42: Anupama Chopra's Movie Review of Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi | Kangana Ranaut

How do you convert myth into movie? Manikarnika or the Rani of Jhansi is the stuff of legend. The warrior queen led an army against the British Empire. In 1858, she died on the battlefield at the age of 29\. The first requirement to translate this to screen is to get an actor who can convince us of this incredible courage. And on that count, Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi gets it absolutely right – Kangana Ranaut is on fire as the iconic Rani Lakshmibai. Her spine is erect, her eyes are unblinking and she seems propelled by some other-worldly power. She’s riding horses, wielding swords, leaping on elephants and making it all look plausible. When she looks into camera and insists on dying for the country, you want to follow her into battle.

How do you convert myth into movie? Manikarnika or the Rani of Jhansi is the stuff of legend. The warrior queen led an army against the British Empire. In 1858, she died on the battlefield at the age of 29. The first requirement to translate this to screen is to get an actor who can convince us of this incredible courage. And on that count, Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi gets it absolutely right – Kangana Ranaut is on fire as the iconic Rani Lakshmibai. Her spine is erect, her eyes are unblinking and she seems propelled by some other-worldly power. She’s riding horses, wielding swords, leaping on elephants and making it all look plausible. When she looks into camera and insists on dying for the country, you want to follow her into battle.