Manikarnika (Hindi) - Movie Review

The Queen of Jhansi is a biographical account of how Rani Laxmibai waged a war against the East India Company. It chronicles her journey from the place where she grew up to becoming the Rani of Jhansi and a warrior Queen.

Kangana captivates your attention in every frame and grows from strength to strength as the film progresses. From the tender, beautiful moments of a young girl, to the heavy-duty action scenes from the battlefield soaked in blood and sweat, She brings Manikarnika to life.

The cinematography is breathtaking. The action choreography is well done, especially in which women are featured. Be it Kangana herself or popular TV actress Ankita Lokhande.

The screenplay in the second-half is comparatively weak, especially during the third act. Kangana’s accent is annoying and what was a strength of the movie in the first two acts (action choreography involving the women), resorts to the same old world of slow-motion and still camera during the climax. There are also a number of continuity issues and lack of motivation in the film that you’ll realize when you see it

Audience can sense the inconsistency in direction, it can be by two directors and their style and capability.

The movie employs a lot of visual effects and most are easily noticeable, which hampers the film’s realism. The scale on which the film is mounted gives it an air of grandeur, however, it lacks the required opulence and finesse.

The movie admittedly uses many cinematic liberties and fictional detours to keep it entertaining. The music by Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy add to the patriotic fervour of the movie

Overall, Manikarnika has many moments of genius and enough fire to keep you glued to the screen.if you are looking to feel patriotic and watch a visually stunning bit of cinema, go for this one.

Rating: 3.25 / 5