I went into this film with no idea what to expect. I know nothing on the story of Manikarnika, I simply decided to check out the film as it started right as the previous film I was watching finished. Considering I was going into a two and a half hour long film at 11:20pm after a week of physical work, I wasn't expecting this film to really keep me engaged. Boy, was I wrong! I emerged at nearly 2am, full of energy and praises.
The film starts off with a literal 5 to 10 minutes of "special thanks" to the partners, which was tiresome and excessive, especially when one is already exhausted, but it didn't take long for the film to grab me once it started. Based on a true story (with a few bits tweaked for the sake of dramatic effect) I was intrigued to watch the leading lady, Kangana Ranaut (who portrays Manikarnika) instantly establishing herself as a strong, female character. The film rises and falls on Ranaut's acting ability, as she is the focus of 98% of the scenes. Due to this focus of Ranaut, the supporting characters are underdeveloped, but the film doesn't suffer much because of it.
For those not in the know, the story follows this woman who was raised as a warrior, marries the King of Jhansi, and fights for India's independence against the British Army. Stylistically, Manikarnika: Queen of Jhansi is like watching a Lord of the Rings film, that ends in a climax that looks heavily influenced by Zack Snyder's 300. It constantly builds and builds throughout the film, increasing emotional engagement as well as increasing in scale and action. All helped by a brilliant musical score by Shankaar-Ehsaan-Loy.
Kangana Ranaut is one hell of a woman. She transitions through so many phases throughout the films extensive runtime; wild and carefree as a single woman, a serious and loving wife, a devoted mother, a tactical and uncompromising Queen, and the intense, rabid warrior. Her performance is largely done not with her dialogue, but through her unblinking stare, and her graceful movements, and yet she still has a number of moving speeches.
CGI is inconsistent, to be fair, some portions appear very realistic, but then other scenes look like the frame-rate has dropped considerably, or the lighting doesn't quite match the rest of the shot. But again, you are so invested in the story that slightly lower graphics are a non-issue. Lush and lavish visual environments and costumes are gorgeous, and the dance numbers are enjoyable (this is, after all, a Bollywood film).
Kudos need to be given to the director and writers. They have put forth a brilliant character in Manikarnika; strong, but still not so perfect that she could be described as a Mary Sue. Manikarnika is an exceptionally well-written feminist role model. The character is quite well developed, though the film doesn't go much beyond what is already commonly known about the historical figure. This is juxtaposed by the British characters who are portrayed as one-dimensional manipulative and sadistic characters. Not dissimilar to how Nazi Germany is portrayed in war films, the film spends no time looking at why the British act as they do, it simply pushes its message of patriotism and is very successful.
Almost feeling like an original story for a superhero, Manikarnika: Queen of Jhansi is an action-packed epic story. Game of Thrones meets Lord of the Rings meets 300, I absolutely loved this film. That is not a word that I use often to describe how I feel about a film. But when a foreign film can keep me invested for two and a half hours in the middle of the night (especially when I have to read subtitles), make me feel patriotic towards someone else's country, and have me leaving the theatre wanting more, I know I have seen something special.
This is easily my second favourite film of the year so far. It caters to my love of strong female characters, strong action scenes, and emotional character development. I don't care if it is only screening in the middle of the night. You must see this film.