| Jhansi Ki Rani | |
|---|---|
.jpg) | |
| Directed by | Sohrab Modi |
| Written by |
|
| Produced by | Sohrab Modi |
| Starring |
|
| Cinematography | Ernest Hallerassisted byM.N. Malhotra and Y. D. Sarpotdar |
| Edited by | Russell Lloyd |
| Music by |
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Production company | Minerva Movietone |
Release date |
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Running time | 148 minutes |
| Country | India |
| Language | Hindi |
| Budget | ₹6 million[1] |
Jhansi Ki Rani (transl. Queen of Jhansi) is a 1953 IndianHindi-languagehistorical drama film produced and directed bySohrab Modi for his Minerva Movietone production banner. It is credited as the firstTechnicolor film made in India[2] and starred Modi's wife, Mehtab in the title role, with Modi in the important role of her mentor, Rajguru (royal adviser).[3] The film was dubbed in English asThe Tiger and the Flame, which released in 1956 with the same star cast.[4] The cast besidesMehtab and Sohrab Modi includedMubarak,Ulhas,Sapru, Ram Singh, Baby Shikha, Marconi and Shakila.[5]
Set in the 19th century against the backdrop of theMutiny of 1857, the film is about the bravery of queen Lakshmibai,Rani of Jhansi, who took up arms and led her army against the British. She was one of the first Indians to do so.[6] It was themost expensive Hindi film up until then, with a budget₹6 million, but became a box office failure.[1]
Rajguru (Sohrab Modi) decides thatJhansi should get its proper recognition in history. He comes across a young girl, Manu (the young Rani Lakshmibai), played by Baby Shikha. Her father has been hit by a carriage driven by an English driver. She gathers a few children to confront the driver. This, and her confrontation with an elephant impresses the Rajguru who takes her in hand, shaping her into becoming a determined leader. He arranges for her, at the age of nine, to marry the much older ruler of Jhansi, Gangadhar Rao (Mubarak), who is about fifty years old, and become Queen.
Manu grows up under the expert tutelage of the Rajguru, learning physical combat and political administration. The older Manu, now called Lakshmibai gives birth to a boy who dies. She adopts another boy, Damodar Rao, who the English refuse to accept as the rightful heir. This further sets her against the British. During the uprising of 1857 (1857 Mutiny), she fights against them, succumbing to her injuries in the end.
The cast has been listed below:[7]
The film was released in India in 1952 (1953) asJhansi Ki Rani and released in the US asThe Tiger and the Flame in 1956.[5] Modi had Hollywood technicians brought in to help in the technical aspect of the film. He managed to create the right era using historical details correctly.[3] The main cinematographer was the Hollywood Oscar winner forGone with the Wind (1939),Ernest Haller, who was assisted by M. N. Malhotra and Y. D. Sarpotdar. The editor wasRussell Lloyd from England.[5][8] The film deviated from the fictionalised accounts and stuck to the extracts from the novelJhansi Ki Rani (1946) byVrindavan Lal Verma[2]
Modi concentrated on Historicals, prominent of which werePukar (1939),Sikandar (1941),Jhansi Ki Rani (1953), andMirza Ghalib (1954), which are "considered milestones of the genre".[9]
The press praised the film lauding Modi's use of colour and direction. However, in spite of having spent lavishly on technicians, sets, war scenes and making it in colour, the film was a big box office disaster causing Modi great financial losses.[3] Modi was blamed for casting his wife Mehtab in the title role of Lakshmibai, who looked too old at 35 years to portray the young queen half her age.[10][11]
Crew[12]
While the English version (1956, dubbed)[13] had no songs, the Hindi version had music byVasant Desai and lyrics by Pandit Radheshyam. The playback singers wereMohammed Rafi, Sulochana Kadam, Suman Purohit, Parshuram and P. Ramakant.[14] Two songs in Mohammed Rafi's voice remain notable: "Amar Hai Jhansi Ki Rani" and "Rajguru Ne Jhansi Chhodi".[15]
| # | Title | Singer |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Amar Hai Jhansi Ki Rani" | Mohammed Rafi |
| 2 | "Rajguru Ne Jhansi Chhodi" | Mohammed Rafi |
| 3 | "Humara Pyara Hindustan" | Mohammed Rafi |
| 4 | "Har Har Mahadev Ka Nara" | Sulochana Kadam, Suman Purohit, Parshuram, Ramakant |
| 5 | "Azadi Ki Ye Aag Hai Lajawab" | Mohammed Rafi |
| 6 | "Kahan Baje Kishan Teri Bansuriya" | |
| 7 | "Badhe Chalo Bahaduro" | |
| 8 | "Nari Jee Jee Re Jee Jee Re" |