Aug 12, 2005 02:22 PM
5781 Views
(Updated Aug 14, 2005 11:16 AM)
The wait is finally over for all the Aamir Khan fans.The talented actor is finally back after a break of 4 years.We saw him for the last time in 2001,with two superhits-”Lagaan”,which became so successful that it even went to the Oscars and the other one was ”Dil Chahta Hai”,which started the trend of making movies on college students and friends.Aamir Khan has always been a trend-setter and people had been very anxious to see this film,when they saw Aamir Khan in his long hair and moustache look,in his latest film ”Mangal Pandey-The Rising”.This film has been in the news for a very long time,for about last 2 years and now it has finally released.2005,is also one such year which marks the comeback of historical films in Bollywood.This year there has been a long list of historical/periodic films,such as ”Kisna”,”Bose-The Forgotten Hero”,”Parineeta”,”Paheli” and now ”Mangal Pandey-The Rising”,but that`s not it.There are more historical/periodic films coming our way in the form of the Rs.100 crore epic,”Taj Mahal-An Eternal Love Story”,then ''Umraao Jaan'' and of course,Ashutosh Gowariker`s ”Akbar-Jodha”.All the historical films that released this year (barring “Parineeta) have bombed at the box-office and the rest of the historical films which are about to release,their fates we don`t know but what about ”Mangal Pandey”?This one surely looks like a hit all the way…!
Kaleidoscope Entertainment`s. ”Mangal Pandey-The Rising”,produced by Bobby Bedi and directed by Ketan Mehta,stars Aamir Khan,Rani Mukerji,Amisha Patel,Toby Stephens,Kirron Kher and Mukesh Tiwari.This film can easily called as the most awaited Bollywood film of the year.It marks the comeback of Aamir Khan.Other than that,it also stars the queen of Bollywood Rani Mukherji.Then,it has music by A.R Rahman.In short,this film has everything that is required to make a super hit film.It has lots of hype and enthusiasm surrounding it,as well.Whenever you turn on your television,you get to see this film`s promos all the time,but nowadays we get to see lots of “all-hype-and-no-substance” kind of films but this is one such film which has been hyped up a lot but it also has a story to it.After being premiered at Cannes this year,and after getting lots of appreciation from the international audiences,the film has finally released in India,too.
”Mangal Pandey-The Rising” takes us back into those times when India was going through a tough time,politically and socially.It takes us back into those times when there were no sound leaders in India and when the British Empire took control over the subcontinent.The British Empire started trading with the East India Company and within some years they took control over the East India Company and the whole of the Indian subcontinent.The British introduced their own reforms in India,which met with fierce oppositions from all the Indians.The British reforms were not acceptable for the Indians and the Indians usually felt that they were being exploited and they were being treated unfairly.During those times,when the British rule in India was as its peak,there was no hero who could help the situation of the locals of India,except Mangal Pandey (Aamir Khan),who was a true hero.Mangal Pandey was an Indian sepoy who used to work for the British.The British were very hostile towards the feelings of the Indians.They were very arrogant in their dealings with the Indians and so no Indian and a British man was a true friend at those times,other than Mangal Pandey and Captain William Gordon (Toby Stephens).While fighting a battle in Afghanistan,Captain Gordon was about to be killed but Mangal Pandey saved his life and in return earned Captain Gordon`s friendship.The two became great friends.With the entry of a friend,in his life,there was also another person who entered in Mangal Pandey`s life,and that was Heera (Rani Mukherji),a prostitute who fell in love with Mangal Pandey,the moment she saw him.On the other hand,Captain William Gordon saved Jwala (Amisha Patel) an Indian widow who was going to be burned during her husband`s funeral,due to traditions.When Captain Gordon rescued Jwala,she fell in love with him where as Captain Gordon also got impressed by her beauty.Theirs was an unusual love story because very rarely it used to happen that a British officer fell in love with an Indian woman.Till then,everything seemed to be okay if not perfect but then came a moment when all the Indians turned into rebels.They refused to carry out the orders of the British.The Indian sepoys were asked to use the greased cartridges,which was rumoured to be made out from cow fat or pig fat.This rumour bothered both the Muslims and Hindus a lot.In Hinduism,the use of cow fat was considered as a sin and in Islam,the use of the fat of pigs was considered unclean.When Mangal Pandey spoke about these cartridges to Captain William Gordon,Captain Gordon told him that it was not true and the cartridges were not made from cow`s fat.Mangal Pandey after listening to him,without any problem used the cartridges but when he found out that Captain Gordon,cheated him and that the cartridges were really made up of cow fat he felt that it was time to take some action.All the Indian sepoys refused to use the cartridges and when they refused to do so,they were disgraced publicly by the British.That was when,in 1857,the Indian sepoys decided to call for the War Of Independence,a war in which the Indians attempted to drive out the British from India.These was the worst time faced by the British.This war turned two friends-Mangal Pandey and Captain Gordon into the bitterest of enemies.Mangal Pandey participated actively in this war until he was hanged till death by the British,but his brave attempts were not wasted.His bravery served as an example to every sepoy and every Indian.He was a true hero,who died while fighting for his nation.
Aamir Khan is definitely a perfectionist.Here is one actor in Bollywood who believes that quantity doesn`t matter but it’s the quality that matters.He may not have any releases in the last 4 years,but fact remains that he is still amongst the top actors of Bollywood.This film truly shows that in these 4 long years what had he been doing.The actor must have done lots of research for his character and that is why he has handled this difficult role,so perfectly.He is excellent in the scenes,where he faces the British and he shows them all that he is not afraid of their threats.His scenes with Toby Stephen are also really good.This is a performance which will be loved by all the Aamir Khan fans and it will also strengthen his already strong star image.
Toby Stephens is also amazing in a role,which is not so easy for a Hollywood actor to carry off.The Hollywood actor has delivered a wonderful performance,because it is very difficult for an English actor to speak Hindi so well.His scenes with Aamir Khan and Amisha Patel are really good and in the court scene,before the climax,where he tries to save Mangal Pandey from being hanged ,the actor truly excels giving a tough competition to Aamir Khan.
CONTINUED IN THE COMMENTS SECTION...
