Prince and the revolution
Britain’s Prince Charles has set the cameras rolling on the set of epic Bollywood movie The Rising, the story of an Indian army soldier revolting against colonial British rule.
“The Rising, take one, start,” said the Prince on Tuesday as he snapped shut a clapperboard to set the camera rolling on the set of the film at a five-star hotel in Mumbai, the home of the Indian film industry.
The film stars popular Bollywood heartthrob Aamir Khan, former Miss World Aishwarya Rai and British actor Toby Stephens.
Charles, heir to the British throne and representative of the colonial power that once ruled India, spent 20 minutes on the set as Khan, who plays Indian soldier Mangal Pandey, acted out a scene with Stephens, who portrays his British friend Captain William Gordon.
Royal support
“I’m really honoured that Prince Charles came for this muharrat (opening) shot,” said Khan. “He was asking us about the story and my character in the film. He was very knowledgeable and he knew about the Indian history of that period.”
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“I’m really honoured that Prince Charles came for this muharrat (opening) shot” Aamir Khan, actor |
Pandey was an Indian soldier who revolted against British rule in India in 1857, sparking an uprising against the British government which was crushed.
“I have researched Mangal Pandey’s character as much as I
could,” said Khan. “Indians at that time didn’t believe in writing down history. Most of the history is oral.”
“I was obviously nervous a bit at the time of the film clap. But I am happy the opening shot of the film went well,” added Stephens.
Prince’s Charles inauguration of the Bollywood movie came as part of his nine-day trip to India.