An interesting history lesson for those of us unfamiliar with the final days of British control in India & the machinations involved in forming the new state of Pakistan. One response criticized the casting of Hugh Bonneville as a more portly Mountbatten figure & actual footage shown does play down the resemblance between the two. This did not bother me so much as I felt Bonneville still gave, IMO, an interesting portrayal & I am not familiar enough with the real Mountbatten to care about the lack of physical similarity. How accurate Bonneville's characterization is I have no way of knowing but in the film, anyway, he presents an intriguing figure with sufficient conflicts of interest in his position to add some substance to the political & moral situations involved in his role as Viceroy. Gillian Anderson adds a good portrayal as well as does Simon Callow (his actual surname corresponds significantly with his film characters behavior) & Michael Gambon, one of my favorite actors & for me always worth watching. I agree, though, with many regarding the parallel love story which, in the way it was played out, did not engage my interest much although it did provide a somewhat upbeat ending which seemed, to me, however, a less than believable outcome to the story. THE VICEROY'S HOUSE, although not a great film, IMO, is still worth watching as a depiction of the events surrounding the forming of the two states of India & Pakistan.

The films climax is to blame Winston Churchill for the partition of India and Pakistan and the bloodshed that occured at that time. Labour Priminister Clement Atlee and the Labour party took power in 1945, they decided to withdraw from India and appointed Mountbatton in 1946 with instructions to manage the British withdrawal and avoid partition. The films climax is say that Winston Churchill had a secret plan to partition India to protect oil wealth in the Middle East and had deliberately caused racial tensions and the bloodshed. Winston Churchill did not return to power till 1951 long after the British had withdrawn from India/Pakistan. It is a vile slur on Wiston Churchill who was instrumental in stopping the industrial genocide taking place in facist Germany and it's conquest of Europe and other parts of the world.

Some disappointingly flat performances and an excruciating ending with a microphone

The story is powerful. If it was better told in this film, it would be a classic.

I enjoyed the cinematography and the choreography. Its a bright and vibrant film and it certainly provides food for thought, culturally speaking. There is undoubtedly the necessary bittersweet element present here, due to the political climate at the time this film is set in. Hugh Bonneville is probably the first person I'd think of to represent the English upper classes/aristrocracy at the time, so I wasn't entirely surprised to see him portraying the titular character and I noticed Simon Callow played another English supposed gentleman, man of title and honour as well - both actors depict well the, I assume, generally regarded face of the English/British upper class/nobility of the time. I thought it was quite moving towards the end as we're informed via text on screen, that there is a direct link between the plot events of the film and the films director. This is a somewhat memorable film and I felt the themes were handled well, so I would recommend it on that basis.

This film starts like an old style period drama but becomes a gripping account of one of the key moments of world history. The "love story" between a Muslim and Hindu while it provides a means of highlighting the larger social divide and adding individual drama has the effect of distracting from the main story which is more than compelling enough in its own right.

I really enjoyed it. good story, sets and cinema photography.

I don't know if story is accurate to History, and there are moments in which History leaves to heavy dramatism and intrahistory is told in a forced way: however, film maintains interest till the end.

one of the best underrated movie, learn a lot about IR & history of British empire, India & Pakistan, different perspective.

Viceroy's House is an insightful and interesting biopic that accomplishes the difficult task of combing both while making sense of a difficult period in history. Fine Performances and a beautiful score aid in holding together this film as it jumps between the main plot and the heartbreaking romantic subplot.

Excellent and immensely sad. Well worth the tears.

- Viceroy's House is bittersweet and oh so relevant. - In high school, I was lucky enough to befriend a girl who was raised in Pakistan. Her passion for Pakistan was contagious and she introduced me to as much of the culture as possible. Branching out a bit from Pakistan, I started listening to Indian music and annually attending local Indian festivals, trying to quench my thirst for a region of the world I had yet to explore. Bearing this in mind, it should come as no surprise that when I heard that a film about India's independence was being released, it shot to the top of my list. With a brilliant score and vibrant, majestic visuals, Viceroy's House does not disappoint - but it does come with a twist. I'd expected a story of triumph and freedom as India came into herself, but that shows just how little I actually knew about Indian history. Director Gurinder Chadha (Bend It Like Beckham) specializes in making films about family and identity, particularly among those with Indian and British backgrounds. As she is Punjabi Sikh Kenyan Indian origin and lives in England, it makes sense to write what you know, right? Chadha began in journalism and transitioned to film with pure guts and stamina. Toss in a unique (and much-needed) bicultural perspective and you've got yourself a history-making artist. Viceroy's House tells the story of Britain's final viceroy and the challenges that come with handing a nation back to its people after over three hundred years of being ruled by an empire. Hugh Bonneville (Downton Abbey) plays Lord Mountbatten, a man with the sincere desire for peace, and yet one who is placed in a difficult situation; everyone has a strong opinion about how the handover should happen, but no one seems to agree on how to do it effectively. And the clock is ticking. Gillian Anderson (The X-Files) plays his wife, Edwina, who seriously rocked my world. In an era when many people viewed India as an uncivilized, backwater posting in the empire, she viewed it as a privilege. She embraced as much of the culture as possible. Manish Dayal (The Hundred-Foot Journey) plays Jeet, the Viceroy's new valet. Manish was so deeply invested in each scene, that I found him impossible to ignore. And Huma Qureshi (Gangs of Wasseypur) plays Aalia, a Muslim woman who works as an interpreter for the Mountbatten family to support her ageing father. It's a complex role to play someone that's both independent and respectful, a pioneer and a woman that values tradition, but Huma spins these plates well. Viceroy's House was a passion project. Chadha decided to make it after a trip to her family home, which is now in Pakistan. Before Chadha was born, her family was forced to flee to the new borders of India after Partition. Later, they were part of the Indian diaspora in West Africa. In this piece she wrote for The Guardian, Chadha shares a moving encounter with the kind Muslim family that now lives in the house that her family had to abandon. After receiving their love and hospitality, Chadha recounts: "I burst into uncontrollable tears, tears held back over years of trying to contain the injustices of history to which my family had been subject, tears now released as I wept with the inhabitants of my ancestral homeland, now a different country, but one where we still shared the same Punjabi language and sense of family. It was at that moment that I vowed I would make a film that told the story of partition. Although I had been a film-maker for many years, I had never had the courage to tackle the political tragedy that tore my family apart. As I researched the script, I also began to realise how little I really knew of the bigger picture, of the global interests at play as India was divided." Viceroy's House's release comes on the seventieth anniversary of India's independence, but it's bittersweet. The pains of birthing a new nation were far greater than I'd realized, but it was an essential part of Chadha's history as her grandparents were survivors of this dangerous period. It was partially for their memory that this film was made. Chadha does a wonderful job of infusing history and the very specific challenges faced by this nation into the film in a way that is accessible to a non-Indian audience. As she is British and Indian, she is able to come at this topic from both perspectives, paying respect to each. Her decision to shoot the entire film on location in India showed the dichotomies of colonialism without any extra effort. The country's natural beauty acted as a majestic backdrop to the colorful dress of the Indian characters, which was a vivid contrast with the formal Western clothing worn by the British (honestly, I don't know how they survived with those uniforms in the heat!). Bonneville and Anderson's passion for the material brought depth to an already stellar script. An honorable mention must be paid to A.R. Rahman, who composed a score that I just have to keep listening to. It is moving, powerful, elegant, and has a sweeping, melodic strain that pays homage to the ancient nation that inspired it. Britain's plan to hand over India to its people came with strings attached, and the leaders in India had agendas of their own. The three main religious groups (Hindu, Sikh, and Muslim) were desperate for assurance that no one would be treated like second-class citizens based on the religious background of India's new leader. To make a long story short, the creation of Pakistan as a nation for the Muslim citizens of India was the solution. This solution (known as Partition) caused the largest mass migration in history and resulted in a death toll of over one million from violence, disease, and starvation. Unfortunately, tensions continue to this day. I thought Viceroy's House would be a heartwarming tale of a new nation being born, but what I saw was far more important. When we see labels more than we see people, divisions conquer us. Division was their solution for peace, but division only ever divides. ---------- This review was first published on Narrative Muse, http://narrativemuse.co/movies/viceroys-house, and was written by Micah Orsetti. Narrative Muse curates the best books and movies by and about women and non-binary folk on our website http://narrativemuse.co and our social media channels.

Oh my god.. I am not a proffessional nor do i do this often but.. I loved this movie so much. I don't much care about the acting or the script and that is because I the story was SO interesting. It shows in the best way the suffering of the people who got through this immigration wave. Not too much graphic content but so much emotion. And the romance is a great way to express the feelings of those people. Everyone should watch this movie. So pasifistic and educative..

In the beginning of the movie, it made me think that it was the Indians who chose to have their country partitioned. But then towards the end it was the politicians in London to be blamed. Was Mountbatten really the scapegoat ? He had no role in the outcome ? The indians were all passive and had no say ?

The movie wanted to describe a topic moment of Indian History, but it lacked of grip..

The subject material has the makings of an epic film but this is the made for 온라인카지노추천 version.

Every Indian must watch this movie

For me it added a new historical perspective to understanding modern India & Pakistan. A real tear-jerker at the end as well.

Oscar performances from Bonnevile and Anderson. Totally worth the watch.

A well balanced drama based on the true story of India's independence from British rule in 1947 and also trying to avoid civil war between hindus, Sikhs and Muslims leading to the beginning of Pakistan. well acted drama and a reminder of historical importance