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By Sandra Olmsted

Director Stephen Frears’ account of the real life friendship between Queen Victoria, Empress of India, (Judi Dench) and her humble subject Abdul Karim (Ali Fazal), a Muslim clerk, reveals historical events that only recently came to light.

Similar to the relationship chronicled in John Madden’s Mrs. Brown (1997), the Queen’s friendship with Abdul, who her court sees as inappropriate, deals not only again with class and cultural divides, but makes the audience wonder if these friendships were a pattern of behavior for Queen Victoria and if other such stories may emerge.

After a brief opening in India which shows Abdul being selected to present a token coin to India’s sovereign, the film shifts to a cantankerous Queen Victoria, who feels she has out lived all those she loves. While being hoisted, prodded, briefed, and dressed for her royal duties and by obstinately, and often rudely, wolfing down her food and dozing at the dinner table, she reveals her utter boredom and unhappiness.

Then, it is time for Abdul and the spare presenter, Mohammed (Adeel Akhtar), to deliver India’s gift. Although warned not to make eye contact with the Queen, Abdul is a charming rule breaker, and he catches the Queen’s eye in more ways than one. Soon, Abdul and Mohammed find themselves official footmen to the Queen.

While Abdul qualmlessly embraces Victoria being the Empress of India, Adeel presents the anti-imperialism view in his rants against the oppressor of India. Adeel’s rants, unfortunately, are played more for comedy than theme. Adeel also wants nothing more than to return home; however, his desired escape from the horrible English climate is thwarted by Abdul’s fast ascent from footman to the Queen’s tutor, or munshi.

Since the aged Queen will never see India, despite being the Empress, Abdul provide’s Victoria with a vision of Indian through mangos, carpets, Taj Mahal history, and Urdu language and philosophy. No friendship has threatened the royal court’s influence over the Queen since the one with John Brown, and Bertie (Eddie Izzard), the heir-apparent, Henry Ponsberry (the late Tim Pigott-Smith), Lord Salisbury (Michael Gambon), and Dr. Reid (Paul Higgins) make the case that the Queen is in her dotage and for Abdul’s removal. Can they out maneuver a woman, who although over 90, has endured the machinations of court since she was crowned at 18?

Although based on Shrabani Basu’s 2010 biography inspired by Queen Victoria’s handwritten notebooks in Urdu and by Karim’s private journals, screenwriter Lee Hall and Frears take poetic license with the subject matter and draw heavily on the story of Victoria and Brown. Aside from the ill-fated humor regarding imperialism, there are comic moments regarding the “scratchiness” of Scotland and Bertie’s lack of favor with his mother.

A well-done period dramas, Victoria and Abdul is the film to see and expect Oscar nods for. Rated PG-13 for some thematic elements and language and running a fair paced 112 minutes, Victoria and Abdul, a Focus Features release, is in theaters now

PHOTO CAPTION:   Queen Victoria, Empress of India, (Judi Dench) and her humble subject Abdul Karim (Ali Fazal).

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