THE RISING – BALLAD OF MANGAL PANDEY

India, 2005, 150 minutes, Colour.
Aamir Khan, Toby Stephens, Rani Mukerji, Amisha Patel.
Directed by Ketan Mehta.

Here we have film-making on the grand scale, Indian style.

The opening tells us that when history meets folklore, legends are born. The Rising recounts the history of the power of the East India Company in India, one of the most powerful corporations in world history, and a mutiny by the sepoys which led to an India-wide mutiny. From the Indian perspective, it is seen as the first war of mutiny, the first major step that led to Mahatma Gandhi and Indian independence on August 15th 1947.

In these days of international invasions, international peace-keeping forces and of international terrorism, any film with a subject like this can be both provocative and thought-provoking. This is especially true when Britain is one of the major targets of resentment and we are presented with a portrait of arrogant, greedy, unscrupulous and racist capitalists of the East India Company. World powers not understanding local customs, especially religious customs and their deep convictions - and the presumption that they are merely superstitions that can be over-ridden by authority and what authority thinks is reason and common-sense - will mean that many audiences will be thinking of the leading superpower, the United States, and its actions in Afghanistan and Iraq, as well as other parts of the world.

That is the context in which this film has been made and released.

As film, it is certainly beautiful to look at. Indian landscapes, natural beauty, cities and architecture have never looked better. The re-creation of life in the mid-19th century, especially for the wealthy British away from home, has its spectacular moments. There is also an atmospheric score, pounding at emotional moments.

The title indicates that we are getting a hero's eye version of events, the point of view of sepoy, Mangal Pandey, a loyal soldier, well-disciplined who saves his commanding officer. However, deep down there is a humane man who reacts to the ill-treatment and cruelty presumptously handed out by the Company. When cartridges are introduced for the new Enfield rifles, cartridges dipped in pig and cattle fat, the sepoys are asked to literally bite the bullets, something sacrilegious for both Hindus and Muslims. Officers lie to the sepoys, but once the truth is out, the stage is set for mutiny, with Mangal Pandey as a significant leader. One knows how it will turn out - immediate disaster for the mutineers but a long range peace for India. However, the East India Company, which had ruled India for a hundred years with its own army, is brought down and India is brought under British political rule.

Aamir Khan is a dignified and strong presence as Mangal Pandey. The ballad shows us his gradual 'conscientisation' from soldier to revolutationary. Toby Stephens has a strong role as Gordon, friend and foe of Mangal.

(For those who enjoy movie parallels, think Braveheart - especially at the execution when Mangal exhorts the crowd, not to 'freedom' but to 'attack'.)

1. An entertaining spectacle? Historical drama? Social issues? 19th century – 21st century?

2. The quality of the location photography, the range of beautiful landscapes? The cities and villages? The 19th century and Empire architecture? Lavish interiors? The military barracks? The world of the East India Company, the Raj? The use of wide screen for intimate sequences, domestic sequences, political, military and action? The atmospheric – and thundering score?

3. The comment that where history meets folklore, legends arise? The title – and the treatment of Mangal Pandey as a ballad?

4. The perspectives on the Indian mutiny, from the British point of view, a mutiny? From the East India Company, the confrontation and undermining of the company? From the Indian point of view, a step towards independence? For the sepoys, for kingdoms? The perspective after one hundred and fifty years?

5. The structure of the film: the focus on the hanging of Mangal Pandey, its being postponed? The flashbacks, from Gordon’s point of view? Coming back to the hanging, the final comment by Gordon, the postscript about the independence of India?

6. The framework, the tableau of the execution, India and the 20th century? The end and the visuals of Gandhi and independence?

7. The songs, the Bollywood style, colour, movement, the men on the elephant, the dancing girls? The insertion of the songs into the plot, connecting with the characters?

8. The portrait of Mangal Pandey, the preparation for the execution, the accusations by the officer, the entry, his being framed in the noose? His look at Gordon? His not dying, being taken away, audience expectations?

9. His story, as a sepoy, the status of the sepoys, very British, his militaristic style, even to his marching, his uniform, neat appearance? His working for the East India Company? The battle, his saving Gordon, his being wounded? Gordon’s visit, giving him the gift of the gun (and later his giving it back)? His work of service, friendship with Gordon, the wresting and the discussion about the issue at the ball? The defence of the servant being attacked by Hewson? His going into action? His leadership? The issue of the cartridges and the pig and oxen fat? Gordon confirming the truth, his biting the bullet, his being defiled, becoming an Untouchable? The cross-eyed Untouchable and his communication with him, arrogance, beginning to depend on him? His observing the slave market and the sale of the prostitutes? Later, meeting Heera, his love for her, the possibility of escape? With Gordon, the drinking, tying Hewson’s horse and his falling off? His stance on Hewson, the fight, the four men whipping him and Gordon stopping them? Going to the factory, the truth about the cartridges? The defiance of the military, his being the leader? The planning of the mutiny? The confrontation, his not being an Untouchable, solidarity of the sepoys? His becoming a symbol – and the flag of the Red Fort of Delhi? The confrontation and his standing alone in front of the cannon? The final decision with the advance of the Rangoon Regiment, fighting, the duel with Gordon and wounding him, getting the others to go? Standing alone and shooting? His attempt to kill himself, in hospital? His being taken to execution – in the cinematic manner of such heroes at Braveheart? The execution and his final cinematography of, “Attack”?

10. The East India Company, the historical explanation at the beginning of the film, their power, success, having their own army, Gordon’s explanation of what a company was, the greed? The personnel, their arrogance, racist? Their attitude towards the kingdoms and using the kings? Having their own brothel and buying the slave girls? The visuals of the officers in the brothel? Their exploitation, wealth, private enterprise, opium, selling it to China, provoking a war with China? The inspectors coming from England – being offered bribes, Fletcher and his being honest? Using the locals as underlings? The final defiance of the ordinance manager for the opium, Fletcher, the shock of Kent, his feeling that he was immune?

11. The social life of the company people, the masked ball, the girl and her dressing as a nautch girl, people’s reaction, especially her father? Hewson and his remarks, a cruel man, sexual philanderer, affairs? The background of the mother with the Indian nurse, not having enough milk for her own child? The girl’s love for the baby and warning the mother to escape? In the brothel, the dancing, the men? Miss Kent and her innocent questions about the company, Gordon and his giving clear answers about greed, China? The military tribunals, the issue of Gordon’s loyalty? The role of the military, the personnel, their strategies – their authoritarianism, super-confidence, playing billiards and discussing? Defying the sepoys about the cartridges, not understanding the religious observances, dismissing them?

12. Gordon, the Catholic background, the Scot, the ordinary parish school, an ordinary soldier, his rank, half his life in India, working for the company? The strategy and the battle, the visualising of the battle, the troops arriving, on the crest of the hills, seeing the dead? The snipers? Mangal Pandey and his saving Gordon? The later wrestling, the drinking and Hewson’s horse? Mangal defying him about not saving the servant who was beaten by Hewson, Mangal stepping in to be whipped instead? His stopping the whipping by the four men in the prison? His bluntness in telling the truth about the company, the reports? His being spurned? The issue of sati, saving the widow, Mangal coming in to save him again? The arrows fired in his house, the woman, her fears, under the bed, his relationship with her? The duel with Mangal, his being present at the execution, his final comments – and the postscript saying that he went out of the company and fought with the sepoys?

13. Hewson, arrogant British? The innocent girl and her asking questions? The presumptuousness of the British, the nature of the racism, their epithets, cruelty? Unwilling to have any kind of cultural understanding? The assumptions about the supremacy of the company and of England?

14. The girl sold as a prostitute, the market? Her being named Heera? With the other girls, the dancers, the woman managing the brothel? The Indian wife, giving her milk to the white baby, her husband being angry, her giving the baby opium to stop it crying? Her warning the white woman to flee, her husband being tortured because of the information given? The woman who was to be burnt, her being saved, in Gordon’s household, the relationship?

15. The issues of religion, Muslim and Hindu? The planning of the mutiny, the Muslim kingdoms of the north, the Hindu kingdoms? The two emissaries, the interviews with their kings and queens, the emperor in Delhi? The planning of the uprising? The issue of the cartridges, the factory, the British lies, the truth, the defiance – to a man? The background of the issue of sati and the killing customs, the role of customs – and need for change to respect human life?

16. The film as a portrait of Mangal Pandey, his growth in awareness, to leadership of the mutiny, his becoming a symbolic martyr?

17. Britain taking over the management of India, becoming part of the empire, the role of Queen Victoria? The empire and its roots, exploitation? The consequences?

18. The feeling of the film, the history of the succeeding ninety years, the focus on Gandhi, August 1947?