TWO WORLDS MEET
VICTORIA AND ABDUL. Directed by Stephen Frears.With Judi Dench, Ali Fazal,Tim Pigott-Smith, Eddie Izzard, Adeel Akhtar, Michael Gambon, Paul Higgins, Olivia Williams. At Ster-Kinekor and Nu Metro. dropping to his knees and kissing her feet as a sign of respect and then, having perked her interest, locking eyes as he departs.
Soon after, she requests that Abdul be brought to her, much to the dismay and horror of her advisers and the royal household.
When they strike up a friendship and Abdul’s status is elevated to that of her munshi (teacher), her son and next in line to the throne threatens, along with the other disgruntled staff, to have her declared insane.
Abdul teaches Victoria about the Indian continent, which she rules but has never visited, due to death threats and concern for her safety. Her son and staff use every opportunity to create discord between the two.
But even though, at some point, the Queen is disappointed by Abdul not being totally truthful, the depth of their friendship and her yearning for a true friend in her twilight years makes her forgive him.
The script is filled with beautiful moments, telling the story of two people from opposite ends of the world coming together and sharing a friendship that breaks through cultural stereotypes.
He teaches her about the difference between a Hindu and a Muslim, guides her in learning to speak and write Urdu, and in India’s historical achievements. One gets a true sense of the loneliness that the Queen had to endure after her husband died, and the lack of interest her children had in her.
What we don’t get is a thorough understanding of Abdul’s reason for wanting to be in England and taking to the Queen in the positive manner he does. These people, after all, are the tyrannical oppressors ruling his motherland, who his colleague Mohammed vehemently despises. It’s the one niggling factor in an otherwise delightful film, filled with many whimsical and pleasing moments, as well as gut-wrenching ones.
Dench is excellent as the Queen and Fazal is a perfect partner as Abdul. The supporting cast is equally stellar, with Olivia Williams acidic as Baroness Churchill, Simon Callow a hoot as the composer Puccini, Michael Gambon dry as Lord Salisbury, the late Tim Pigott-Smith bringing great dignity to his role as head of the royal household, and Adeel Akhtar delivering a first-rate performance as Mohammed.
Danny Cohen’s cinematography is picture perfect and Thomas Newman’s music score aptly blends orchestral sounds with exotic Indian melodies.
The production design is sumptuous and other technical aspects are first rate.
Frears directs with a sure hand, and while the film is a tad long, there is much to savour.