'Manikarnika: The Queen Of Jhansi' Review - Kangana Ranaut infuses life into the braveheart queen

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.