Original subtitles

''Strange events you foresee through me, my beloved...''

So be it!

He says...all will be red... bathed in red!

So be it!

l'm being forced into a river of blood!

He says...it is the blood of the out-caste foreigners!

Now they will be wiped out... all those foreigners!

Fate decreed they rule us a hundred years. lt will end now!

They will flee...like pigeons!

''Like pigeons, they will fly away!''

They will leave...a flight of pigeons!

Has Sarfraz come here?

We have decided to close our eyes to it

''What happened in Meerut and elsewhere, that isn't important?''

''Bahadur Shah made Emperor, that isn't important?''

He is only a figure-head

''The rebel soldiers will stay in power for a while, that's all''

To win them over to their side is easy for the English

''Compared to what the Nawabs are doing, the English seem a better lot''

The Nawabs are putting up a pretense since they're scared...

The English have snatched away their riches and comforts

''Now the Nawabs are like caged cats, clawing at different doors''

Allah knows what's come over him now. He shows no interest in me or the house

May God put a scourge on those pigeons. They are all he cares about

The whole country is aflame and all he does is fuss over pigeons

And all you do is keep whining

''Our greetings, aunt''

Thank God you are safe - Thanks to your prayers

''May you live long, l thought you'd return after wiping out the foreigners''

That's not easy

Why are you after their lives?

His head is full of this nonsense

Marry and set up a home and this nonsense will recede

O Allah! Here l am trying to rid us of our bondage

And you want to chain me for life

You never have the last word with him

We lndians have put up with a lot from these foreigners

They squeezed us dry and we accepted it

''But insulting our honour, respect and trust another matter''

lt drove Mangal Pandey to turn his gun on them

But he did not fire?

Because he was trained to be a loyal Company soldier

He couldn't pull the trigger when it came to it

''Even then, he was hanged''

And his entire regiment disbanded

And in Meerut?

The same happened

lt became a crime to refuse bullets made of pig or cow's fat

Eighty-five loyal soldiers were publicly disgraced and humiliated

These staunch men cried in shame like babies

Yet these foreigners showed no mercy

Ungrateful curs! Selfish scoundrels!

Enough. You go on too much

No one here will do anything about it

Why do you choose to be crusading rebel?

''Sarfraz, we are with you''

''But about Javed, l'm not sure''

''When the fires burn, all hands will appear to warm themselves...''

''What's that, they will burn down the homes of the English?''

The name of that scoundrel?

Sarfraz Khan of the 34th Bengal lnfantry

Mangal Pandey's regiment

There are rumours of riots tomorrow

And of looting the Treasury - You be quiet

Nobody will go to Church tomorrow

What about Meerut? What about Delhi? Now it will happen here

''Miriam, have you told him about that awful Pathan who keeps staring at Ruth?''

''Miriam, tomorrow is our 'ld' festival''

Please instruct the cook to prepare our special delicacies

''Even if the world topples, Ruth is not going to the Church tomorrow''

There's no need to invite danger!

What was the need to go to Church? But he has always been obstinate!

Miriam Sahiba and your grandmother are safe

Come with me. lt is dangerous for you here!

Where's your father?

l will go to the Church to find out You are quite safe here

Don't venture out

''lt's me, Ramjimal''

We must leave here at once

lf these soldiers see us...

My house would be safer

Mother!

''Ramji, at this hour? And making such a noise over it!''

''lt's me, open the door quickly''

Please speak softly. Come in quickly

Why are these foreigners here?

''lf the soldiers know, they'd kill us all''

''Allow us in first, and please arrange for some food''

''Ram, Ram! We'll all be killed along with them''

''They are our guests. Don't you realise, their lives are in danger?''

We must help them

''And with them, we are equally in danger''

''This deed will add to our blessings, mother''

''Listen, the maid-servant will not come to work tomorrow''

No one should know that they are here with us

Please consider this simple place your home

''lf they live here, who will wash their impure plates?''

Don't worry. We will do our own work ourselves

Our backs are breaking with work. Now we have their load as well

Show some consideration and mind how you speak

Don't call them foreigners. They are our friends

You know they are Labadoor Sahib's family?

Remember how they helped us?

''Don't be upset by this, please Come upstairs''

What happened? - She has fever

''My salutations, please be seated''

What can we offer you?

Please don't go to any trouble

Give her something to eat

''lf you don't eat, your health will get worse''

''Dear, have some food. Why don't you give her some food?''

Do you want to kill her?

How is life with you these days?

''Completely at ease! At peace, now that the foreigners have left''

We owe it all to Sarfraz Khan

Allah! What is one to say of him - But all this looting?

That is bound to happen

Did any foreigners escape?

Just the Labadoor family

But Javed is scouring all over for the with his sword

But why are you taking this trouble?

Where's the maidservant?

The riots are good excuse to avoid work

Have you any idea where they could be?

The foreigners

Which ones? - The same...The Labadoor family

Wherever their misfortune leads them

But look at your bad luck

''You lost so much by giving loans, to the English''

lt didn't effect me. l wrote it off

Tell me about the survivors at the church

They felt they would escape

The Collector and his friends made for the lake...

but Sarfraz's men surrounded them and cut them to pieces

''No, l won't allow it, never!''

''Mother,enough. Please sleep now''

Drive them out or we'll pay with our lives

''lf anyone comes to know, they'll snuff us out in seconds''

Many have endangered their lives to honour a promise

Why pay penance in our next life? - Don't talk of your mother!

Don't talk of your promises either. We will die along with them

''With none to light a lamp or serve water, our generation will end''

''Save our family, son. To preserve our lineage in greater than our rebirth''

''Give, l'll wash your clothes''

''No, l'll do it - l have all these to do...''

so l can do yours also

A woman without a husband is alone in this world

''Like a false coin, she has no status''

''God's Universe, King's country''

By the order of the Bahadur Khan

''Hear this! From now on, Company's rule has ended in this territory''

''Once again, it is under the rule of his Majesty, King Bahadur Shah of Delhi''

And you are warned that those who shelter foreigners...

will be punished to the severest extent

lt is better for me to speak plainly

You are hiding the Labadoor family

Kader Khan has told me so

You have been misinformed

The point is whether you believe what l say

''lf you don't, cut off my head''

And then enter the house

Who was that Pathan?

Don't be frightened. He doesn't know anything

He just came to check

''Can't l go to either of my brothers, in Agra or Ajmer?''

Or else Rampur? Mother comes from there

''Miriam Sahiba, it is true that Rampur Nawab is helping foreigners for now''

But you must trust me

No one can harm you while l'm alive

l hear that some soldiers from outside have come to this town?

There will be riots again

They are from Sitapur

They are on their way to Delhi to fight for the Emperor

and are here for the night

''There's nothing to worry about, Miriam Sahiba''

Where were you?

To give food to the beggar woman

Look! She's announcing her presence to the whole world

''l'm warning you, if not now... tomorrow we'll all be killed''

''That was not right, Miriam Sahiba''

Please don't repeat such a mistake

So what if he crept in like a thief?

He was a soldier after all

lt's bound to create trouble

''Think of your son, if not us''

Do you think their lives are safe here?

Now can we get to Rampur?

Please sell these

l feel ashamed doing this

l am so indebted to Labadoor Sahib

The jewels can be had again

Your having to do this...

''l'm, sorry that my own business has collapsed''

Rampur is the safest place for you

We will try to get there

l need some money...

l cannot risk my life for foreigners

Please write a letter for me

To whom? - To him!

Wonder what kind of a hussy he has kept at home

l fast every week to honour his love for me

And he spends his time loving someone else

Write in English. He can read it

Laugh as much as you like. You are protected by Sitaji

''You are writing in English, aren't you?''

The demon Ravan abducted Sita to Lanka

He imprisoned her in the Ashoka grove

All the demons there took care of her

They didn't allow her to suffer the slightest discomfort

''Write in stern letter, in clear English''

Sita was happy and gave her promise...

that the demons would be reborn as foreigners

And they would rule lndia

''Since then, you have ruled us! Write in English.''

Open the door!

Open the door!

Who's there? Ramji has gone out

The Nawab has ordered a search of this house

Tell the women to wear their veils

Don't you dare touch her

Out with all of you. Come on.

''Miriam, these people cannot be trusted. Let's go.''

No one can harm the chosen ones. Those whom God wants to protect

Remember this...

Your beloved's life is in His hands

Have you fed the pigeons?

Can l dare forget my rivals?

Where did you lift these creatures?

This is Mr. Labadoor's wife... - You killed that poor man

now you want her as your mistress?

They will live here

Arrange for their stay upstairs

Certainly not. My home must not become a laughing stock

''Begum, don't be angry with us''

We didn't choose to come here

Allah! They speak our language

My mother comes from the Nawab of Rampur's family

Which Rampur family?

Rampur of the Rohillas

My mother married an Englishman

Please be seated

You have no right to take my guests away in my absence

You would've had to kill me first and enter over my dead body

That's why we went in your absence

''Never mind, what can l do for you?''

l want to speak to them alone

Tell them within to wear their veils

Ramjilal is here to meet the foreigners

Please tell the Nawab that the foreigners are with me

Whatever happens is God's will

There is nothing to worry about here

Khan Sahib is very good host

Here are yourjewels

What will they do? - God only knows

l am going away to Bareilly

l'll try to inform your brothers there about your condition

Please give my greetings to your mother

My good wishes to your daughter

Don't weaken...have courage

May God bless you all

These foreigners are a shameless lot. - What happened?

That woman actually held Ramji's hand

They don't have any decency

Don't fill my ears with your rubbish

God grant you a child beautiful as a moon

My son is very annoyed with me

He feels we have come here only to see them

Our newly-wed is sulking

Hafiz had to come all the way here

Unless you crack jokes you cannot enjoy your food

You realise the plight of these people?

Where are they? Call them

Send the foreigners out

What do they look like? - See for yourself

Our Hafiz thinks peculiarly

He cannot wait to pounce on the English

But it's different when it comes to their women

We are fighting their men and not their families or women

''ln times of war, it's always the women who suffer''

The war has just begun...

''And look at them, the poor things''

Take heart

Only you are there to look after your mother and daughter

Who has ever opposed destiny?

''Be happy my daughter. For Allah's sake, make Javed understand''

''By taking our lives, what will he gain?''

l worry about her. But we are concerned about her

l wish she could return to her own people

''lf Allah pleases, all will be well''

What is in this bundle?

l won't allow vulgar clothes in this house

''My Aunt, in this bundle there are better clothes''

For them?

And you were quivering at the thought that he would kill you

There are many whose palms were itching to get at them

How will you save them?

By marrying...

You'll marry all three?

''No, only that one - What did you say?''

Are you deaf? Can't you hear?

Please take your wife and Kader home

Send some clothes for them to wear

May l take your leave?

ls this how you behave with your guests

''Why, what have l done?''

''What have you not done? ln front of all, you have insulted your wife''

What is so special about this girl?

''Aunt, you have no idea''

The spell this girl has cast on me

''When l first saw her, l was entranced''

''Her aura, her beauty...''

Even a bud would blush beside her

That's why you plucked the flower

''Having killed that poor man, you've turned poet''

l'll cut your tongue and feed it to the crows

''Don't talk like a child, Javed''

''lf your concern is beauty, what lack is there in your wife?''

''She is a little dark, that's all''

Then why does she rave and rant? l'm not divorcing her

She rules the place as my first wife

l'll see that Sarfraz kills these foreigners

As if he'll come from his battles just for you

He is fighting out there with his life and not sitting at home wearing bangles

''Aunt, tell her to shut her mouth! - Enough''

Now sit here and listen to me

She may look grown up but she is a child

''And a Christian, at that''

You too were a Hindu once

And about the same age

My father's neck was not slit!

Nor was l brought up in captivity. - You turn everything your way

l want this girl

l will have her at any cost

l want to talk to you

There's no need to worry

l will marry your daughter legally

l'll give her good money and the respectability of ajunior wife

But you are married already. - So?

How is this possible?

Why not? Our religion permits it

l don't wish to argue

Just recently your people killed my husband

Not by my hand

Now you might kill all three of us

You are in mourning and need time

Take your time

But don't ever display your English superiority to me

l was thinking of taking Miriam to my house for a few days

And leave this girl here?

No!

lt will be a change for all of them - No!

''Even in my home, they will be your responsibility''

''After all, you have the right over them''

''No, l have made up my mind''

''Once l've decided, l never retract''

Pay attention and listen

l never take no for an answer

Then how can you be so adamant with me?

Be careful

''Allah be praised, she is with child''

''Enough dear, now allow Ruth to sing''

''Ruth, please sing''

Sing. Sing one of your songs

lf you don't pour three mugs of water in the name of Allah...

how will you be purified?

What are you doing?

How well you've embroidered it

You people are very clever with your fingers

''Look at us, we just sit around, doing nothing all day long''

God save us from these foreigners

Akhtarbi. Get me my waistband

What atrocities have they not committed?

They robbed us of our lives

ln Kanpur they were taught a lesson

They were hacked to pieces

Allah shouldn't allow even one of them to remain

Aren't you ashamed to talk like that?

Why be shamed? Am l a foreigner?

''After their ablutions, they don't wash''

''They use paper, dirty paper!''

''While husbands watch, they dance with other men''

They indulge in kissing

''That wife of the resident Lucknow, what was her name?''

''Pretending love all that, she looted the Oudh territory''

Look at poor Javed. She has him in her spell...

Will you keep quiet

l thank you

Don't thank me. l am doing what decency demands

Haven't your foreigners returned?

Doesn't your Aunt plan to send them back?

Pay my respects to your Aunt and tell her...

''even if she makes a pickle of them, it won't hurt me a bit''

Has the Nawab been enquiring?

He's busy with his own problems

This will remain your problem

They are asking for you

What have you decided?

l want a definite answer

l haven't had time to think about it

Why are you making me angry?

My mother hasn't been well

Old age is full of illness

You refuse to become a Christian - Never!

l will make your daughter read the Quran

My brothers must consent to this

There is a limit to your excuses

Why don't you understand that l want your daughter?

You know l can have her any time. What will you do about that?

She can't do a thing

Take her then. You will enhance the name of Pathans

lt is because l am a Pathan that they are safe

l have given them shelter

And l treat them with respect

What will happen to you if the English regain power?

What can happen?

They will hang us. Or shoot holes into us

Would you like Ruth to be a widow?

You talk as if the English are round the corner

Don't you know that Delhi is in our power

The English have besieged the city

Our General will rest only after all the English have been finished

Then let Delhi be the deciding factor

''lf Delhi is yours, Ruth is yours''

But should the English capture Delhi...

you should not even speak to Ruth

Or force the marriage

''Agreed? - Yes, l agree''

Are you afraid the English will win?

All right

When will you allow me to take them back?

Why are you so impatient?

''Miriam, please listen to me''

Javed Khan is not dissolute as you think

The enemy is always suspect

But he does want to marry Ruth

Unrequited love can consume you

lt could lead to your doom

Like the bird desiring moon

''Defeated into consuming fire, and being reduced to ashes''

Can't you see that our neighbors are spitting at me?

''lf he marries that foreigner, what status will l have?''

l will be worse than a slave here

You must threaten those foreigners...

We have been badly defeated in Kanpur

l have come to look for soldiers

lt's not for me to interfere in your personal quarrels

You foreigners are a scheming lot...

you took over the country under the guise of trade

And now you wish to save your skin by offering your daughter?

''With you here, what hope do we have''

We witnessed your great humanity in the Church

''For you, humanity becomes real when an Englishman is killed''

Only he has an identity

''With so many lndian, what do a few dead among them matter''

That's why your Colonel Neill cuts down lndians as if they are vegetables

An entire regiment of blameless soldiers were mowed down

Village after village burnt

Every tree strung with corpses

Babies impaled with lances and fed to vultures

''All this, in the name of humanity?''

''Friends, we might have lost at Kanpur''

But we haven't lost the war

The war continues...

The actual confrontation will be in Delhi

But Delhi is surrounded by foreigners

Four centuries we have paid our homage to this land and worshipped it

ln no corner of lndia will we allow even the shadow of these impure people

Blood...there is blood everywhere

''Like pigeons they hover and cloud the sky''

Let me savour my own pain

''lf that is my destiny, l will bear it''

This fakir is talking nonsense! He is demented...liar

His speech is that of a coward

And only cowards will pay heed to him

''Friends, in this hour of trial...''

''Let us, in the name of our prophets''

pray to God for success in our holy cause

ln a face is reflected a suffering heart

You see in it the havoc of love

whenever her name is uttered

notice the look on his face

Swines! Scoundrels! ldiots!

Haven't you fed the pigeons today?

Why ask me? - Aren't you the mistress of the house?

l thought that the foreign girl was the mistress

Some people are born shirkers

Why haven't you got the 'hooka' ready?

''lf you want to display your anger, go to war or shout at that woman''

''Since you can't shout at her, why take it out on me?''

Shut up - Who are you to shut me up?

What can she give that l can't?

A child. An heir

You will never be able to do the same

Hell and damnation on these pigeons

They are birds of ill omen

Their presence has cursed the death of our soldiers

A thousand curses on them

They are profare

''Stop it, Sarfraz''

''Otherwise, l'll kill you''

''You will kill me to save them, but not for the country''

lt is this self-indulgence that has betrayed us

We have lost Delhi

''Traitors, selfish rogues, this country is full of them''

They are all traitors

This obsession is causing you to betray your real self

These foreigners have surpassed the massacre of Nadirshah

lnhumanity and cruelty have over-reached their horizons

''ln Delhi, the lndian sepoys have served as cannon-balls''

''Mother, we have won Delhi''

Now we need have no fear

How do we know Javed Khan will keep his word

God keep you safe

You must make your decision today - About what?

About marrying your daughter

l thought a Pathan honoured his promises

Giving my promise was an error

What has war to do with human relationships

lt has...why else are we here as prisoners?

''lf you go free from here, do you know what will happen to you''

People will burn you alive

After what happened in Delhi...

Why do you keep on about Delhi?

There is the rest of lndia still

We will still defeat the English

You think the English are a pack of sheep?

''That with a flick of a whip, they will bleat?''

As your mother

Why don't you ask your daughter?

Ruth is still a child

She'll do as l tell her

''So, you won't change your stand''

''Oh God, if someone pleaded like this before you...''

so many wishes would be granted

What of your manhood?

To beg of foreigners is demeaning

Why do you disgrace me so?

Why can't you understand?

''She has possessed me, body and soul''

''When l die, only then will she leave me''

What do you want? Shall l give in and commit suicide

Let your enemies commit suicide

Let that low-down slut die

Mother has passed away

May her soul rest in peace

l'll arrange for the burial

Mother will have a Christian burial

How can that be possible?

Mother was a Christian in life. She will be buried as Christian

We have caused you a lot of trouble

l don't wish to add to your troubles by living here

Can we go and live in your Aunt's house?

From now on they will stay with you

You too will join the battle

You are so obstinate

l will destroy your pride

Let's see how many more will be hanged by these foreigners

Don't leave! Stay...back!

''What's the news, Kader?''

The English are coming in this direction

We must leave immediately. The others are doing the same

He will come here in search of us

He will come to know where we're headed

What will happen to them? - Meaning?

lf the foreigners are coming this way then...

lsn't it better to leave them here?

''ln that case, you should come with us''

Where are the foreigners? - ln the Church

Who is that? - lt's me

Who? - Javed Khan!

Open the door!

l want to see your daughter once more

You cannot meet Ruth

Please go away from here. Your life is in danger

''Come, Khusro, it is time to go home''

Dusk settles around us

We will not see passion of such colour ''again''