Postcolonial Studies: Film Screening: The Black Prince, Midnight's Children and The Reluctant
♣ The Black Prince
The narrative begins with a brief history of the Sikh empire established by Maharajah Ranjit Singh and the chaotic years that followed his death.
The last king of Punjab, Maharaja Duleep Singh's kingdom was one of the most powerful and prosperous kingdoms of the 19th century before it was an annexed by Britain. Placed on the throne at the age of five, he was robbed of his legacy by treason at the hands of trusted couriers. He has then torn away from his mother and taken to England by the British at the age of fifteen. While in England, he was introduced to Queen Victoria, who took an immediate liking to him, calling him the Black Prince. Meeting his mother again after thirteen years, the Maharaja is awakened to the realities of his former life in Punjab. He then begins the arduous journey to regain all that was lost and re-embrace the faith of his birth Sikhism. As the character of Maharaja Duleep Singh evolves, is torn between two contrasting culture- his royal ancestry from the kingdom of Punjab as its last king, set against his upbringing in the UK as he embarks in a new journey of exile, away from his. Duleep Singh's life long journey to regain his identity, dignity and kingdom took him across the world but his struggle was not met with success. He never won the chance to set foot again in his own land of Punjab.
♣ Midnight's Children
Midnight’s Children tells the story of Saleem Sinai, played as a boy by Darsheel Safary and as a young man by Satya Bhabha. Saleem is born in Bombay to a pauper family at the stroke of midnight on August 15, 1947: the day India became an independent nation. He and Shiva (Purav Bhandare), a child born to prosperous parents, are switched at birth by a nurse whose interpretation of the maxim “let the rich be poor and the poor rich” is rarely over-literal.
Over two and a half bottom-punishing hours we watch Saleem grow up, from a boyhood of post-colonial comfort to more troubled teenage years in Pakistan, Bangladesh and New Delhi. Saleem’s path to maturity intertwines with Shiva’s, and his growing pains mirror those of his country. And here is where the magic comes in: Saleem discovers he is connected to the other children born in the first hour of India’s independence, and in late-night seances, their spirits descend on his bedroom.
So this movie is also great and with the birth of a new country, many new ideas took birth and these ideas are portrayed by midnight's children. In the destruction of war both the nations forgot their history and the sacrifices. Love and unity were the only things that helped them to get past memories. I found a lot of things that were used as symbols.
♣ The Reluctant
Changez is at the top of his class at Princeton and is snapped up by the elite "valuation" firm of Underwood Samson. He thrives on the energy of New York, and his obsession with elegant, beautiful Erica. But in the wake of September 11, Changez finds his position in his adopted city suddenly overturned, and his growing relationship with Erica eclipsed by the reawakened ghosts of her past.
Changez is living an immigrant’s dream of America. At the top of his class at Princeton, he is snapped up by the elite "valuation" firm of Underwood Samson. He grows on the energy of New York, and his obsession with elegant, beautiful Erica promises entry into Manhattan society at the same religious level once occupied by his own family back in Lahore.
But in the wake of September 11, Changez finds his position in his adopted city suddenly overturned, and his growing relationship with Erica eclipsed by the reawakened ghosts of her past. And Changez’s own identity is in seismic shift as well, unearthing loyalties or commitments more fundamental than money and power. So the movie is quite different, short cuts and dark sets looked unreal, far from real life. Now, mental disorders are controlled for a functional life.
°-° Thank you..!!!
♣ The Black Prince
The narrative begins with a brief history of the Sikh empire established by Maharajah Ranjit Singh and the chaotic years that followed his death.
The last king of Punjab, Maharaja Duleep Singh's kingdom was one of the most powerful and prosperous kingdoms of the 19th century before it was an annexed by Britain. Placed on the throne at the age of five, he was robbed of his legacy by treason at the hands of trusted couriers. He has then torn away from his mother and taken to England by the British at the age of fifteen. While in England, he was introduced to Queen Victoria, who took an immediate liking to him, calling him the Black Prince. Meeting his mother again after thirteen years, the Maharaja is awakened to the realities of his former life in Punjab. He then begins the arduous journey to regain all that was lost and re-embrace the faith of his birth Sikhism. As the character of Maharaja Duleep Singh evolves, is torn between two contrasting culture- his royal ancestry from the kingdom of Punjab as its last king, set against his upbringing in the UK as he embarks in a new journey of exile, away from his. Duleep Singh's life long journey to regain his identity, dignity and kingdom took him across the world but his struggle was not met with success. He never won the chance to set foot again in his own land of Punjab.
♣ Midnight's Children
Midnight’s Children tells the story of Saleem Sinai, played as a boy by Darsheel Safary and as a young man by Satya Bhabha. Saleem is born in Bombay to a pauper family at the stroke of midnight on August 15, 1947: the day India became an independent nation. He and Shiva (Purav Bhandare), a child born to prosperous parents, are switched at birth by a nurse whose interpretation of the maxim “let the rich be poor and the poor rich” is rarely over-literal.
Over two and a half bottom-punishing hours we watch Saleem grow up, from a boyhood of post-colonial comfort to more troubled teenage years in Pakistan, Bangladesh and New Delhi. Saleem’s path to maturity intertwines with Shiva’s, and his growing pains mirror those of his country. And here is where the magic comes in: Saleem discovers he is connected to the other children born in the first hour of India’s independence, and in late-night seances, their spirits descend on his bedroom.
So this movie is also great and with the birth of a new country, many new ideas took birth and these ideas are portrayed by midnight's children. In the destruction of war both the nations forgot their history and the sacrifices. Love and unity were the only things that helped them to get past memories. I found a lot of things that were used as symbols.
♣ The Reluctant
Changez is at the top of his class at Princeton and is snapped up by the elite "valuation" firm of Underwood Samson. He thrives on the energy of New York, and his obsession with elegant, beautiful Erica. But in the wake of September 11, Changez finds his position in his adopted city suddenly overturned, and his growing relationship with Erica eclipsed by the reawakened ghosts of her past.
Changez is living an immigrant’s dream of America. At the top of his class at Princeton, he is snapped up by the elite "valuation" firm of Underwood Samson. He grows on the energy of New York, and his obsession with elegant, beautiful Erica promises entry into Manhattan society at the same religious level once occupied by his own family back in Lahore.
But in the wake of September 11, Changez finds his position in his adopted city suddenly overturned, and his growing relationship with Erica eclipsed by the reawakened ghosts of her past. And Changez’s own identity is in seismic shift as well, unearthing loyalties or commitments more fundamental than money and power. So the movie is quite different, short cuts and dark sets looked unreal, far from real life. Now, mental disorders are controlled for a functional life.
°-° Thank you..!!!
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