Mangal Pandey - The Rising

India in 1857 is under the rule of the East India Company. Mangal Pandey serves in the Company's army as a sepoy and saves the life of his British commanding officer, William Gordon, in the Afghan war. A friendship forms between them across rank and race. Then the rumour spreads that the cartridges for the new rifles are greased with animal fat, and Pandey has to choose between his service and his faith. Ketan Mehta directed from a screenplay by Farrukh Dhondy. Aamir Khan returned with this film after the break he took following Dil Chahta Hai. The narrative constructs Pandey as the man who started the rebellion single-handed and puts the friendship at the center. The film was made for thirty-seven crore and took fifty-two crore. It was criticised on historical accuracy, and some political groups called for it to be banned, claiming it contained false information. Who it's for: Viewers who like Indian historical epics, colonial-era narratives, and Aamir Khan. Who it's not for: The historical reading is contested and the telling is heroic. It runs long and the song sequences interrupt the narrative.