By Ambar Chatterjee ‘Kangana is the only positive in this over-drawn, loud, bloated and uninspiring epic’ Cast: Kangana Ranaut, Jisshu Sengupta, Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub, Ankita Lokhande, Danny Denzongpa, Atul Kulkarni Director: Radha Krishna Jagarlamudi and Kangana Ranaut Rating: 2.5/5 (2.5 out of 5 Stars) Indian kids like me have grown up with the story of The Queen of Jhansi. We got goosebumps when we heard it for the first time from our mothers and grandmothers. Her story was not a fairytale that was conjured to put us to sleep. It was, on the contrary, as much a tale of the Queen’s valor and courage as it was of her audacity and ability to thwart the steamrolling British machinery and at the same time be the face of change for the women in the predominantly patriarchal society. Her story has inspired millions and has also rubbed on its charisma to other fictional stories that have over the years captured the imagination of viewers and listeners alike. Unfortunately, Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi is unable to cash in on the crux of what made “The Queen of Jhansi” such an iconic and Godly figure. There isn’t anything in the film that will get your heart pumping and this lack of inspiration is what mars a film that could have been great. Manikarnika is re-christened Laxmi (Kangana Ranaut) and married to Gangadhar Rao (Jisshu Sengupta), the King of Jhansi. The British have a keen interest in taking over the reign of Jhansi as it is still without an heir. Laxmi soon bears a boy but the child dies just as quickly. The king dies soon after and Jhansi is without a ruler. The British now decide to take over the kingdom and they do. The queen is banished and starts living with the masses. It is at this time that the infamous Sepoy Mutiny breaks out and the Queen of Jhansi gets an opportunity to not only take back her kingdom but also teach the British a befitting lesson. The first half of this film could have been just avoided if the voiceover of Amitabh Bachchan was extended to include just three lines more and made it clear that Manikarnika was married to Gangadhar Rao so that she could bear him a child. Also, she comes to Jhansi and starts connecting with the masses. That would have sufficed. Instead what we get is a flurry of sequences with songs and dances peppered in between that stretches a minuscule plot point and drags it for 1 hour and 10 minutes. This portion of the film bored and irritated me to the extent that I felt like walking out. However, I was hopeful of a better second half and convinced myself to stay put. The second half does get better as this is where Kangana gets to show her intensity as the queen who has lost everything except her pride. Taking a step away from a queen who was gyrating with commoner for no rhyme or reason to apparent item numbers, Kangana delivers her act’s strongest portions. I just loved her in the Battle of Jhansi where she has to defend herself and her son against a marauding British attack. I loved her swordplay here as this was the only time when there seemed to be some genuine intensity and physicality in her combat. CGI blood is splattered and every look at the queen’s face makes you believe that she is actually having a hard time defending herself and her son which in turns makes this sequence affecting. I also loved the scene where Kangana has to vacate her fort and go and live with the masses. As she walks out of her fort and is followed by the people, one can actually feel her angst. She then goes ahead and liberates Gwalior which is also a worthy sequence. However, all that is marred terribly by the climax which even a kid would be able decipher as one shot in front of a green screen with some of the tackiest wireworks that I have seen in years. I really don’t know how long more it would take Bollywood to understand how wirework works and the physics of it. When will they realize that they can’t shun the rules of gravity and need to use it as a means to add credibility to the action? Also, action choreography needs the same amount of finesse as dance choreography and anything less would mean doom. Every supporting cast member in the film does a horrific job. A film like this that doesn’t boast of being historically accurate could have easily used better villains. There are two anchoring points in the name of antagonists and they are both so generic and cliché that they wouldn’t even leave a mark in a Colors TV production. If that’s not all, seasoned actors like Jisshu, Danny, Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub, Atul Kulkarni, Kulbhushan Kharbanda and Suresh Oberoi unbearably ham in roles that could have been done by any Tom, Dick or Harry. Apart from the ones mentioned above the rest of the supporting cast work against the film in their own ways. A film like this needed better CGI. As the film progresses the CGI keeps getting worse and reaches its crescendo in the climactic battle scene making the queen’s end more hilarious than heartbreaking. Whosever idea it was to shape the fire in which the queen perishes as Om was a terrible call. Kangana Ranaut’s inspired act will not be able to overshadow all the gaping holes in the plot, execution, and performances. This was a film that should not have been more than 2 hours long and should have concentrated on the last few years of the Queen’s life after the death of her husband and child. That way this would have been a political thriller which would have been the best approach to the story making the tale gripping. The CGI should have been done away with and all the action should have been in camera and Kangana needed to train for the combat to get the desired physicality.<doc-sep>Film: Manikarnika: The Queen Of Jhansi (Biopic-Drama-Action) Cast: Kangana Ranaut, Atul Kulkarni, Danny Denzongpa, Ankita Lokhande, Jisshu Sengupta, Suresh Oberoi Direction: Radha Krishna Jagarlamudi (Krish) and Kangana Ranaut Written by: KV Vijayendra Prasad Duration: 2 hours 38 minutes Language: Hindi (U/A) Critic’s Rating: 4/5 Story: Rani Laxmibai of Jhansi was the first woman in the history of India to take on the might of the British Empire by igniting the first war for Independence in 1857. Manikarnika (Kangana Ranaut) was born in a Brahmin family but raised as a Kshatriya (warrior). She was later christened Laxmibai by her husband, Maharaj Gangadhar Rao (Jisshu Sengupta) of Jhansi. Not only did the Queen of Jhansi refuse to let the British annex her princely state after her husband’s death, but this braveheart also fought till the very end, forcing the English to acknowledge that she was indeed the most valiant warrior they had ever encountered. Review: Amitabh Bachchan’s voiceover takes you through the pages of the early 19th-century history of India; the period when the royalty were being oppressed by the British. Not only did the kings live in constant fear, but their sense of haplessness also rendered them weak. It was during this period that Manikarnika was born in Varanasi. Her father had the blessings of the Peshwa of Bithoor (Suresh Oberoi) and Manikarnika was treated like a princess. She was taught to fence, shoot and hunt. She could stop a tiger in its tracks with an arrow and tame a wild horse with her intuition. A voracious reader, Manu, as she was affectionately called by the Peshwa, was brought up with all the privileges of a royal offspring and not discriminated because of her background or gender. It was her feisty spirit that won her a match in the King of Jhansi. But her short life was not a bed of roses. Widowed at a rather young age, she was left to fend off the continuous British attacks. “Most Indian widows go to Kashi (Benaras) after they are widowed,” says a British officer, adding, “Look at the gumption of Laxmibai, who refuses to vacate her throne.” “We want her alive. We must teach her a lesson,” they thunder. Baying for her blood, the Brits waged war. However, even they were completely unprepared for the manner in which this warrior queen fought back. All of this is interestingly enacted. The film tackles a significant part of history. And it has to be seen on a wide screen for its sheer opulence. The period is beautifully recreated by art directors Murlidhar J Sabat, Ratan Suryawanshi, Sukant Panigrahy, Sujeet Sawant, Sunil Jaiswal and Sriram Iyengar, and has been shot amazingly by cinematographers Gnana Shekar VS and Kiran Deohans. The grandeur and the detailing of the war scenes lend the movie a storybook quality and one is quite mesmerised by the scale. KV Vijayendra Prasad, who wrote Baahubali, whips up an engaging screenplay. Prasoon Joshi has penned some fiery dialogue and lyrics with a patriotic fervour. Songs like Vijayi Bhava and Bharat stir up nationalistic emotions. The war sequences are tastefully choreographed by Hollywood imports Nick Powell and Todor Lazarov as well as desi action coordinators, Riyaz and Habib. Kangana, who wears two hats — that of the protagonist and the co-director — displays a certain maturity on both counts. As a queen, she displays steely resolve, managing to infuse life into her Laxmibai. The 20-something, for whom the nation came before self, is the kind of martyr you salute with pride. As a director, she shares credit with Krish (of 'Gabbar Is Back' fame) and has assuredly contributed to this big-ticket outing. The supporting cast — Jisshu Sengupta, Danny Denzongpa, Suresh Oberoi and Atul Kulkarni — complement Kangana in an unobtrusive manner. Verdict: Even today, an important chapter in Indian history tomes is dedicated to the Queen of Jhansi. Watch her story unfold in this lavishly-mounted screen spectacle.<doc-sep>Prasoon Joshi’s dialogues sound completely out of place here. To add to that disenchantment, the post-production makeover is such that it makes Kangana look like a plastic doll with standard wide eyed ferocious expressionism called-up at the drop of a hat. The emotive range and linguistic adaptability we saw her exhibit in Tanu Weds Manu 2, doesn’t exist here. Her diction in this film is rather clipped, her accent sounds disconnected from the Bundelkhand, Jhansi, Gwalior region the Rani existed in and her performance is concentrated on being battle-ready rather than gaining empathy from an audience.<doc-sep>Cast: Kangana Ranaut, Ankita Lokhande, Danny Denzongpa, Atul Kulkarni and Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub Director: Radha Krishna Jagarlamudi Rating: 3/5 Kangana Ranaut's Manikarnika is, perhaps, surprisingly better than what its shoddy trailer made one believe it would be. Is it a flawless film? Actually, quite far from it but the movie manages to hold your interest till the strange ending. Ranaut as the fierce Rani Laxmibai, one of the bravest warriors the country has ever known, is mostly on point. There are also parts where she falls flat but Ranaut who takes up most of the screen time cannot be ignored, whereas the supporting cast is reduced to mere cogs in the machine, working tirelessly to extol Rani Laxmibai. Much of the slow first half is spent on showing Rani Laxmibai's brave, kind, fair, progressive and independent nature. She shoots a tiger only to heal it and save the villagers, she can take on three sword-wielding men, hop and jump to mount an elephant and the only one who can domesticate the untameable horse, Badal. Ranaut does all that with great ease. However, charged with the love for her country, Ranaut's Laxmibai starts giving sermons on patriotism at the drop of a hat. One would wonder if the actual Rani ever had so much time in hers hands in the midst of a bloody rebellion against the British Raj. Coming to the British, they are nothing we have never seen before. They are portrayed as evil, greedy and scheming officers who laugh at people for not knowing English, require everyone to bow to them and hang little girls out of spite. They do all that and more while shooting off dialogues in the funniest Hindi accent you will ever hear. You will once again ask yourself - why do British officers in Bollywood films speak amongst themselves in Hindi and once again you will be left with no answer. There is a scene where Rani Laxmibai herself goes to a British camp to rescue a stolen calf. On the tent is the signage - Dogs and Indians not allowed. Then there is another scene where General Hugh Rose, tormented by Rani Laxmibai's rebellion against the Company has a nightmare where he sees Goddess Kali. Then there is this time when Rani speaks in fluent English and says that is a mere language. "Words without culture have no meaning," she adds. It is in awkwardly executed scenes like these that one wonders if there was any deliberation on them at all. One of the best parts about the Radha Krishna Jagarlamudi-directed Manikarnika is the choreography. Ranaut as well as her fellow actors do a great job of wielding swords. However, one of the biggest flaws of Manikarnika and one that will leave you confused is its take on women empowerment. On one hand, Rani Laxmibai is waging war against the British and on the other hand her husband, Maharaja Gangadhar Rao Newalkar wears bangles as a token of shame and calls them shackles. It is confusing to see the same movie applauding a woman's bravery and looking down upon women accessories. The VFX used in Manikarnika is not its strongest point and is quite jarring at times. The screenplay too is chaotic, with the film jumping from one scene to another in a rather haphazard manner. The underutilisation of actors like Ankita Lokhande, Danny Denzongpa, Atul Kulkarni and Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub indicates that the Kangana Ranaut-directorial was made with only one person in mind - Kangana Ranaut. Also read: Manikarnika Movie: Release Date, Budget, Trailer, Cast, Songs, Box Office Collection Prediction<doc-sep>
Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi comes at the right time as India gears up to celebrate Republic Day. Three-time National Award winner Kangana Ranaut not only plays the lead role of Rani of Jhansi but also turns director, sharing credits with Radha Krishna Jagalramudi aka Krish. So will Kangana bag her fourth National Award with the period drama? Read here Setting the scene The story starts in 1828 Varanasi with visuals of a baby girl being named Manikarnika, tipped by a priest to attain glory in her life. The girl grows to be skilful in horse-riding, sword-fighting and archery. Impressed by her talents, Dikshit Ji, an official from Jhansi asks her hand in marriage from Bittoor's Peshwa for their king. She gets married to King Gangadhar Rao to become the queen of Jhansi and is named Rani Lakshmibai. The couple has a son, but Sadashiv, a person greedy for power, in conspiracy with the Britishers plots to kill their son and also leaves the king on the brink of death. Expected to shave her head and live as a widow after the death of her husband, Lakshmibai defies patriarchy by refusing to do so and takes over the throne. Plot The plot of the movie traces Manikarnika's journey from her youth to become Rani Lakshmibai aka Rani of Jhansi, one of bravest warriors of India's first freedom movement in 1857. From beating the men in sword fighting to convincingly riding the horse and skilled use of the bow and arrow, Manikarnika has something other women in the region do not have. From refusing to bow down to the British general to raising her voice against the unjust actions against the Britishers, the queen is the most dignified. The death of her son impacts her deeply and they even adopt a son, giving him the same name as their first child, Damodar. However, the death of her husband, who spurs her to showcase her warrior spirit, takes up the mantle of the rule of Jhansi. After taking charge of Jhansi, she is faced with the challenge of thwarting the Britishers who are devising ways to capture Jhansi by hook or by crook. How she goes about this mission by motivating the villagers, training them and strategising the attacks while dealing with the scheming Sadashiv forms the rest of the plot. Verdict Rani of Jhansi is one of the most known warriors and the movie could have been the perfect tribute to her, but the movie fails to do so. One of the main reasons for this is the screenplay which fails to make you feel for the characters. The depiction of the incidents neither make you cheer for Kangana nor does it evoke anger against the Britishers. Her battle gets lost between personal vengeance and love for country, both of which did not come out properly. A lot of scenes are just happening, without eliciting emotion and does not go with the flow of the story. The lead actress Kangana is inconsistent in her performance. While she is decent is displaying subtlety in some scenes, her expressions seem over the top particularly during the action scenes and her dialogue delivery is unconvincing sometimes. However, her hard work comes across well and she seems very much at ease and convincing with the sword in her hand, while riding a horse or displaying her archery. Ankita Lokhande makes a fine Bollywood debut as the fiery Jhalkaribai. Jisshu Sengupta is impressive with his dialogue delivery and truly looks like a king, making his chemistry with Kangana work to an extent. A veteran like Danny Denzongpa plays an irrelevant role. Another talented face Atul Kulkarni is wasted, while other veterans like Suresh Oberoi and Kulbhushan Kharbanda are adequate in their brief roles. Mishti and Nihar Pandya don't have much to do while Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub as Sadashiv has performed a lot better before. The battle scenes have been pictured well and are one of the highlights. Special mention to the sequence when Kangana single-handedly slices the British officers. However, the use of slow motion towards the end derails the process. The VFX and the visual effects are good in the way the firing of cannon shots and explosions are shown. Some of the dialogues, written by Prison Joshi, are too heavy and the Britishers using big Hindi words are unconvincing. Amitabh Bachchan is ever dependable is his voiceover to bring back memories of Lagaan.