Movie Review – VICTORIA & ABDUL
Words by Geoff Jenke
BBC Films are on a roll with movies about the British Empire and their association with India. Earlier this year we had the splendid Viceroy’s House and now we have the superb Victoria & Abdul.
Based on a true story, the movie tells the story of an unexpected friendship between Queen Victoria and a young Indian Abdul Karim. Abdul is a young Indian clerk who is chosen to travel to England to participate in the Queens Golden Jubilee. The two forge a devoted alliance which Queen Victoria’s household and inner circle are hell bent to destroy.
Judi Dench plays a weary Queen Victoria who is close to the end of her reign. She has been there before in the movie Mrs Brown. This in fact could be the sequel to that movie. Ali Fazal plays the wide eyed Indian Abdul Karim who is thrown into the royal monarch’s way of life. Eddie Izzard plays a villainous Prince Bertie, leading the charge to destroy the friendship.
Victoria & Abdul is a charming moving movie that will have you laughing at times and secretly disliking the palace staff at the same time. The costumes and sets are superb as is the 82-year-old great Dame, Judi Dench.
Apparently, the British public was kept in the dark about this story. Abdul was sent back to India immediately after Queen Victoria’s death and all evidence destroyed. So how did the story get out? Well Prince Bertie couldn’t read and Queen Victoria’s journals were left untouched as she had written about the encounter in the Urdu (Hindu) language, which had been taught to her by Abdul. In 2001 Shrabani Basu was researching the history of curry and came across Victoria’s journals and translated them. Maybe there is a movie in this story?
While this may not be movie of the year material, it is certainly worth your time watching it. A delightful film.
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