Well finally I happen to see this most hyped movie of the year. Since not much is known about Mangal Pandey the story
seem to have taken too much liberty to create a fictional account of Mangal Pandey’s life. I wont blame that
because a movie is some persons imagination and one has a right to ones view points and opinions. Nonetheless,
I thought the producers should have made it clear at the very beginning of the movie. Anyway. I wont spent time
summarizing the story as it can be read from many other reviews. Here is what I think about the movie.
The songs were useless except the title song `mangal mangal’. What is Rehman doing with a movie like this?
He was not required for the background score, nor was Rani and Amisha Patel for those characters. I think some
extra role and songs were added in the final draft of the script just to match with the status of Rehman, Rani and Amisha. The producers could have saved some money on them by signing smaller artists. Ashwariya Rai was sensible enough not sign the movie.
Big budget movies have their own mathematics and Bobby bedi should learn a lesson or two
from RGV. Though the movie was supposed to be big budget at no point in the movie I felt like that. All the money
was spent on stars and advertising and hype. There was nothing spectacular in the movie.
Many historians will agree that Mangal Pandey was not a freedom fighter. I too felt the same after watching the movie and reading about him. Under the effect of Bhang (he did not refuse to that charge when questioned) he challenges the British army. Now I consider that stupid, but Mangal Pandey is still a hero because he did not repent for what he did and refused to apologise for what he did. Maybe he was just a stubborn, arrogant, Brahmin; Who knows! The Brits did a mistake of hanging him in public and making a hero out of him. Mangal Pandey was not fighting for India’s freedom, he was fighting his employer who was exploiting him with no regard for his religious beliefs. But that is just my opinion and Ketan Mehta as all the right to think and show that he was also a freedom fighter.
Acting wise Amir Khan has again done a good job. Like he said in DCH you cannot improve perfection. Toby Stephens(William Gordon) also did a very good job.