Viceroy’s House (2017)

This is an interesting historical movie, and is based on true and sad events reflecting the results of the empire’s greediness and wishes for power.

After 300 years of colonialism, Britain withdraws from India.

– We have to protect our interests here. … Look at the map. Look where the power will lie. The Golf, oil. We need to secure our access to these huge reserves and block access to others. We’ll have that security courtesy of Pakistan. 

– And divided India for oil?

– For security.”

Viceroy’s House

For 6 months in 1947, Lord Mountbatten, Queen Victoria’s great-grandson, took over as the last Viceroy. His task was to return India to its people.

However, this movie shows very well how the rulers have always lived, and how the inhabitants are servants/ slaves in their own country. Therefore, because most part of the story of the film takes place inside the palace, we can see upstairs living the Mountbattens, and on the ground floor living the 500 Hindu, Muslim and Sikh servants.

The events taking place at that time are seen not only through the lens of a marriage – Dickie and Edwin Mountbatten – but also through a love story between Jeet, a young Hindu servant, and Aalia, a Muslim girl. The lovers are caught up at the time of the end of the empire, in conflict with the Mountbattens and their own communities. However, they, do not lose hope.

Pinterest

Nehru, Jinnah and Gandhi, members of the political elite argue over the birth of independent India, and a conflict erupted. An important decision was made: to create a new homeland for Muslims, Pakistan.

Division does not create peace, it creates chaos. Partition unleashes disputes, not end them.

Gandhi

At the end of the movie, it is stated:

1. The partition of India led to the largest mass migration in human history. 14 million people were displaced. One million Hindus, Muslims, and Sikhs died. 
2. This film is dedicated to all those who died and to all those who survived the partition. Including this mother who left Pakistan for India with her children. Her baby daughter starved to death on the road. After an 18-month search, she was found by her husband in a refugee camp and the family was reunited. Her granddaughter is the director of this film ”based on the books “Freedom at Midnight” by L Collins and D. Lapierre and “The Shadow of the great game – the untold story of Partition” by Narendra Singh Sarila (Viceroy’s House)

There are many movies about colonialism, empires and their wish for power. There have been probably benefits from colonialism, but at what cost?

Forgive me, but this is the result of British policy. You have done everything to seed hatred between our different communities. Separated schools, textbooks, elections. That was always your policy: divide and rule.”

Nehru

This very important moment in history may teach us that empires are born to divide people, to rule others following their own rules, imposing others how to live, without caring about terrible human suffering. Yet, people will always seek freedom especially when they live as slaves in their own country, and never lose hope.

Love, Manuela

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