Mangal Pandey

Had set some record of sorts(even by my low standards) ever since I came to Bangalore..u know what??Hadn't been to a multiplex( ya..u don't go to a theatre to watch a movie nowadays!!) the past 4 weeks..So with rising expectations, I rose(u got to use "rising" wherever u can buddy!!) from my evening slumber on "Independence Day"(The extended weekend)to watch Mangal Pandey- The Rising..but sorry to say it didn't arise any dormant patriotism in me..My 50 cents on the movie..

The movie starts well...with the title song being the only hummable composition from AR Rehman's stable..The movie goes on to show the friendship between Gordon and Pandey (ably portrayed by Toby Stephens and Aamir Khan respectively)..and then it loses track among all the humdrum of making the movie commercial..what with unwanted songs at the most importune times..The love story between Amisha and Toby is sure to "arouse" some feelings..Amisha lives upto her mediocrity..Rani Mukherjee as "Heera",the prostitute is wasted (after her stupendous performance in Samjay Leela Bhansali's "Black", I expected her to be more conscious of the roles she chooses)..Aamir manages to hold well although I sometimes think Toby manages to emerge as the real hero of the movie..

The less said about Ketan Mehta's direction, the better.(Though its been going round the circles that Aamir "ghost directed" The Rising..If Aamir really did so, my sincere request to him not to venture into direction henceforth..)Mehta's "Maya Memsaab" was much better..The script, choreography (except for the tawaif mujra) and music are worth a miss.
Guess the movie was made with an eye at the BO(songs gell into the script as well as ..with an eye on the common junta so that it rakes in the moolah..and so it has done(what with Mehta proclaiming that the movie has recovered its costs in the first week of its release!!)..Overall the rising is worth a watch only if one is a hardcore Aamir fan!!