Shri Mangal Pandey. Review on Mangal Pandey - The Rising

Disclaimer: This is not a review on Amir alone or on Shri Mangal Pandey. I am also not a history buff so I am not going to comment whether the movie is really based on what Mangal did on a day to day basis 148 years ago. (You see he was not a celebrity whose every word is hungrily hung upon by Paparazzis till the moment he started snuffing out his Officers).

So I went to the movie with no expectations with the only exception that I will have to shell out more than what I do for any other movie.

The opening song (mangala, mangala ho) like all other songs are not the usual jingle and chimes but have a rustic blend to it and quite hummable and foot tapping. All the songs and the way they have ben picturised is really good and are a MUST SEE. If I had to select the best song in this movie, my vote would go for Rasiya. Wow …what a song and what great choreography. That’s one of the most sensual songs I have seen. Its at par with Ek ho gaye (Bombay), Tu hi re (Bombay), Kajra re (Bunty/Bubbly) etc. I would love to know who those 2 really hot gipsy dancers shown in this song were :) . I also loved the classy Mein Vari song and also the Take, Take song which is picturised on an Indian bazaar. That was a great idea for a song sequence.

I think throughout the movie one thing about the way the principal character is portrayed is that he is ALIVE which unfortunately cannot be said for Jwaala (Amisha). I wonder if the script for Jwaala was insipid or the actor is. I will not go into that controversy. I leave that to your better judgement.

On the whole the central character and all other main characters have been portrayed plausibly which can be more than said for other movies. Though I always wondered how did the rebel soldiers (freedom fighters) kill the Company’s soldiers without using the rifle bcoz you see, the kartoos used with the rifles was encased in cow/pig fat. I don’t think you could fight a war with swords, spears and arrows. Have I hit upon the answer to the great mystery which had been puzzling all historians as to why the rising of 1857 failed? Hhhmmm…what ridiculous ideas I get.

To sum it up, an enjoyable filum. Go for it and I am sure you will enjoy watching all the songs on the BIG screen with a thumping good audio.