Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi
Year: 2019
Director: Krish, Kangna Ranaut
Cast: Kangna Ranaut, Jisshu Sengupta, Richard Keep

‘Jhansi Ki Rani Laxmibai’ is a name that has become immortal in Indian history. The 19th century-queen who ruled the North Indian state of Jhansi during the first major revolt against the British has already been the subject of movies and TV serials in the past. Now Manikarnika adds to those depictions.

The history

Born in a modest Brahmin family, Manikarnika aka Manu grew up under the loving care of the Peshawa of Bithur. Brave and intelligent, the young Manu had Taya Tope and Nana Sahib (two future freedom-fighters!)  among her childhood friends; and was noted for her mastery on arms. At the age of 14 years, (Some say 9 years!) Manikarnika got married to Jhansi’s ruler Gangadharrao and got renamed Laxmibai. Her first son died in infancy. After adopting his cousin’s son, even her husband left this world, leaving the responsibility of running the state on Laxmibai’s able shoulders.

It was an era when the British East India Company was grabbing hold of many princely states through various underhand tactics. Jhansi, too was annexed by the British, rejecting Laxmibai’s adopted son’s right to throne and relegating her to background. The 1857 revolt changed the equations. Laxmibai became one of the major leaders of the first ever freedom struggle of India. She fought with valour, taking on the might of the British army and ultimately lost her life in a battle. Since then the famous image of war-gear-clad, sword-wielding Rani Laxmibai, with her small son tied on her back, riding on a horse has forever been kindling the flame of patriotism in the Indian minds.

The movie

Manikarnika does a lot of things right but disappoints on many other fronts. First let’s give credit where it is due. The forts, the armies, the wars, the sets, the costumes- the film spares no efforts in creating a grand spectacle. The production values and the technical side (cinematography, sound design, stunts, special effects) are impeccable.

Kangna Ranaut portrays the central role with spunk. While her Rani Laxmibai is convincingly impressive; she could have let a younger actress play the teenaged Manikarnika. Still this film reconfirms her ability to carry an entire film on her own shoulders.

Now to the negatives. The direction, co-credited to Kangna and Krish, fails to tell the story (and the history!) coherently and impactfully. The facets of palatial intrigue and the national politics are not explored well. The entire focus is on glorifying Laxmibai and practically all the other characters are given short shrift. The British characters are caricaturized to the max. The songs and dance sequences seem superfluous. The editing should have been crisper, cutting at least 30 minutes from the lengthy film.

Verdict

Manikarnika is a lavishly mounted historical, bringing to the fore Rani Laxmibai’s valiant life-story. Unfortunately, instead of a mature, multi-layered biopic throwing light on one of the most complex chapters of Indian history, we end up getting a massy, clumsy, stunt-filled ‘glory-pic’!

It is a movie following the success formula set up by the likes of Ashutosh Gowarikar (Jodha-Akbar) and Sanjay Leela Bhansali (Bajirao-Mastani and Padmaavat). Nothing more, nothing less! Judging from the box-office returns, Indian public has lapped it up.

Rating

2.5 stars