{"id":17175,"date":"2017-07-08T14:49:21","date_gmt":"2017-07-08T21:49:21","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/siliconeer.com\/current\/?p=17175"},"modified":"2017-07-08T14:49:37","modified_gmt":"2017-07-08T21:49:37","slug":"the-black-prince-the-true-story-of-maharajah-duleep-singh","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/siliconeer.com\/current\/the-black-prince-the-true-story-of-maharajah-duleep-singh\/","title":{"rendered":"\u201cThe Black Prince\u201d: The True Story of Maharajah Duleep Singh"},"content":{"rendered":"

Satinder Sartaaj in “The Black Prince.”<\/em><\/p>\n

\n

The Black Prince is an emotional drama based on the true story of the last king of Punjab, Maharajah Duleep Singh, starring musician and poet, Satinder Sartaaj. Set in the 19th century and written and directed by Kavi Raz, the film follows the remarkable journey of a boy born into royalty, torn from the throne, denied his inheritance, then separated from his mother as a small child and exiled from his country. Amidst political turmoil at the height of the British Empire, Duleep Singh was sent to Britain, where Queen Victoria took him under her wing.<\/p>\n

As a young man, he later reconnects with his mother, his roots, his culture and his destiny, battling to reclaim his kingdom and heritage. Told for the first time on the big screen, it\u2019s a rousing tale about an unsung hero determined to follow his heart and fight for what is rightfully his, with the odds stacked firmly against him.<\/p>\n

Leading cast members and filmmakers discuss the challenges of making the movie, the history, the heroism and the legacy behind The Black Prince<\/p>\n

\n

The story of Maharajah Duleep Singh begins in 1838, continues with his ascent to the throne of Punjab as his country is violently torn apart by feuds and factions, and unfolds as he comes of age in Victorian England. It offers an illuminating exploration of his close friendship with Queen Victoria.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s fascinating about Kavi Raz\u2019s riveting movie, which has already won several film festival awards including Best Drama Feature at the L.A. Film Awards and the Special Jury Remi Award at the 50th Annual WorldFest International Film Festival in Houston, is how powerfully it resonates today. Transcending continents and kingdoms, this is the story of one man\u2019s daunting and heroic quest to reclaim his inheritance and govern his people while confronting the colossal might of the British Empire. It is the story of a man on a mission to find himself.<\/p>\n

Q: But who was the \u201cBlack Prince?\u201d<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

A:<\/i><\/b> \u201cWhen you read about Maharajah Duleep Singh, you see a lot of fact-based material:\u00a0 that he became a king at the age of five and was separated from his mother at the age of seven,\u201d says director Kavi Raz, born in Punjab and raised in England. \u201cBut there\u2019s not much that people know about the human being, the psychological make up of this man. So in the telling of this story, I wanted to connect with Duleep Singh\u2026 What it was like to be isolated after being King of one of the most powerful kingdoms in the world at that time.\u201d<\/p>\n

From the start, it was a highly personal journey for Raz himself. He had heard about the story of Duleep Singh as a child and was fully aware that the fabled, exiled king was significant to his culture.<\/p>\n

Raz says he was drawn to the project because he had experienced a growing, inner yearning to tell meaningful stories about his culture. \u201cI wanted to make films that touched me emotionally, that moved me.\u201d<\/p>\n

In what the filmmaker describes as \u201cthe luckiest moment of my life,\u201d he met historian Jasjeet Singh, executive producer of The Black Prince, who had conducted extensive research into the life of Maharajah Duleep Singh.<\/p>\n

Singh discussed with Raz how the life of the Last King of Punjab has been shrouded in mystery, told primarily through the lens of the British who effectively \u2018adopted him,\u2019 controlled him, and claimed him as one of their own. It was, after all, where he lived as a young man, where he settled, married and raised a family, steeped in the country\u2019s privileged aristocracy.\u00a0 \u201cI realized that all the material about Duleep Singh was told from the British point of view: they wrote that he wasn\u2019t honest, that his mother was no good, that he was illegitimate,\u201d says Jasjeet Singh.<\/p>\n

While studying at Punjab University, Singh had discovered a different perspective on the life of the legendary figure when he came across important historical source material authored by the former Punjabi monarch himself. The material included an extraordinary collection of Duleep\u2019s original letters and paperwork.<\/p>\n

Determined to bring Duleep Singh\u2019s story to the attention of the world, Kavi Raz and Jasjeet Singh set about collaborating on The Black Prince. Once Raz had completed his script, inevitably, choosing the right actor for the central character was crucial.\u00a0 And there was serendipity about the casting of musician Satinder Sartaaj, who seemed destined for the role even though he had never acted before. There were uncanny similarities between the musician and the character.<\/p>\n

\u201cPeople have commented that I bear a strong resemblance to Duleep Singh, in terms of skin color, eyes and height; everything matches actually,\u201d says Sartaaj. \u201cHis mannerisms were close to mine; the character of the Maharajah was almost like me. His way of talking is just like mine. The first thing I told the producers was: \u2018I am a non-actor. I am a poet and composer!\u2019 They said, \u2018but we know you can do it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Their star, says Kavi Raz, was a \u201cnatural.\u201d \u201cSatinder is very emotional, very intelligent and he brings this raw, childlike sort of energy to the part, which was perfect for the character.\u201d<\/p>\n

Stepping into the part, says Sartaaj, was a formidable responsibility. \u201cIt was a great burden on my shoulders because I was representing my culture. It\u2019s true I hadn\u2019t acted before, but I am the type of person who is passionate and dedicated when I commit to something and I really gave it 100 percent.\u201d<\/p>\n

Beautifully acted, with a colorful score from composer George Kallis, as well as five original Punjabi songs with lyrics written by Sartaaj and music by Prem Hardeep, The Black Prince reveals the man behind the legendary, elusive figure. Duleep Singh, the son of Maharajah Ranjit Singh, known as the \u2018Lion of Punjab,\u2019 was an infant when his father died and his kingdom was annexed by the British Empire.\u00a0 His uncle, Jawahar Singh, was killed in front him. \u201cThe child\u2019s face was drenched with blood. It was horrific. Britain basically took over the kingdom at that time,\u201d says Kavi Raz.<\/p>\n

Separated from his mother by the British and sent to what is now Uttar Pradesh, Duleep had to convert to Christianity. In 1845, aged 15, he was dispatched to Britain. The new film focuses on the bond that developed between the teenager and Queen Victoria (played by Amanda Root), who treated the boy she called \u2018the Black Prince\u2019 as one of her own children. \u201cQueen Victoria totally loved Duleep. He was like a family member, going on family vacations with them,\u201d notes Jasjeet Singh.<\/p>\n

Amanda Root (The Iron Lady), who has a strong interest in India and runs a charity that does considerable work in the country, delivers a highly convincing performance as Queen Victoria. \u201cI thought about what it meant to be the queen, the tension between who she is as a person and how she needs to run the country, yet also maintaining her life as a wife and a mother\u2026 I think she had to control her feelings, to be masterful. She certainly had a great capacity to love and that\u2019s what interested me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Queen Victoria\u2019s relationship with Duleep, says Root, \u201cWas complex. He comes into her life as a young boy and you see there\u2019s a tension because he\u2019s so unique and he\u2019s very young and he needs her attention. She mothered him. And then, as we find out, that backfires because there\u2019s a lot of politics involved. I was very interested in this woman,\u201d the actress says.<\/p>\n

She describes her co-star, Sartaaj, as \u201cOpen and observant, with great panache. He was learning on the job, and I think he did a remarkable job. He was very natural and that naturalness reflected the character\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

In England, the teenager was distanced from his own language, culture and of course his religion. \u201cHe wasn\u2019t even allowed to meet with other Sikhs. Instead, he was indoctrinated into British ideology,\u201d says Kavi Raz. \u201cHe lived like a king in a way, but it was a very controlled sort of a life.\u201d Charged with taking care of the teenager was Dr. John Login, appointed as his guardian, played by acclaimed British actor Jason Flemyng (Lock, Stock And Two Smoking Barrels, Snatch). \u201cJason read the script and was so excited about the role and the British aspect of this story,\u201d says Raz. \u201cHe wanted to be part of the project to help convey the great injustice that was done. He is an amazing actor.\u201d<\/p>\n

One of the interesting aspects of Kavi Raz\u2019s script is his nuanced take on the story. It isn\u2019t black and white and while it is told from Duleep Singh\u2019s perspective, the British are not portrayed as villainous. \u201cI did not want to paint the British as monstrous; they weren\u2019t,\u201d says Raz. \u201cMaharajah Duleep Singh himself told his mother that the British were very good people.\u201d<\/p>\n

Shot on location\u2014mostly in England\u2014in some of the country\u2019s most impressive castles, with a few scenes filmed in India, there are strong supporting performances from Keith Duffy, David Essex and Rup Magon. Much of the visually lavish biopic focuses on Duleep Singh\u2019s life in Britain, which by all accounts was decadently luxurious. Reputedly an enormously gregarious and personable man, he married twice and had nine children.\u00a0 His first wife, Bamba, is played by British actress, Sophie Stevens.<\/p>\n

As he entered his twenties though, Duleep started to feel a deep sense of unease, coupled with a yearning to be meeting the mother he had barely known. \u201cOnce he reached maturity, he had this feeling that something was missing,\u201d says Jasjeet Singh.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe was a very intelligent and a very sensitive man,\u201d agrees Kavi Raz, \u201cand I think that\u2019s part of the reason the English were able to control him; he was a withdrawn, emotional sort of a man. So naturally he would\u2019ve felt some sort of emptiness. That\u2019s when he \u00a0 wants to see his mother.\u201d<\/p>\n

He travels to India and meets his long-lost mother, Rani Jindan, played by renowned Indian actress Shabana Azmi. \u201cShabana has so much experience and is very well respected,\u201d says Raz. \u201cSo in contrast to Satinder, who was new to acting, she brought all this knowledge with her\u2026It was an amazing experience for me as a director to work with these two people at the same time.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Satinder Sartaaj and Shabana Azmi star in “The Black Prince”<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The two actors connect strongly on screen and depict a complicated relationship between mother and son that was evidently immensely challenging. \u201cHe met his mother after fourteen or fifteen long years apart so he didn\u2019t recall her well,\u201d says Sartaaj. \u201cThey were very different because by then he was so British, and very spoiled. He didn\u2019t particularly like her when they met because he couldn\u2019t relate to her.\u201d<\/p>\n

But the reunion did awaken a new sense of purpose in the young man. \u201cSomehow when he met his mother, Duleep started to realize who he was, and the significance of his destiny,\u201d says Sartaaj.<\/p>\n

His mother explained why it was so important for him to reclaim his inheritance. She also reminded her son that for all intents and purposes, Britain had appropriated not only the considerable assets of Punjab, but the family\u2019s private wealth\u2014including the famous Koh-I-Noor diamond. \u201cThe British angle has always been that it was \u2018gifted\u2019 to Queen Victoria by Duleep Singh but we believe it was taken,\u201d says Kavi Raz.<\/p>\n

After the reunion with his mother, everything shifted for Duleep Singh, who would no longer be satisfied with the life of luxury he had enjoyed. Launching a political campaign within Britain, he embarked on a life-long quest to fight for his rights, which involved repeated attempts to get his case heard in the British, writing letters, and campaigning across Europe. He started a movement to restore independence to Punjab that eventually became fractured, infiltrated by spies.<\/p>\n

As the plot unfolds, it becomes clear that Duleep Singh\u2019s mission is fraught with difficulty. But the sadness depicted in the film doesn\u2019t detract from its inspirational heart. \u201cAt the very core of the film,\u201d says Kavi Raz, \u201cis a story of a man trying to find himself, which is as relevant today as it was 150 years ago. Right now, we live in a divisive world filled with religious intolerance. The same level of intolerance existed then.\u201d Raz also mentions, \u201che wasn\u2019t allowed to be a Sikh, to be an Indian boy, an Indian king. He was kept and controlled in England.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Kavi Raz, Director of “The Black Prince”<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Q: What if anything can we learn from the story?\u00a0 <\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

A: \u201cThat the oppressed will always come to a point when they will rise against oppression and their voices will be heard. I think this film offers that perspective, that the right voice needs to be heard.\u201d \u00a0<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

Q: Why does the story resonate so strongly today?\u00a0<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

A:<\/i><\/b> \u201cI think it is a reflection of how we manage ourselves in the world and how we behave.\u201d comments Amanda Root.<\/p>\n

Q: How do we show real respect to people who are different to us without controlling them or trying to exclude them? \u00a0<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

A:<\/i><\/b> \u201cThe film is a reminder that everybody has to work really hard to stop that happening.\u201d<\/p>\n

Of huge interest and significance to Punjabi communities around the world, the film chronicles a pivotal chapter in Sikh history. While the story doesn\u2019t have a traditional Hollywood happy ending, the life of Maharajah Duleep Singh is ultimately positive.<\/p>\n

\u201cDuleep Singh actually died peacefully as a free man, as a Sikh,\u201d says Sartaaj, adding that his struggle inspired Sikhs to continue the fight for freedom until India regained its independence in 1947. \u201cThere are many learnings we can take from this story,\u201d Sartaaj reflects, \u201cabout the world and the dangers of imperialism. It is good to learn from history, from things that should never have happened, so we can make sure that in future we (human beings) will not behave that way again.\u201d<\/p>\n

According to Sartaaj, \u201cThe majority of Sikhs and Punjabis don\u2019t consider [Duleep Singh] as a hero. But at film festivals I have said, if he had died with a bullet, he would be your hero. But because that didn\u2019t happen, you do not consider him a hero. Yet he was heroic. He did his best. He left his astonishingly lavish lifestyle in England, the huge estate he owned, to fight British imperialism. He left his family; he left his kids, his wife, to do the right thing. What could he have done that would have been more heroic than that?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe subcontinent of India was under British rule for over 200 years, and the move towards independence really took root with Maharajah Duleep Singh raising the voice of his people,\u201d concludes Kavi Raz elaborating on the resonance of the film. He said, \u201cIt\u2019s not about me anymore; it\u2019s not about my kingdom. It\u2019s about how the British had to be driven entirely out of India. Maharajah Duleep Singh offered hope because he inspired his people\u2014he inspired an entire nation to seek freedom,\u201d concludes Raz, \u201cAnd that should not be forgotten.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Satinder Sartaaj in “The Black Prince.” The Black Prince is an emotional drama based on the true story of the last king of Punjab, Maharajah Duleep Singh, starring musician and poet, Satinder Sartaaj. Set in the 19th century and written and directed by Kavi Raz, the film follows the remarkable journey of a boy born…<\/p>\n

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