Original subtitles

Hearken o' people...

the drum sounds the call

Now awake and arise

From your deep slumber

Awaken, now awaken

The Earth comes alive as dawn heralds a new day

Rivers sparkle with new life and hope rises in oceans anew

Awaken, now awaken

B#e blessed, be blessed, be blessed. May all be blessed

The towns are awake, the homes are abuzz, every village is astir

Valleys awaken and so do their trees, look, shadows are coming to life!

B#e blessed, be blessed, be blessed. May all be blessed

When dawn comes to bathe at the banks of the Ganges,

dark night retreats before the Sun's flashing sword

Sacred fires are lit for prayers. Go now and greet your gods

He who asks, shall receive, and sins of ages will be washed away

The market shakes off its slumber and stretches to life

Landlord, trader, priest or soldier as per your worth, your value is weighed

Singing songs of love and blessing the Sufi wanders strumming his tunes...

May the doors of each man's fortune open and may all be well in this world of ours"

B#e blessed, be blessed, be blessed, May all be blessed

B#e blessed, be blessed, be blessed, May all be blessed

1857 A.D.

The entire Indian subcontinent is ruled by...

a company. The B#ritish East India Company

The most successful business enterprise in history

The Company has its own laws, its own administration

lts own army

It controls the destiny of one fifth of humanity

Get it over with

Mangal Pandey

Sepoy, 34th Regiment, Native Infantry at B#arrackpore

You have been found guilty of mutiny and conspiracy...

to overthrow the government of the Honourable East India Company,

by a duly constituted court martial

You have been sentenced to death

Well come on, hurry up

Mangal Pandey, do you have a last wish?

You cannot grant my last wish

Yet it will be fulfilled

Time's up. Hang him

Sir, the hangman...

he ran away

Yes sir, he refused to hang Mangal Pandey

We tried to persuade him, threaten him but... but he ran away, sir

Christ! This is nonsense

You... you hang him

That's not my duty, sir

Damn your duty, it's an order! Move!

I'm a B#rahmin, sir. It's against my faith

Send a message to Calcutta and get another hangman

Until then, take him down

Take him down

The Earth will be scorched

Rivers of blood will flow

Millions will die

And I, William Gordon...

feel responsible for the inevitable

4 Years earlier, on the mountains of Afghanistan

Fire

Infantry... charge

ATTACK!

Quick! Take them to base camp!

You did well, Captain

The Afghans are on the run and we hold the pass

Pandey...

Gordon sir... no

Let him be

Captain Gordon

William, are you all right?

No don't... lie down

Here...

I want you to have my pistol

I've got nothing else to give you

Please

Take it

4 Years later,

31st December 1856, Calcutta

New Year celebrations at the Governor General's palace

Who's that?

Lord Canning... Governor General. - Not him, you fool

I mean, the chap next to him

Mr Lockwood, the Company auditor...

sent by London to investigate all the monkey business going on in the Company

And next to him is Mr Kent

B#igtime trader

Some of the top Company officers are on his payroll

My lords, ladies, and gentlemen...

pray silence for...

His Excellency Lord Canning...

Governor General of India

My lords, ladies and gentlemen...

as a servant of the Honourable East India Company...

that has ruled the territories of Hindoostan...

for a hundred years...

I must profess pride and an equal humility

It is my privilege to recall...

that our forebears came to these territories as traders

And we now find ourselves, by the will of God...

masters of the entire Indian subcontinent from Khyber to Comorin

What did he say?

The Company Raj completes 100 years in India

From traders they became rulers

My god! What is she wearing?

And we bring to India the benefits of modern governance...

scientific progress, and, above all...

justice

Has he mentioned the Queen yet? - No. He says they're doing us a favor

We have earned the love and gratitude of the people of India

And we shoulder the burden of the white man without complaint

Now...? - No

He says, we Indians are grateful to them!

Now I call upon you to join with me as I propose the loyal toast

Your mother must be turning in her grave! Shame on you, Emily

Looking like a nautch girl! - Do I look like a real nautch girl?

Captain Hewson, you must know

I am unfamiliar with the detail of the attire of dancing girls

Ms Kent, the costume is perfect

Any nautch girl in India would blush with envy

You keep the company of nautch girls, Captain Gordon?

I pursue beauty wherever I can find it

Toast

The queen

The Queen... to the Queen

Oh! So sorry!

You black bastard

What the hell are you upto?

Sir, sorry sir. Please...

You, lift him

Hewson, that's enough

I'll teach you to touch a white woman you black dog!

Forgive me sir, it was an accident

Enough sahib

Enough

The black dog will die

Miss Kent... on behalf of... - It's not to me that you owe the apology

Come inside

Pull the fan

Faster

Harder, damn you

Kamla!

Oh god, one push into her paradise...

and I'll pull your fan in hell forever

The quartermaster showed Gordon the new Enfield rifle...

that the Company was going to introduce in India

Absolute beauties...

And speaking of beauties...

I saw you appreciating Ms. Kent in a sari

Me... On the Company's pay?

Ah! B#ut Kent is filthy rich

Vultures and merchants of arms. The only ones to profit from wars, yes!

Amazing! The Company has connected the entire country through wires

In a blink of an eyelid messages travel from Calcutta to Delhi

Nonsense! Lmpossible!

It's got to be true! It's in the newspaper!

B#ut how can messages get into wires?

I'll tell you. Easy! These whites have mastered black magic

Yeah! Must've used a witch's hair

Yes and it's got an odd name too ...taelly - garaffe

What? Wow! That sounds scary

You bet your ass! We're all in for a jolly ride now

Coming... coming...

I'm here now, my love

Here we are, I know you're hungry

You're dry

That white woman's baby has sucked you dry

What's left for him?

Here, use this on your nipple, it'll make him sleep

Don't you dare give opium to my baby

Hey, hey my baby, my love, why are you crying?

Why are you crying?

Hush now, aren't you the son of a warrior?

Why is he always crying?

No nothing, it's just colic

Come on Veeru, we're late for the pit

Coming, coming

Come on, get him!

Scissor-throw! Give him the scissor-throw!

Where's Mangal? - In the wrestling pit, sir

Captain sahib...

want to try your strength against a black man?

Uh-oh, he's had it now!

B#ravo Captain sahib, way to go!

Come on Mangal, don't spare him!

Why didn't you come today?

Tell me

I was angry

Angry? Why?

Hewson was killing that man...

and you did nothing

What was I supposed to do? Stand between a fellow officer and a...

And a black dog!

Say it... say it!

You don't understand

I've spent half my life here, the best part of my life!

What have I got to go back to?

You still did nothing

You're right, I should've stopped him from whipping any black dog

I'm sorry, all right?

All right?

Now... are you still angry with me huh? Huh?

All right, no... no

I'm beaten. You're forgiven

B#hang, my friend, elixir of the gods, is Lord Shiva's favoured potion

Come on Mangal, have some bhang, liven your spirits

Want to have some bhang, sahib? - Er... bhang? Doesn't it, you know...

Don't worry, it doesn't bite or scold. It's like a good mother

Strokes you, sings you lullabies tells you stories...

and kisses you to sleep. - Well, I'll have to try some of that

B#ecause my mother certainly never did any of that

Easy sahib, easy. You don't want two stepmothers quarrelling in your head

Ration and roti, the Company's pay

Give us your life for a shilling a day

Shilling a day boys, a shilling a day

While the boom of the cannon may blow you away!

Mangal... that's Hewson's horse

Come on

B#astards! Which bastard did this?

My silly heart can't contain its excitement...

when everything gets going for a nobody like me

May Lord Ram bless you, Mangal

Ram - Ram

AsSalaamu Alaykum Mirza sahib. - Ram - Ram, Mangal

All well?

Oye! You cockeyed fool! Can't you see?

A twisted rope is strongest, a twisted eyesight, deepest

Don't touch me, you scoundrel. You want to defile a B#rahmin?

Come on, we're all untouchables now. The Company reigns. All trash is equal

Mind your tongue, you dog. - Dog? Me?

Who barks to guard the Company's loot? You or me?

Oh! You deserve a thrashing, wait

And who wags his tail for the white man? You or me?

And who's going to bite the new cartridge dipped in animal fat?

Animal fat? - Yes. Cow and pig fat

That's used to grease the new cartridge

Into the mouth... bite... fire... boom! Go straight to hell

B#oom goes your faith, boom goes your honour

Shut up, liar!

Silence

This is no fish market

Let one man speak

Mangal Pandey. Sepoy, 5th Company. 34th Native Infantry Regiment

34th eh? At ease

What is it?

Sir, we hear that the cartridge of the new rifle is greased...

and must be bitten before loading. - And what of it?

Sir, the grease coating is made of cow and pig fat

The cow is sacred to the Hindus, the pig forbidden to the Muslims

We can't touch such a cartridge. It is sacrilege

Who is spreading this rot?

The news is all over, sir

Nonsense! No truth to it, my man

Hasn't the Company always cared for you?

Now don't worry and go home. Some mischief-monger is misleading you

There is no such cartridge. There will be no such cartridge

Dismissed

Gather round... gather round,

gather round... gather round

The world's a marketplace, my friend

Gather round... gather round

Only shops from end to end

Gather round

You'll find it all here

It's all on sale

You'll find it all here - For a penny

it's all on sale - For a penny

All your heart's desires... - For a penny

you're sure to find here. - For a penny

Food and drink, trinkets and baubles...

for a penny, a penny, it's all for sale

Cloth and grain, friendship and love

for a penny, a penny, it's all for sale

Hey Gordon sahib

This is Miss Emily Kent. Miss Kent, this is Mangal

Silks and muslin, satin, cotton, priest and salvation...

rice and pulses...

All for sale

For a penny, a penny

Fortune-teller, healer, poet and tailor...

All for sale

For a penny, a penny

Honour and dignity, mango and pears, crowns of royals, all mirrors and glass

All for sale... for a penny's worth

All battles and lies all music and noise...

All for sale... for a penny's worth!

Take her, take her...

at a throwaway price

B#uy yourself a slave...

Look at this beauty, check out her curves

Slave or servant...

wife or whore...

she's what you want...

and then some more

Make your bid. - Eleven

Stop kidding

Fifteen

Emily was surprised that though slavery was abolished in B#ritain...

the Company allowed it in India.

Gordon explained that the Company itself bought these girls...

for the pleasure of white soldiers It helped prevent the spread of disease in the army

I have a gem here

Let me show you

Hands off, you pimp!

B#loody bitch!

Don't mess with me

She's a spirited mare eh?

Just waiting to be reined in

So who's going to be the lucky man? Come on, let's hear it

Sixty Rupees

I think I've seen enough

Seventy

Eighty Rupees

That's better, eighty

Anyone else?

Quick! Or this meat will go to the whites and you'll be left ogling

Wow, what eyes...

the entire Company Raj could drown in them

What's your name?

Come on stand up... up

Let's get a look at you

Turn around

Packaging seems all right

All right?! B#y God she's a gem, a real diamond

Okay then, let's call her that. Heera (Diamond)

B#ut she needs polishing

Get one thing straight, girl, I am Lol B#ibi

And I'm the boss here

Many trinkets like you decorate my shoes. Got that?

And one more thing...

this is a pleasure house exclusively for the whites

You'll have to work very hard

Men aren't easy to please, no matter what their colour

That's true! Ask me, I have suffered all the various shades!

One of the Company's biggest trades was that of opium.

It forced Indian farmers to grow it, bought it from them at a pittance...

and sold it in China at a profit.

When the Chinese Emperor resisted...

the Company waged a war against him.

To fight and die, Indian sepoys were there after all.

And they called it the Free Market.

Captain Gordan, You were meant to be singing too...

I'm afraid I'm unfamiliar with the song.

Not know it? What are you, some sort of a pagan?

Didn't they thrash it into you in school?

No sir.

They should've. Which school did you attend?

Let me guess, it wasn't Marlborough or Rugby?

No sir, my family are Catholics, from Glasgow. I went to parish school

A papist! Come to think of it, I haven't seen you at church.

I must have imagined you were with your famous nautch girls.

Aren't they beautiful? I picked them on our ride this evening

Ah, you must have ridden out in the direction of Kashigunj?

Yes, I was astounded. Acres of bright red poppies

Are they part of some religious ritual?

No, no. It's Company land.

Why does the Company grow poppies?

The poppy, Miss Kent is the sole source of opium

The Honourable East India Company forces Indian farmers to grow them

Opium? - Indeed. Most of it is bought up...

by the Company at prices fixed by them. And then shipped to China...

to help turn an entire nation into opium addicts

B#ut why?

It's the only thing we can sell the Chinese...

in return for the tea and silks that we Europeans are addicted to

I think Gordon, the ladies ought to be spared this lecture

B#ut the Chinese Emperor resists, he no longer wants to trade in opium

So the company decides to wage a war against him

And in this war it wants Indian sepoys to fight and die

The circle is complete...

and we call it the free market

You abuse my hospitality

If I have spoken out of turn sir, I apologise

After all I'm just a common soldier

It's a subject you'd know more about than I

When Kent humiliated Gordon about his humble beginnings...

Gordon couldn't stand for it.

William... I'm so sorry - Emily, there's no need

Gordon liked Emily, but realized that he did not belong in this elite circle.

When traders become rulers then the common man pays the price

B#ut now Nana Saheb will make the Company pay

Really? How?

His minister, Azimullah, has returned from England with Queen Victoria's letter...

which clearly states that Nana Saheb is right and the Company is wrong

Futile. Nana Saheb has only a letter while the Company has guns

B#ut sir, the gun is a treacherous lover,

there's no telling whom she'll set her sights upon!

What's up?

What the bloody hell is going on?

B#roken axle, sir. Two boxes of cartridges have fallen down

The new Enfield...

is the best rifle in the world

It will feel no different to your musket

A bit lighter

Accurate to a thousand yards,

five times the range of your old B#rown B#ess

And now, the new cartridge. It consists of gunpowder and a lead

You pick up the cartridge and bite the end off, like so

You pour the gunpowder in,

followed by the lead

And then...

you ram the Johnny down. Ram it down, tight

Then you're ready to fire

You... try

You... and you

Come on lads, look lively

Come on, it won't bark back

Corporal...

Yes sir? - What is the matter?

The grease, sir. We cannot put the grease in our mouth

Then where will you put it, man? Come on, be sensible

What's the matter, Captain?

It's the cartridges, sir.

The sepoys say they saw dogs licking grease off them in the bazaar

They saw what?

Dogs, licking the new cartridges

The men believe they've been greased with the fat of pigs and cows, sir

And are they?

The Company's supplier, sir. I checked with him. And he assured me...

there was no truth to it

There you are, Captain White man's word. Knock the superstition out of them

Still sir, shouldn't we be careful? - You heard me, Captain

The Quartermaster claimed that the cartridges were clean.

A white man's word was good enough for the general.

He ordered Gordon to set the soldiers' fears to rest.

The Company respects all religions and will never break faith

And I, as an officer of the Company give you my word...

that this cartridge is greased with neither the fat of pigs or cows

Will a loyal sepoy please step forward and volunteer to fire the gun.

What am I supposed to tell him now? He has already done what he had to

We can't let this pass. We must confront him with this

You think he'll listen to us? - Here he comes. Talk to him

Aye Mangal, why did you bite the bullet?

You're an outcaste now. You'll pay for it.

Just because you speak a little English, you think you're a bloody white man?

Now because of you, they'll force us as well

Shut your miserable mouths

Gordon sahib said they're clean. That's enough for me.

And what if Gordon sahib is lying?

Gordon sahib will never lie to me

That's fine, but what if the cartridge-story turns out to be true?

Then I'll burn the company down

Now scram!

There. Look at that attitude

Gordon sahib, Will you tell me something?

Yes, Why not?

What is the Company?

Why do you ask?

I need to know

Company...?

A Company is an entity created entirely for the purpose of making a profit

And what does it do? - What does it do!

Well it buys and sells, anything. Indigo, spices, opium

Love, honour, truth... anything

Yes but... who is the Company?

In your story of the Ramayan...

you have a character Ravana. The chap with ten heads, right?

Well, the Company has thousands of heads...

all stuck together with the glue of greed. You understand?

Hey, is that a Sati?

Come on

Gordon sahib, I don't think we should. - Come on, it's a Sati!

Glory to woman who accompanies her husband in death

Glory be!

Stop this

I said, stop this immediately!

Come here, come along

Sahib, you better leave. These are sacred ceremonies

B#ut Sati has been banned. B#urning a widow is a crime

Captain sahib, don't interfere. You're tampering with our ancient customs

And you're tampering with my ancient custom. I don't stand by and watch murder

Return the woman. Or you'll regret it

You'll have to kill me first!

Come on!

Get him!

Lynch him

Anybody who dares touch the sahib is a dead man

Sahib, save the girl! I'll deal with these bastards

Go sahib... go... go

Oh God! A Sati! B#ut she is alive!

You're damn right she is!

B#ut they will come for her! It's a question of their honour

Return her, sahib! - No one will touch her!

That's the law

What are we going to do with her, Mangal?

Her relatives will surely kill her. She has nowhere to go

Come out

Don't be afraid

You're safe here

No one will touch you

Come

How are you feeling? Did you sleep?

What's your name?

I am going to work but don't worry...

I have posted guards. You'll be safe

They will come... for me

Who?

Relatives

My husband was a powerful man, lord of a hundred villages

I'm sorry you lost him. Any children?

No, he was very old. Sixty, when he married me

He had grown-up children

He was very sick

Sahib the village chieftain has come to meet you

He says it's important

Go in... and don't worry

Sahib, don't play with our honour

What do you mean?

Return the woman to us

What? So that you can kill her?

That is her destiny

Not anymore

Don't involve yourself in matters you don't understand

That will not be good for you

Are you threatening an officer of the East India Company?

You listen to me!

You so much as set foot into the Cantonment again,

and I will shoot you! You understand me?

Do you understand me?

Now get out

In the course of his investigations into corruption in the Company...

Lockwood raided the godown of a Parsee merchant, Sorabjee.

Search the place

There is no need for all that, Sir

Search it. - It is all legitimate

The search uncovered stocks of opium.

Sir, look at this

Seal the stock, arrest this man. - Sergeant-major...

Mr Lockwood, you are a man of high powers

B#ut you've been here only a few days, sir

You must try to understand - Mr Sorabji you are aware...

that The East India Company has a monopoly on the opium trade

It is obvious, you have been indulging in your own private dealings

Mr Lockwood, I am acquainted with you B#ritish...

and I have had dealings for years with the Company officials

I will be very proud to make you part of our arrangements

Are you offering to bribe me, you blackguard!

Sir, I have the deepest respect for you as a gentleman

I am simply trying to explain how trade works in India

It could be beneficial to you. - You mistake me sir

I'm here to bury corruption, not fan it. - Corruption is a strong word, sir

It is our custom, as Indians, to give small gifts

I must quieten your displeasure and pay a fine. 300 pounds in gold?

Damn your eyes!

Three thousand pounds

Now?

Three... thousand... pounds!

India is rich, sir

Lockwood did not succumb to Sorabjee's offer of a huge bribe.

Instead he forced Sorabjee to name the villages...

from which he bought the opium.

Every man is reminded...

that growing, buying or selling opium...

without the permission of the Company...

is illegal and punishable

You have broken the law

Therefore by the order of the Collector and Magistrate...

your land and property is hereby confiscated!

B#ut how are we to blame?

White sahibs tell us to grow, we grow. White sahibs tell us to sell, we sell

Don't take our lands sahib! Where will we go?

Have mercy, sahib

For god's sake, have mercy

Get your hands off

The Company is cruel!

Get out! Go away!

Our children will starve! - Leave us alone

Fire!

No sir!

That's not necessary, I'll deal with this

I said fire!

No... no... don't shoot. - We're your brothers

What are you thinking?

Does this happen back home in my village as well?

We're soldiers. It's our job to fight, to kill

To kill an unknown enemy is easy. B#ut to kill people who are your own...

You were obeying orders, Mangal

That's our duty That is the price of the salt we eat

Sometimes I wonder if there are more important things in life than salt

I'm a slave to your charms

I'm a slave to your charms

I'm a slave to your charms

I'm a slave to your charms

Your love for me is like...

Your love for me is like... a honey-dipped dagger

I'm a slave to your charms

Your burning gaze pierces me like arrows

Where did you learn such deadly skill?

My heart's wounded... but the pain is so exquisite

I'm a slave to your charms

Once I was a blossoming bud...

flowering in a garden of sunshine

No restless days,

no sleepless nights

I was innocent and carefree...

and then I met you!

Oh, what a price I'm paying for having trusted you...

oh, what a price I'm paying for having trusted you!

Your love for me is like... a honey-dipped dagger

I'm a slave to your charms

She has already been promised for the first night...

to the Company's senior officer. You cannot take her sahib, I beg you

Out of my way woman, I'm taking her

No, not for double the money, please

Her first night will be with me and that's what she wants to...

don't you darling! - Don't create trouble for me

Enough!

Did you not hear! The woman said something. Leave the girl

One more word out of you and I'll have you horsewhipped!

You're not going anywhere!

B#astard!

I'll get you for this, you nigger!

I'll teach you a lesson, you son of a whore!

I say, leave him!

You scoundrels! You're wrecking my shop

No! Not upstairs!

You'll destroy my rooms! Who'll pay for the damage?

You still haven't told me your name

Jwala

Hey stop! - It's urgent

Where are you going? - We need to meet Gordon sahib

Gordon sahib! He's killing Mangal! - What... who?

Hewson sahib has gone to the jail to kill Mangal Pandey

You dog! You dare assault an officer!

Say you are a dog

Say you are a dog!

You are a dog

Make the black bastard shit blood

Stop... stop it

Four men against one! You cowardly bastard

You think you can kill this man and get away with it?

The commandant won't take a black man's word for it, will he?

Well, if he'll take a white man's he'll bloody well take mine

You sir, you're no white man

Let's get out of here

Come on

Cheers to Mangal! Long live Mangal!

Next

Quick, lift it up. You wouldn't be here if you were the shy sort

C'mon doc, quit peeping up skirts all day. Treat a hero for once!

Isn't he the one who fought with Captain Hewson?

No! He's the one who taught him a lesson!

Come baby! I could teach you a lesson or two myself

Oh dear! What a waste of energy! Why don't you try your strength on us?

Yes! I've never tasted a hero

For you it'll be free. In fact, we'll pay

Shut up! Go sell your bodies to the whites... go

We just sell our bodies,

you soldiers sell your souls!

In the course of my investigations I have discovered

that you have been compromising senior officers,

falsifying accounts, in fact sir, you have been cheating the company

I have done nothing that others have not done before me

You have been smuggling opium into China on your own behalf, Mr Kent

You have evidence?

Lockwood accused Kent of carrying on illegitimate trade in opium...

and produced Sorabjee as evidence.

You wanted me to go to prison for you. - No sir, you pay for your own sins

Mr Lockwood, you would persuade a native to point a finger at me!

I'm just a puppet in his hands, sir

If you lay a hand on me...

the reverberations will reach the House of Lords

Kent warned Lockwood that taking him on...

Lockwood could be taking on the House of Lords.

Anyone there?

Hukum Singh

I'm used to it, sahib

B#ut I'm not

It's all right, come on

What are you doing?

Give me the gun

Give me the bloody gun!

I don't want you to go