That unforgettable line and the image of a female warrior on horseback, a sword raised in one hand, a baby strapped to her back, is, for many, the first thing that comes to mind when one mentions Rani Lakshmibai. As it turns out, this film, directed by Krish Jagarlamudi and Kangana herself, doesn’t expand your understanding of the iconic warrior queen much more.

As promised, Manikarnika does tick all the nationalistic boxes. It is getting a perfectly-timed Republic Day release. And there are plenty of eye-roll moments as it chases the red-faced Brits, and raises the flag. It may have been Jhansi, but it is clearly a prelude to the ‘tiranga’. But what keeps us with the film is Rani Ranaut, who in her best moments, owns her part, the narrative, and the screen.

Kangana Ranaut is glorious, and the film better than Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s carnivals. But the budgetary constrains show and the impact is Amar Chitra Katha.

At two hours and twenty-eight minutes, Manikarnika is unforgivably long. It’s been directed by both Krish Jagarlamudi and Kangana herself. In interviews, Kangana has said that 70 percent of it is her work.  If yes, then she is an effective storyteller but the actor in her undermines the director.  Because the actor becomes larger than the narrative.

But despite these flaws, Manikarnika reveals Kangana as an artist with boundless ambition and I’m excited to see what she creates next.

Manikarnika, is a brave attempt at resurrecting the legend of a heroic Indian Queen, a feat that it accomplishes.

Manikarnika is a misguided and typical effort bolstered by only a few noteworthy aspects. Still, Kangana Ranaut remains as the Queen.

Manikarnika: The Queen Of Jhansi is one long action scene…

Manikarnika is agonizingly soulless. Platitudes piled upon synthetic platitudes do not add up to great cinema, especially when none of the film’s war cries delivers any bang for its buck. Save yours and give the film a miss unless you like the sound of misfires.

Kangana Ranaut does her best. She is awkward and stilted as the demure bride but comes into her own as the warrior queen. She adds a swagger to her stride and a steely determination to her demeanour that are hard not to cheer for. She is the only thing that make this film worth a watch.

Manikarnika is a well-made film that highlights Kangana’s prowess as an actor. For a first time filmmaker, she undoubtedly shows spark and potential as a storyteller. Short of an epic, this larger-than-life war drama has enough valour and spirit to keep you engaged in these pages of history.

Even today, an important chapter in Indian history tomes is dedicated to the Queen of Jhansi. Watch her story unfold in this lavishly-mounted screen spectacle.

But despite Kangana’s best efforts, Manikarnika fails to bring Rani Laxmibai to life in this exhausting and over-exaggerated drama.

So should you watch Manikarnika? Make an informed choice. If you’re a Kangana Ranaut fan, Manikarnika is THE film for you. If you remember your history lessons, take Manikarnika with a generous pinch of salt, says our review.

All said and done, Manikarnika – The Queen Of Jhansi is a visual form of our History chapters but a very intriguing and beautiful looking one. No one could have done this better than Kangana Ranaut and she is brutally bloody beautiful! If you’re watching this, watch it on a big screen.

MANIKARNIKA – THE QUEEN OF JHANSI is a well-made historical with the right scale, emotional quotient and battle sequences as its highpoint. Also, Kangana Ranaut’s performance is the icing on the cake. At the box office, the film comes at the right time as the Republic Day period will further add to the film’s prospects.

Today, in a world growing more cynical by the minute, we need to be reminded of real heroes who lived and died for their beliefs. Manikarnika manages to reintroduce one of the most awe-inspiring figures from India’s past. A legend gets reborn, at least on screen, and maybe that’s the only reality palatable to us right now…

We’ve all read about Rani Lakshmibai in middle-school history. But we remember her best from the Allahabadi poet Subhadra Kumari Chauhan’s long poem with the famous descriptor, ‘Bundele har bole ki muh, humne suni kahani thi. Khoob ladi mardani, who toh Jhansi wali Rani thi.’ A genuine, soul-stirring tribute to her phenomenal heroism can at best hope to come close to Chauhan’s immortal lines. Yes, this one does.

Rani Lakshmibai was a great woman. She deserves better than a film that chooses to use her for its own self-serving ends.

Watch it for the intense moments of thrill that it has to offer and for the lead actress, who has also turned a director with this venture. As a first time filmmaker, Kangana has proven her skills and the film stands victorious.

Overall, Manikarnika is a good watch for people who love history and have longed to see one of their history book characters come alive.

Manikarnika is a must watch for the glory that Kangana brings to the experience of watching the life and time of one of Indian history’s bravest warriors. Don’t miss this one.

Manikarnika is the sum of what it’s saying – it doesn’t have visual stratagems strong enough to distract the viewer. It lacks the intricate design of Bajirao Mastani and Padmaavat and the muscular drive of Baahubali, only coming to life when it borrows the bloody graphic-novel look of Zack Snyder films (such as the sequence where the queen slashes her way through a dozen enemy soldiers).

Overall, this film is awe inspiring due to its grandeur but fails to touch the emotional chord in your heart.

Manikarnika is a blood-splattered odyssey that celebrates the warrior queen who stood her ground and even threatened the British Raj’s ambitions in India. Most know of Jhansi ki Rani from the poem that aptly described the fearless queen. This biopic goes beyond heroics to reveal a resolute yet vulnerable figure. And even while the authenticity of all the events detailed here is debatable, it makes for a decent watch.

A flat retelling of the legend of Jhansi Ki Rani that aims at stoking nationalism but reduces the story to mere platitudes

Honestly, you aren’t missing out on something big this weekend. This rousing war-drama is definitely a one-time watch. Don’t miss it if you are a true Kangana Ranaut fan.

The final war between Rani & the British is over and Manikarnika turns out to be a lost opportunity.

The film, which also features Ankita Lokhande, Nihar Pandya, Suresh Oberoi, Atul Kulkarni, Danny Denzongappa and Jisshu Sengupta, will be clashing with Nawazuddin Siddiqui’s Thackeray.

Despite wanting to know so much about Lakshmibai, the movie prefers to celebrate her unabashedly without ever throwing an insight into who she really was. So we are left googling for more information!

The Manikarnika production isn’t lavish enough to suggest a grand sweep of history, and the focus on its heroine is too narrow to accommodate a larger conversation about the efficacy of Lakshmibai’s actions. There is plenty of leaping and feinting, but not enough reflecting.