2005-08-14T19:00:00.000-07:00

The Rising : Documentary Drama or Confusion ??

Recently I happen to read an article on IT project management the essence of which was you may get a best team at your disposal but that doesn’t guarantee successful outcome of the project.

"The rising" can be a real good testimony to support the above statement. Almost four years have been spent on this project by Ketan Mehta, and knowing lead man Aamir Khan whose fastidious approach to the projects/products he is associated with, Loyal Aamir Khan fans like me went to the movie with lots of expectation will surely be disappointed by the offerings on the screen.

The movie seems like account of Captain Gordon employed with British East India Company whose life is saved in Afghan War by Indian Sepoy Mangal Pandey , and his friendship with Mangal, 3 lakh Indian Sepoys and 40 thousand British forces used by East India Company to take control of India to suit their business objectives. Indian Sepoys on British Payroll helping their masters to oppress their own countrymen. Their subsequent struggle, first with their conscience to justify their bloody deeds against their own brethren, and subsequently their revolt against their British Masters. The immediate reason for their mutiny being introduction of the Enfield rifle the cartridges for which were greased by fat of cow and pig, which they refused to do.

Given these plot to weave a story around , Mehta apparently got confused whether to put across a documentary like Benegal’s Bharat ek Khoj , so he employs commentary track rendered by Om Puri , all the same he wants to show some drama so uses all clichés associated with Medieval India like Sati, nautch–girls,weekly bazaar with elephant rides and slave trade , a low-caste sweeper friend of Hero Mangal.To stick to current Bollywood clichés Mehta adds a holi number,and Item number in form of gypsy dancers.

With so much dumped on platter, the end result is a big patchwork which even a best of editors could not have channeled properly.

Even the scenes like Mangal chewing the cartridge having faith in his friend Capt. Grant or Mangal shooting himself when surrounded by British regiment don’t hit you as audience.
The background events those surrounded the 1857 rebellion, like involvement of various kings & nobles all over India is also not effectively let down.

Given that movie is director’s medium Mehta is totally at loss of conveying what he wants audience to know. Compared to this Lagaan which I thought was very cliché affair stands out in the sense it had a story to be told to the audience and which it did effectively making audience involved in saga of Bhuvan and villagers

Highs : Only High of the movie Character portrayal of Capt Gordon by Toby Stephens. his bonding with Mangal

Lows: Waste of acting talents of Amir,Rani, Amisha, and many big names in Bollywood in nondescript roles. Double meaning vulgar cracks added to appease the front row crowd, unnecessary resort to use all routine Bollywood items. AR Rehman's score like most of times doesn't gel with the story,given the benefit of doubt that this was case of no-story ,No song worth remembering in stand alone mode

PS : That lot of research has been claimed in making of movie, If my eyes were not playing games with me,for some strange reasons ,One evening scene had (when Gordon appeals to his Bosses about withdrawing new cartridges) US star spangled banner was raised on the cantonment headquarters. Nowhere was St. George's Cross once shown in the movie

Movie Magic