Mangal Pandey: The Rising (2005)

 ●  Hindi ● 2 hrs 30 mins

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Set in the year 1857 AD, at a time when the entire Indian sub continent was churning with turmoil under British tyranny, 'Mangal Pandey - The Rising' is an epic tale of friendship, betrayal, love and sacrifice set against the backdrop of what the British called the Sepoy Mutiny, but which for the Indians was the First War of Independence. 'Company Raj' as it was known, had been plundering the country, treating the locals unjustly and causing widespread resentment. After a hundred years of subjugation, the Indian consciousness is rising through the revolutionary prospect of change and self-rule. During a fierce battle in one of the Afgan wars that the Company fought in the mid-century, Mangal Pandey, the heroic sepoy, saves the life of his British commanding officer William Gordon. Gordon is indebted to Mangal and a strong friendship develops between them, transcending consideration of rank and race. The friendship is soon challenged with the introduction of a new rifle called the Enfield. The new rifle came with a new cartridge which is rumored to be coated with the grease of cow and pig fat and needed to be bitten before it is loaded. This ignites anger and resentment among the Indian sepoys. The cow was considered to be sacred to the Hindus and the pig forbidden to the Muslims. They refuse to touch such a 'kartoos' (gun cartridge) as it would defile them. Set in one of the most beautiful backgrounds, told across the divides of time, Mangal Pandey - The Rising tells the tale of friends, lovers and enemies, exploiters and exploited, and the growth and awareness of a man and a nation. It is a story of one man and his dream of freedom. This sweeping epic is based on real historical events, seen as a trigger for Indian independence.
See Storyline (May Contain Spoilers)

Cast: Aamir Khan, Rani Mukerji

Crew: Ketan Mehta (Director), Himman Dhamija (Director of Photography), AR Rahman (Music Director)

Rating: U (India)

Genres: Drama, History, War

Release Dates: 12 Aug 2005 (India)

Tagline: Legend of Mangal Pandey

Hindi Name: मंगल पांडे

Did you know? Shah Rukh Khan was offered the film, but turned it down. Read More
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as Sepoy Mangal Pandey
as Heera
as Ghoshal Babu
as Ms. Lockwood
as Hassan Ali
as Radhe Shyam
as Canning
as Behrampore Sargeant
as White Baby
as Poppy Field Villager 3
as Native announcer
as Jwala
as Vir Singh
as Chameli
as Choudhary
as Nainsukh
as Hewson
as British priest
as Bhujavan Shukla
as Slave trader
as Emily
as Tatya Tope
as Sepoy messenger
as Krupashankar Singh
as Gordon servant 1
as Bearer
as Yasmin
as Grant
as Collector
as Bahadur Shah Zafar
as Mr. Quartermaster
as Gulab
as Deendayal Awasthi
as Mr. Quartermaster
as Hearsey
as Relative villager
as Mrs. Canning
as Adjutant Bunbury
as Sufi Singer
as Kent
as Lol Bibi
as Anarkali
as Davar Ali
as Mrs. Wheeler
as Mendicant Musician
as Mendicant Musician
as Sati priest
as Jacob
as First officer
as Poppy Field Villager 1
as Kamla
as Bakht Khan
as Sheikh Paltu
as Aide to Maharaja
as Bangdu
as Susan
as Narrator
as Mendicant Musician
as Champa
as Pankhawala
as Brahmin sepoy
as Gordon servant 2
as Sarpanch
as Sufi Singer On Elephant
as Lol Bibi's Girl
as British doctor
as Bhola Tiwari
as Barrackpore Sargeant
as Ishwariprasad
as Mendicant Musician
as Poppy Field Villager 2
as Azimullah
as Patrick
as Nana Saheb
as Lockwood
as Sorabji
as Mitchell
as Old Woman / Kamla's mother-in-law
as Old Maharaja
as Rahmat Ali
as Peabody
as Captain William Gordon
as Watson
as Rani Laxmibai
as Zakhmi poet

Direction

Director

Production

Associate Producer

Distribution

Writers

Screenplay Writer
Dialogue Writer

Camera and Electrical

Director of Photography

Art

Production Designer

Casting

Casting Director

Costume and Wardrobe

Costume Designer

Editorial

Makeup and Hair

Special Effects

Special Effects Technician

Stunts

Stunt Director

Transportation

Transportation Coordinator
Film Type:
Feature
Language:
Hindi
Spoken Languages:
English, Urdu
Colour Info:
Color
Sound Mix:
Dolby Digital, DTS
Frame Rate:
24 fps
Aspect Ratio:
2.35:1, 2.39:1 (Scope)
Stereoscopy:
Converted to 3D
Tracklist

Music Director: AR Rahman
Lyricist: Javed Akhtar
Playback Singer: Kailash Kher

Music Director: AR Rahman
Lyricist: Javed Akhtar

Music Director: AR Rahman
Lyricist: Javed Akhtar
Playback Singer: Kailash Kher

Music Director: AR Rahman
Lyricist: Javed Akhtar
Taglines:
Legend of Mangal Pandey
You can kill a man, but not his dreams
An epic tale of friendship, love, loss and betrayal
India, 1857. One man rises against the Empire...
This August discover the birth of India's independence
Goofs:
Miscellaneous
The British forces are using an outdated form of shako. The form of shako used in 1857 had a top that was wider than the bottom.

Miscellaneous
In the beginning when the opening credits roll, a coin can be seen on which there are the following words "Victoria Empress". The events of the film are set in 1857, but Queen Victoria becomes Empress of India by the decision of the British Parliament only in 1876 and this is announced in India in 1877, twenty years after the story of the film. It is important, because the Mughal Emperor (Bahadur Shah II) still alive in 1857 is also shown in the film, and the British Queen gets this title long time after his deposition in 1857 and his death in 1862.

Continuity
At the beginning of the movie, Mangal has the vermillion mark on his forehead. Later on, while they wait for a new executioner, Mangal sits in the jail cell with no markings on his forehead. Then Heera comes and places the vermillion on him. Since this happens after the initial scene, Mangal's forehead should have been clear in the beginning.
Trivia:
Prince Charles visited the film set and served as a clapper boy for some scenes.

The film marked Aamir Khan comeback after a four year hiatus.

Hugh Jackman was offered the role of Captain William Gordon, but turned it down.

Shah Rukh Khan was offered the film, but turned it down.