Dec 1, 20192 min read

The Warrior Queen of Jhansi (English): Movie Review

In the period drama #TheWarriorQueenofJhansi, film-maker #SwatiBhise directs her daughter #DevikaBhise who plays the titular role of #RaniLakshmibai and pays homage to her motherland and roots. But for someone whose mind is etched with the memories of #KanganaRanaut’s portrayal of the feminist icon of India, little feels exciting with the traditional narrative and inconsistent screenplay.

In one of the interviews during the promotion of the film, Bhise, who has always picked up strong women characters from mythology, emphasized on popularising Indian culture in the West and what could be a better topic than the queen of Jhansi for global outreach.

Set against the backdrop of the Sepoy mutiny of 1857 and its consequences on the #EastIndiaCompany, the film quickly acquaints the viewer with the platoon of women that #RaniLakshmibai built to fight against the British army – which is referred as cruel and tyrannical – throughout the film. At a point when asked whether they will be able to fight like men soldiers, the Rani says with a stony affirmation, “They will fight better than men”.

Bhise paints the queen’s personal upheavals with broad strokes, with little detailing around her marital life and equation with her father or foster son. Therefore, we get a very singular, uni-dimensional character of the queen who actually was a multi-faceted icon – a determined mother, a powerful warrior, a confidante sister and a dependable friend.

In a parallel universe, Bhise shows the real-life politics and governance where the Indians and British engage in conversations and negotiations to express concerns on Indian rebellion before violence kicks off in the war. There is a degree of honesty here but the direction is mediocre and lacks creative sheen. It plays out largely as a costume-heavy melee.

There are little mercies in the film, like the tender equation that Rani forges with the handsome British official, Major Robert Ellis (#BenLamb) who hits a conscience roadblock, before serving as an honest broker between the devious Robert Hamilton (#NathanielParker) of the #EastIndiaCompany and her. Characters speak in all languages – English, Hindi and Marathi which add to the incoherence in the screenplay.

#DevikaBhise’s efforts are convincing when she tries to emulate #RaniLakshmibai but she is saddled with a story that lacks the grit and gumption of a powerful epic drama. The production set pieces are mediocre and so are the action sequences – they clearly are deficient of the slickness that a spectacle would demand. The queen is surrounded with an array of International and indigenous stars – of which, you get to see #AjinkyaDeo, #ArifZakaria and #YatinSharma but none of them register a lasting impact.

WMR Verdict: A bargain basement version of Kangana’s Manikarnika that eschews melodrama and grandeur but does little justice to depict the valour and bravery of the warrior queen. While the intentions are noble, it could have been more rewarding if the makers had imbued the Rani with more spirit and defiance, rather than engaging her in swift sword-wielding. Worth a skip!!