone somewhere waking up a man fell asleep!! "Mangal Pandey" surely is not up to expectations.
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