After 4 years of anticipation, several hours of talk on Aamir’s moustache and hairdos and more than 1 hour in the queue I got a balcony ticket for the “Bap of the Baps” magnum opus of the year 2005 “Mangal Pandey – The Rising”. As the lights went off and the curtains rolled up, my anxiousness was getting the better of me.
Aamir “Mangal” Khan is the one guy whose stands tall amidst the ashes. He gives a stellar performance gallantly fighting to save the sinking ship alone!! (Reminiscent of a similar sequence in the movie). Rani has been wasted in this movie. After her awe inspiring performance in BLACK, the role she portrays is just to keep the front benches whistling. Amisha’s role is not even worth a mention. DON’T BLINK. Lest you might miss her!!
Ketan Mehta, being an experienced director has not lived up to expectations. The screenplay is very choppy. The transition from one event to another is controlled by the narrative done by Om Puri, who does an OK job. Except for the title song and the Vari Vari, the lyrics are not of the quality we have come to except from Javed Akthar. A R Rahman has given his worst music to date. You wouldn’t keep the album in your shelves for more than a week.
The subject had all the ingredients of becoming an epic. However, the final outcome left much to be desired. You can give the first half a miss. The story gets gripping in the second half.
All said and done, it is not a movie which can be flushed down the sink. The movie has its rare moments, when you feel the patriotism, the intensity, the passion of the moment getting into you. Sadly, that starts to happen towards the end of the movie; when the audience had enough of crap and they are ready to go home.
So, what’s my final say? Well, you got to see it to believe it! Go to the theater with no expectations and you might just have a good time!!
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