Am I angry that they showed Mangal Pandey in love with a prost.? Am I angry that Mangal Pandey was shown drinking alcohol? Am I angry that Mangal Pandey was shown as someone who supports castism and also wants to let the women be burnt alive (sati)?? NOP!!!!
Given the fact that the social scenarios was very different that time and also Mangal being from the part of India where people experienced directly the most of the aggressions from intruders, people would tend to be fanatic/assertive about the traditions and religion. The point of frustration is not that; will explain in a separate section why this movie didn’t impress me or rather frustrated me to death. The single most reason that makes me ask ’’Whats wrong with these people’’. A separate section on that later. First, lets look at it as just a movie:
PLOT
We have again proved that India can’t make a good historical movie nor we can make good war-movies. The mediocrity creeps in whenever people try to make 1942 A (ugly) Love Story (Read more in my 10 Worst Hindi movies review) or Border (again the same review) or (Cosmopolitan John Travolta-like) Asoka, we fail BIG TIME. Here in The Rising, the plot is not messed up with as it is kept as simple as possible. It covers only the sequence of events up to Mangal Pandey starting the freedom struggle that spread throughout India (and failed to succeed to 100% due to lack of co-ordination).
Acting
The two lead actors have done simply a marvelous job. Aamir Khan is perfect as Mangal Pandey, looks, acts and comes across 100% as the man what I had imagined would be. The British co-star matches him with sheer intensity and preparation. The fact that he didn’t know Hindi before the movie is un-believable. Hats off to both of them.
Music
A. R. Rehman has under whelmed in his two successive efforts with Swades and The Rising. It is OK sorts. With Main Waari Waari feels like from Devdas. Also Holi song is unnecessary in the movie with less of Mangal Pandey and more of Aamir Khan greeting us. ’Ya Madat Maula’ did impress me and came in the right position in the movie. Mangal-Mangal is extra-ordinary but somehow effect is not as good as the what comes from audio-cd. Don’t know why!
Flawed by Design
Looking at the advertisement, interviews, people expected SANGHARSH, drama and freedom struggle. They wanted to cheer the first of the martyrs for mother India but the movie by design finishes at Mangal Pandey and rest is covered by 5 dialogs from Om Puri. The overall effect of the movie is just a few songs, some fighting scenes of Mangal with ’bad-cops’ and love-scenes of some English mem-saab and also Amisha Patel.
Instead, I would have preferred a movie with half an hr before the actual shooting by Mangal Pandey and 1.5 hrs followed by Freedom struggle but then Aamir Khan wouldn’t have got a chance to roam around in big mustache and long hairs for 4 years and do all those creative, funky promotions of coca-cola and in the process take some 7 crores for Rising.
The direction/screenplay is also flawed and the biggest example is the timing for the interval. The interval should have been bang on time when they see the factory and they should have allowed people to go out of the hall with an anticipation of a big drama. Instead what we see is childish scene where Aamir goes to his friend to complain!! :(
Positives
Above average music, splendid acting, grrreat presentation/locations, overall justice to the plot by actors/director.
WHATS WRONG WITH THESE PEOPLE
I do NOT understand whats wrong with these people. When the troops come to know that Cow’s and Pig’s fat is really being used, when they actually see the factory, I did NOT see any ANGAAAR !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! There was no reaction of being deceived by Brits. No sheer frustration and AGONY that these white sucxxers made you chew what you think is sacred and represents all the 32 Million Gods put together. There was no PAIN/ANGER that was seen in the eye of these guys that they unknowingly went into something which they had raised to the suxxxers beforehand.
Rather, this hero, our dear Aamir Khan is shown in the movie, going to his white friend to complain...and cry in a pity that now I won’t be able to seat and eat with my friends, I will be thrown out of the caste etc etc..ye tumane achha nahi kiya!! BLAH BLAH BLAH !!! What the heck is wrong with the dialog writer and the director and the actor himself who takes credit for Mumbaiiya-Language of Rangeela, character of Dil Chahata hain etc etc ????? THAT IS NOT THE reason why Mangal Pandey went out of the way and without caring for this life he shot Brits dead??
It takes a LOT out of a person to come to a level to do something like that. It is a pity that one scene where Aamir goes and complains to his friend has ruined the complete built-up and ANGGGAR that should have been the result. The complete movie is reduced to a bhankas beating around the bushes with the songs and love affairs.
Can you tell me whats wrong with these people? Are we expecting too much from a movie that supposedly spends 40 crores?
CONCLUSION
Don’t get me wrong. The movie is recommended to watch. Won’t disappoint you that much but do not expect karizma after 4 years of effort from thee guys. Too many expectations would spoil the party though.
It seems that the movie-making is not passionate business for these guys but a matter of convenience! The fact underlined by Senior Chopra’s statement that Mangal Pandey wasn’t a freedom fighter!! Then why the heck you made and distributed the movie dude?