All language subtitles for Shatranj Ke Khilari

Look at the hands of the
mighty generals...

deploying their forces on
the battlefield.

We do not know if these hands...

have ever held real weapons.

But this is not a real battle
where blood is shed...

and the fate of empires is decided.

Mr. Meer and Mr. Mirza are
only playing at warfare.

Their armies are pieces of ivory.

Their battlefield; a piece of cloth.

THE CHESS PLAYERS

Checkmate!

Mr. Mirza has given a mate.

This is the White King, can be
attacked by the Red Minister.

Mr. Meer, save your King.

For if the King is lost, the
game is lost.

Maqbool!

Poor Maqbool.

How often will he have to attend
to those hookahs?

For there will be many more...

battles fought on that piece
of cloth today.

lt has been like this since the...

friends discovered this
noble game.

You may ask, ''Have they
no work to do?''

Of course not!

Whoever heard of the landed
gentry working?

These are noblemen of the...

capital of Oudh; Lucknow.

After the passing of the great
Moguls in Delhi,...

Lucknow became lndia's bastion
of Moslem culture.

Not all their games had the
elegance of pigeons...

or kite-flying.

That notable culture had its
cruel side, too.

This is the throne of King Wajid,
who ruled over Oudh.

But the king had...

other interests, too.

King Wajid didn't like much
of reigning.

However, he was proud
of his crown.

Only five years ago, in 1 851,...

he had sent it to London...

to be displayed at The
Great Exhibition.

But listen what an Englishman
in lndia had to say about it:

The wretch at Lucknow,...

who has sent his crown to
the exhibition,...

would have done his people
and us a great service...

if he'd sent is head in it.

And he never would have missed it.

That is a cherry that will drop
into our mouths, one day.

The head of the Kingdom of Oudh
to be eaten like a cherry?

Alas, words penned by the
Governor-General of lndia,...

Lord Dalhousie.

But perhaps Lord Dalhousie was
inordinately fond of cherries.

How many he had eaten in ten years;

Punjab, Burma, Nagpur,

Satara, Jhansi.

The only one left is the
cherry of Oudh,...

whose friendship with Britain
goes back half a century...

to the reign of Nawab Shuja.

Shuja had been unwise enough to
pit his forces against the British.

No wonder he was defeated.

But the British did not
dethrone him.

All they did...

was to make him sign a treaty
pledging eternal friendship

and five million rupees compensation.

Ever since,...

the Nawabs of Oudh have
maintained this friendship.

When British campaigns
needed money,

for the campaigns,

the Nawabs opened their coffers.

And whenever British wrath
had been aroused

by evidence of Nawab misrule...

OUDH

Nawab Ghaziuddin's generosity
so gratified the British...

that they gave him the title of king.

lt was Ghaziuddin
who fashioned the crown

which King Wajid sent to London.

Poor Wajid, if only you knew the
mind of the Resident of Lucknow...

whose name was General Outram.

Come in!

A dispatch, sir. General Wheeler.

Have you ever seen a pigeon...

that had one black and
one white wing?

''Jerwan Khan, keeper of
the Royal pigeons,...

''received a reward of 2000 rupees...

''for producing a pigeon with one
black and one white wing.''

l find this a very revealing
document, Weston.

lt's an hour by hour account
of the king's activities,...

dated of the 24th of January.

That's yesterday.

Did you know that the king
prayed 5 times a day?

Five is a number prescribed
by the Koran, sir.

Surely all the Muslims don't
pray 5 times a day?

Well, not all, sir, but some do.

The king may be one of them.

The king is know to be a very
devoted man, sir.

''His Majesty listened
to a new song,...

''and afterwards amuse himself by...

''flying-kite on the palace roof.

That's at 4:00 p.m. And the
king goes to sleep...

for an hour, but he' up in time for
the 3rd prayer at 5:00 p.m.

And the in the evening...

''Majesty recited a new poem...

''on the loves of the Bulboo...''

A bird, sir. The Persian
nightingale.

''...at a Mushada.
What's a Mushada?

lt's a gathering of poets. They
recite the new poems.

You know the language, you know
the people here.

What kind of a poet is the king?
ls he any good,...

or is it simply because he's the
king that they say is good?

l think he's rather good, sir.

You do, really?

Do you know any of the stuff?

l know some, sir.

Well, can you recite it? l mean,
do you know it by heart?

Recite it, sir?

l am not a poetry man.
Many soldiers are,...

but l'm curious to know what
it sounds like.

Are they long, these poems?

Not the ones l know, sir.

Go on, man! Out with it!

ls that all?

That s all, sir.

Well, it certainly has the virtue of
brevity. What does it mean?

He's speaking about himself, sir.

And what's he saying? lt's
nothing obscene, l hope.

What is he saying?

''Wound not my bleeding body.

''Throw flowers gently on my grave.

''Though mingled with the earth,
l rose up to the skies.

''People mistook my rising dust
for the heavens.''

That s all, sir.

Doesn't strike me as a great
flight of fancy, l'm afraid.

Doesn't translate very well, sir.

What about the songs? There's
something of...

a composer. Are they any
good, these songs?

They keep running on the head. l
find some of them very attractive.

He's really quite gifted, sir.

He's also fond of dancing, sir.

Yes, so l understand. The
bells on his feet...

plead notch-girls!

Also dresses up like a Hindu
god, l'm told.

You're right, sir. He also composes
his own operas.

Doesn't leave him much time
for his concubines.

Not to speak for not speak of
the affairs of the state.

Does he really have 400
concubines?

l believe that's the count, sir.

And 29... multo wives. What
the hell are multo wives?

They're temporary wives.

Temporary?

A multo marriage can last for 3
days, 3 months or 3 years.

''Multo'' is an Arabic word.

And it means ''temporary''?

lt means ''enjoyment'', sir.

Oh, yes, l see.

Most instructive.

What kind of a king do you think
our is mixed in, Weston,...

on his various accomplishments?

A rather special kind,
l should think.

Special?

l'd use a much stronger word.

l'd have said a bad king.

A frivolous, effeminate,
irresponsible...

and worthless king.

He's not the first eccentric
in the world.

l know, but he deserves to
be the last.

We've put up with these nonsense
long enough.

Eunuches, fiddlers, notch-girls,
multo wives,...

and God knows what else!

He can't rule.

He has no wish to rule.

And therefore he has no
business to rule.

ln that l would agree
with you, sir.

Good. l'm glad to hear that.

l'll recommend you for a higher
position when we take over.

Take over, sir?

Take over, Weston.

And any suspicion that
you hold the brief...

for the king would ruin
your chances.

You remember that.

Maqbool, bring the hookahs.

Where did you find this
piece of calligraphy?

You won't believe l found it...

in a junk shop, for 50 rupees.

Do you like it?

lt's very good.

No wonder. lt's the work
of Shamsuddin.

When you come to my house next,...

l'll show you an even
better one.

My wife likes it so much,...

she's hung it...

in the bedroom.

l must remind you of an
unbreakable rule of chess.

They are necessary to proceed.

Which rule?

lf you touch a piece, you
must move it.

But l always -

You don't.

Last time you touched a Knight,

hesitated, then moved a Pawn.

l'm sorry, Mirza. l'll be
more careful.

Well, make your move.

Soldier, advance!

Advance.

Mr. Nandlal is here.

My goodness.

Show him in.

Welcome! Hello there.

We haven't seen you for ages.

We were just talking about you.

l hope l'm not disturbing you.

Not at all.

We're honored.

-Have a seat.
-Thank you.

l see you're about to
start a game.

Well...

Then l'd better go.

No, it's no trouble.

This is our fourth game
of the day.

Do sit down, please.

The game of kings, the
king of games.

l'm proud it was invented
by an lndian.

Really?

-l thought it came from Persia.
-No, it originated in lndia.

Then it traveled to Europe.

Nandlal, you are clever indeed.

l see you're playing the lndian way.

What other way?

The British way.

Don't say the Company's
taken over chess, too.

l learned British chess from

Mr. Collins when l taught him Farsi.

How does their game differ
from ours?

There's little difference.

The piece we call the Minister

,is called the Queen in the
British game.

And the Queens are placed...

facing each other.

And the Pawn can move...

two squares in its first move.

When a Pawn reaches the
eighth rank,

it can be exchanged for a Queen.

l must say, the British are clever.

But why change the rules?

lt's a faster game.

So they find our game too slow?

But we'll have the steam engines.

And the telegraphs.

The telegraph is already installed,
and l don't like it much.

Why?

Bad news travels faster.

Bad news?

Haven't you heard?

We hear nothing when we play.

You can't laugh it off, Mr. Meer.

l hear the East lndia Company
plans to take over Oudh.

l came to tell you.

You may have learned
British chess,...

but you don't understand their moves.

All these campaigns in Nepal,
the Punjab, Afghanistan.

Where do you think the Company...

gets the money to fight them?

From the King of Oudh, of course.

How? lt's very simple.

Tell the king he's ruling badly.

Pay up, or the Company...

will take over.

The king pays up,...

the Company hears the
jingle of gold,...

and everything returns to
normal once again.

So you think the Company
needs money again?

Of course.

Do you think the railway and
the telegraph cost nothing?

You may be right.

But l don't trust
Lord Dalhousie.

l hear that British forces
have reached Kanpur.

What if war should break out?

Mr. Meer

,just take down that sword,
will you?

That one.

Sword?

Show it to Mr. Nandlal.

Draw it from its scabbard.

Do you know whose sword that was?

You tell him, Meer.

This sword belonged to...

Mirza's great-grandfather.

Our great-grandfathers were...

officers in King Burhan-ul-Mulk's
army.

They were so formidable,...

they struck terror into the enemy.

ln recognition of their valor,
the king granted them estates...

which we are living...

off to this day.

So you see whose blood flows
in our veins.

Right, Meer?

Whatever happens, the British
can't stop us playing chess.

Listen!

We're talking of war, and he

thinks only of chess.

Don't worry, Mr. Meer.

We may have invented the game,
but it's the British who

have taken it up.

And made the Pawn move two
squares.

Well, l must take my leave.

So soon?

l feel like an intruder.

Mr. Collins wouldn't answer
the door to any callers...

when we played.

Then Mr. Collins should not

only have studied our languages,

but our manners, too.

While the descendants
of Burhan-ul-Mulk's

officers fought bloodlessly,

another game was being
played elsewhere.

ln Calcutta, Lord Dalhousie was

preparing an important dispatch.

to general Outram.

Special mail, it's composed
by a British officer...

and six lndian horsemen...

and it takes seven days to travel...

the 600 miles between Calcutta
and Lucknow.

On the evening of the 31st
of January, 1 856,...

the dispatch reached
General Outram.

Finished already?

You know l'm a light eater.

Line it up properly, will you?

The master wants you.

You should be more careful.

Check.

The mistress wishes to see you, sir.

The mistress wishes to see you.

What for?

She didn't say, sir.

Say l'm coming.

''Did you enjoy the pilaf, dear?''

ls that what she wants to know?

The master says he's coming.

When?

He didn't say.

Tell him l have a headache.
He must come at once.

Why didn't you tell me?

l could have rubbed sandalwood
paste on your brow.

Just do as you're told.

Checkmate.

The mistress has a headache.

She wants to see you at once.

You'd better look in.

Say l'm coming.

They don't say a word when you
spend the night with a whore,...

when you stay at home and play
a game, they pester you.

Why not go?

,lt will take me some time to
get out of this trap.

Headache, my foot.

Tell her l thought the food
was delicious.

Don't play around with the pieces.

You know l'd never do such a thing.

Hiria says you have a headache.

As if you cared.

As if you had the slightest
sympathy.

Even if l were dying, you wouldn't
give me a drop of water.

How can you say such a thing?

l left the game because you called.

That stupid game.

Stupid game?

Why, it is the king of games.

lt was invented in lndia and

now the world plays it.

Then the world is stupid.

Ever since l started to play chess,

my power of thinking

has grown a hundredfold.

But you never think of me.

Of course l do.

l came rushing as soon
as Hiria told me.

lt was better when you spent
your nights with that

singing woman.

You just sit hunched over
that stupid bit of cloth

and jiggle around those
stupid ivory pieces.

And l sit praying to God that you

will finish early and come to bed.

But the wretched game goes
on and on,

and l go crazy sitting and waiting.

l order Hiria to tell me stories
to keep me awake,

but she keeps telling the same
stories over and over again.

And you always seating there

with your stupid friend.

Dear,

don't run down my friend

,because you're angry with me.

He sits there and doesn't know

what game his wife is
playing at home.

Now, don't spread gossip.

Gossip?

All Lucknow knows that his wife
is carrying on with another man.

Only you and your friend don't know.

lf you have a headache...

Who says l do?

l don't.

Then why did you send for me?

Well...

l'll go, then.

Please don't go just yet.

Not yet.

What are you looking at?

Your eyes.

My eyes?

They're red from staring
at those stupid pieces.

Really?

l won't let you go back tonight.

Yes, but...

Meer is waiting.

Please forget chess tonight.

For me, please.

What are you doing?

lt's so chilly.

Don't be angry, darling.

Don't be so glum.

The thing is...

You don't love me.

l do love you, believe me.

l'll prove it tomorrow.

My mind was elsewhere,
with Meer waiting and the

game half finished.

You only care for that game.

Tomorrow l'll finish early
and dine with you.

l'll show you how

much l love you.

All right?

Come and tell me a story.

l must stay awake all night.

A bad headache?

Very bad.

She was flailing her arms about.

l feared she would have a fit.

Check.

Next morning, General
Outram had a meeting...

with the Prime Minister of Oudh.

This will come to His Majesty
as a bolt from the blue.

ln his worst nightmares,...

he could not have dreamt of
this from the Company.

l cannot imagine what agonies

he will suffer when he

hears of this.

Yes, l know about the report.

Resume.

His Majesty will be shocked
to hear this.

Tell the prime minister that l'd like
His...

Majesty to go through the treaty...

and let me have his views
as soon as possible.

lt's a matter of the utmost
urgency.

The prime minister wishes to know
why the new treaty.

What happened to the old?

Tell the Prime minister...

that despite repeated warning
from our government,...

His Majesty has made no efforts
during the last 10 years...

to improve the administration here.

And since this has caused
considerable...

distress amongst the province,...

our government has no
alternative but to...

take matters into their
own hands.

How can we talk of misruling...

when the people are so happy?

Just ask him if he knows of
Colonel Sleeman's report.

Yes, gentleman, l know the report.

Colonel Sleeman made his
inspection...

against His Majesty's wishes.

Besides, we assumed all...

the expenses
of his trip,...

with more 1 ,1 00 people. Tents,
elephants, provisions,

we gave him everything.

That he gave a bad report
is our misfortune.

lf he had inspected the
Company's Bengal

There's no use wasting words!

The Governor-General's decision
is irrevocable.

Ungrateful knaves!

The house is burgled, yet none
of you stirs out of bed.

l'll have you all sent to prison.

l treat you well,

and this is how you show

your gratitude.

Don't stand there.
Keep on searching!

Why all the excitement?

Some rascal made off with
my chessmen.

My God.

lt's my fault.

l should have kept them
in the safe.

They steal the clothes off your...

back these days.

What do we do now?

l haven't got a set of my own.

Why don't we go and buy a new set?

Don't you know that shops
are closed on Fridays?

And to think that l'd worked out...

such a beautiful new strategy.

The entire day is ruined.

However,...

as the poet says...

Mirza, that old lawyer of ours.

Mr. lmtiaz Hussain?

Remember the southeast corner
of his drawing room?

lndeed l do!

Please be seated. l'll inform
the master.

Considering all he's chiseled...

out of me in legal fees...

What about me, too?

He shouldn't refuse
to lend it to us for a day.

l should hope not.

ls your father in?

Yes, he is.

He's resting.

Father is in bed.

Unconscious.

We've sent for the doctor.

Please make yourselves comfortable.

He was all right in the morning.

Allah willing, he'll recover soon.

Let us pray for his speedy recovery.

lf you will excuse me.

Certainly. Don't let us detain you.

Father has regained consciousness.

Come,...

he'll be happy to see you.

Are you sure he's conscious?

Yes, he was just talking to me.

Father,

Mr. Meer and Mr. Mirza
have come to pay their respects.

Well?

Come now.

that is enough.

The Resident must have been
singing ghazals to you.

Nothing but poetry and music...

should bring tears...

to a man's eyes.

Your Majesty,...

you shall no longer wear the crown.

Double or quits!

Bet on Sohrab!

Bet on Rustum!

Tell me, which is which?

Sohrab has the black face.

One rupee on Rustum.

Why waste good money?

Betting is not for us.

By order of His Majesty the King of
Oudh, the public is warned that...

there will be severe punishment for
anyone spreading rumors...

that the Company is taking...

over our realm.

The Company forces are not...

marching on Lucknow.

They are passing en route to Nepal.

What is it that makes people
spread rumors?

lf anyone even mentions a take-over,...

l'll pull his tongue out.

What a glorious day,...

yet we have to spend it in idleness.

For every problem, there is a solution.

One must know where to seek it.

Let's go home.

Fantastic!

l take my hat off to you, Mirza.

The Pawns are no problem. Neither
are the King and the Minister.

But you have to be careful with the...

Bishops, the Knights and the Rooks.

Let me see. Tomato is Bishop,
lime is Knight,...

chili is Rook.

-ls the master back?
-Yes, madam.

ls he alone?

No, madam.

Mr. Meer is with him.

They're not playing chess, are they?

They are, madam,...

with nuts, spices and vegetables.

Who knows what magic
there is in that game?

Hold on.

That's a Knight.

The lemon is the Knight,
the tomato the Mad.

Who threw it, Mirza?

lf you don't mind, from tomorrow
we'll play in your house.

You know you're always welcome.

Give this to the lady, with
my compliments.

You have deceived me.

All of you.

l loved you more than my own kin.

l put my trust in you.

l gave you all powers.

And what have you done except
line your own pockets?

Absolutely nothing.

Colonel Sleeman warned me...

against you.

l paid no heed to him.

Now, l know he was right.

And he was right about you too,...

Prime Minister.

About me?

Yes, about me.

What sin have l committed, sire?

You dare to ask me that?

Why did you not throw this paper
in the Resident's face?

Should you not have asked what
right the Company...

had to break the treaty?

The Company may assume
administration...

but it has no right to depose
the king.

lt's all my fault.

l should never have sat on
the throne.

But l was young...

and l loved the throne,...

the robe,...

and the jewels.

l loved the pomp,...

and the glitter.

ln the beginning,...

l behaved...

like a true king.

Did l not, Prime Minister?

Yes, Your Majesty.

Do you remember my army?

How can l forget,
Your Majesty?

The day of the parades...

and the names that l gave my
cavalry regiments...

And my army of women!

Pretty girls in pretty uniforms,...

on pretty horses.

What a picture they made
when they trotted by.

But Mr. Resident would have none of
it.

Mr. Richmond it was.

He said:

''Why bother with an army,...

''if our British troops are guarding
your borders?

''lf you paid to them,...

''then why worry?''

Very well, Mr. Richmond.

Your word is law.

l shall not bother.

But what will l do?

l am asking you.

lf a king stops bothering about his
realm,...

what is left for him to do?

l found the answer.

Mr. Richmond never told me.

Nobody told me.
l found it myself.

Do you remember that song of mine?

Which song, Majesty?

Restless and troubled

l passed the sleepless night

My love has departed

To what land l know not

l remember, sire.

Do you know when l composed
it and where?

No, sire.

Right on this throne,...

in full court.

l shall never forget that moment.

A man stood while his,...

petition was read out.

Suddenly, the clerk's voice...

seemed to fade away.

Who could have seen this

My eyes are thirsting

For the sight

Of my love

Yet they are veiled

Since your horses

Departed through my gates

Restless and troubled

l passed the sleepless night

My love has departed

To what land l know not

That was the answer l found.

No, Prime Minister, l was never
meant to rule.

lf my people had come
to me and said:

''We don't want you more.
You're making us suffer.''

l would have cast away my crown then
and there.

But they did not say so.

And you know why?

Because l have never hidden
my true self from them.

l was not afraid to...

show how l was.

And they loved me,...

in spite of everything.

Even after ten years, l can see
love in their eyes.

They love my songs.
They sing them.

How many kings of England
have written songs?

Ask the Residence if Queen Victoria...

has composed songs which
her people sing?

The Company is sending some troops.

Why?

Because they fear...

that my people may rise
against them.

They know that my people are strong.

ls it not strange that my ''poor,
oppressed people''...

should make the best soldiers
in the Company's army?

Half of Oudh has already gone
to you, Company...

and now you want the other half.

And this time, you also
want the throne.

You are breaking one more
treaty in asking for it

They want to punish me...

for misgoverning.

lf my people are misruled, why have...

they not fled to a realm you own?

Why do they not cross the frontier
to ask you...

to save them from my misrule?

Prime Minister,...

l want you to tell the Resident...

my throne is not theirs...

for the asking.

lf they want it,...

they'll have to fight for it.

l don't like this damn business at
all, Ferrer. Not one bit.

And it certainly won't redound to
the credit of the Company.

You knew my views on scent.

We have even less justification
for confiscation...

here than we had in Singh.

l fully endorse in my report
everything Sleeman said.

The administration here
is execrable...

and l don't like our
fat King either.

But a treaty is a treaty.

Do you know that the king would
be perfectly justified...

in insisting on the validity
of the earlier treaty...

and refusing to sign the new one?

But wasn't the treaty of 37
abrogated...

-by the court of justice?
-So it was.

But by an inexcusable omission on
the part of our government,...

the King of Oudh was
never informed.

Although l know l'm
fully entitled...

to take over the administration,...

we cannot dispense from the king...

and we cannot appropriate...

the revenue.

Nevertheless...

l'm called upon to get him to
sign and abdicate...

so that we don't lose the face while
we gain the kingdom.

He moves out,...

we move in, or rather march in.

These troops are straining at
the leash of call to power.

What if he should refuse to abdicate?

We still take over, Ferrer.

The annexation of Oudh
is a fait accompli.

We are already standing
on British territory.

And our gracious Queen already
has 5 million more subjects.

And over a million pounds a
year more in revenue.

No, the question is not whether
he will abdicate.

But whether we can ensure
a peaceful take over...

And l'm afraid the answer is no.

You know Oudh doesn't lack
fighting men. Some...

of the pluckiest lads are on our own
troops. They're from here.

The king has his own troops...

and so do a number of the lords who
stand to lose by our action...

if these people rise in defense
of the province.

We would have no choice but
to order his sea ports...

to fire on their own brothers.

You see the dilemma.

l do, indeed.

l mean if he...
lf...

lf he decides to abdicate, he loses
his throne, of course,...

but receives 100 000 rupees a
month as an allowance.

And he can give all pretensions
of having to rule, but...

who knows what he's going to do?
Does anyone ever known?

Does he know himself?

And suddenly the biggest bundle
of contradictions...

l've ever come across.

l mean, a devoted man who prays five
times a day, never drinks...

and he has a harem of the
size of a regiment!

The King sings, dances, versifies,
plays musical instruments,...

flies kite from the palace roof!

l've had dealings with oriental
monarchs before,...

but none to hold the candle
to this laddie!

Who can make him out? Can you?

Well, l know he can be obstinate.

He is the only king in the
entire Oudh dynasty...

who has refused to be treated
by an English doctor.

Who does he consult, then?

Quacks, from what l can get!

Stop being fool!

And l rather fear he's decided to
be obstinate with us too.

l sent him the damn treaty
two days ago...

and asked for a quick replying.

None has yet come and time
is running out.

Five days to go.

And still no answer from the King.
You know what that means.

l'll have to ask for an interview.
l can't even think of it.

l know you don't like that.

Like? Oh, please. Can you think
of anything more...

atrocious than the royal embrace?

What's that extraordinary perfume
you're using?

You mean this?

My God, man! That's it!

lt's atha, sir. Everyone uses it here.

An extract of rose. The Damask
rose, l think.

Do you know that my uniform
still reeks of it...

3 months after my last interview?

l think it would be more convenient
if...

he was covered by a veil
like his women.

At least one would be spared
the extreme proximity...

Have you considered speaking
to the Queen Mother?

Yes, indeed. ln fact, l'm going to
see her tomorrow morning.

l understand she's a very
sensible woman.

She's known to have given good
advice in the past.

So l'm told.

But l doubt if l know what defines
''good advice'' right now.

Good for whom? For him? For us?

Good for the company?

Good for the people?

Why should she would see it
on our own behalf?

After all, the king is her own child
and we're throwing him out.

l don't like it, Ferrer.

And yet l have to go
through with it.

That's the problem.

And that's my complaint, doctor.

There's nothing new to prescribe for it.

Nothing.

This is an even better place than mine.

,lt is so quiet. Just right for chess.

The pleasure is all mine.

Bring the hookahs.

And tell the mistress that there...

are two for dinner.

Show that calligraphy that your
wife likes so much.

All in good time.

The master is home, madam.

Mr. Mirza is with him. He will
dine with the master.

Very well.

Have you made up with your wife?

She was rather agitated,
yesterday.

What a problem!

Wives are always problems.

Don't you agree?

Some wives are problems. No
problems here, though.

-What a disaster!
-What?

He's here.

He's playing in the drawing room.

-Chess.
-Chess?

With his friend.

He's never played here before.

,l'm so worried, Aqil.

So uncle's playing chess.

Suppose something should happen?

Don't worry.

When a man plays chess, he's
lost to the world.

That is precisely what he says.

l don't wish to boast...

but l am the man luckiest
man on the world.

Look everywhere...

you won't find such a sweet...

and reasonable wife as mine.

l haven't a single complaint
to make.

She even takes an interest
in chess.

No.

Yes.

One day l explained the
game to her, and...

she appreciated its fascination.

Now she even insists on
my leaving early...

so as not to keep you waiting.

Extraordinary!

And when l return home
in the small hours...

she rubs balm on my brow
and l am soon asleep.

What a luck!

Where are you going?

l'll fetch that calligraphy.

My respects to your wife.

Don't play about with those
pieces while l'm away!

Don't come out!

lt's not safe yet!

What's going on?

He's hiding.

That l can see. But why?

They're after him.

Who?

What have you done, Aqil?
Was there a fight?

Explain your self.

What happened?

Nothing.

Who's after him?

The army. The army is after me.

The army? But what army?

Ours. The king's army.

l see.

War's about to break out. The army
needs men and they're...

rounding up people to fight.

Just grabbing them off the street.

You know, too?

Aqil just told me.

The officials will slam
door to door.

-Officers came to our house.
-He sneaked out of the back door.

l hope they didn't see you sneak out.

l'm not sure, Uncle. They
were on horseback.

l heard them, too.

When?

Just before you came.

But why hide under the bed?

You can't be seen from the street.

He lost his head.

He's like a child.

Feel how his heart is racing.

You'd better give him some hot milk.

Don't worry, my dear fellow.
You're perfectly safe here.

They're calling at houses,
rounding up people...

to fight for the king.

You know you can be arrested
for spreading such rumors.

Rumors? Aqil saw it with
his own eyes.

Aqil?

The son of Mr. Rehman, my nephew.

He's just told me what's going on.

He was hiding under the bed.

Poor boy, he's quite shaken.
His heart is racing.

The king's soldiers haven't been
paid for months.

They must have refused to fight.

We must do something about it.

You mean you want to fight?

Me? Fight? What a notion!

Let's get back to our game.

How can l play when l know
we're not safe here?

Should we go back to my house?

Out of the question.

What then?

lt's them!

What are you doing?

For God's sake,
don't go out
on the balcony!

They don't seem to be
looking for anybody.

l tell you, there's nothing
to worry about.

Why are you looking at
me like that?

What are you laughing at?

l'm laughing at my friend
descendant of...

Burhan-ul-Mulk's brave
cavalry officer!

Pull yourself together
and listen to me!

We'll run away from here.

Run away?

And leave that behind?

No, we take it.

We'll play, but no here. And not
in your house, either.

Where, then?

There is a town, across the river.

And in this town, there's
a ruined mosque.

A quiet place, with not
a soul around.

You've seen the place?

With my own eyes.

We'll leave at the crack of dawn
and get back when it's dark.

Nobody will recognize us.

We'll take a mat...

and a couple of hookahs.

What about food?

We can buy our lunch from a shop,...

kebabs and chapattis.

What about weapons?

We must carry weapons.

On these troubled times,...

a man who goes unarmed
never returns home.

All right.

We'll carry pistols.

Her Majesty has seen the treaty.

l have come to you, Begum,...

because l know l can trust you to
give your son good council,...

as you have done in the past.

''What if l advise my son to take up
arms against the British forces?''

That, if l may say so, would
be most imprudent.

l have come here with
only one purpose:

To ensure that His Majesty
signs the new treaty.

And l would be greatly beholden
to you, Begum,...

if you would request His Majesty
to do so.

Mr. Resident,...

how can l ask someone to sign...

a treaty which l myself do
not understand?

Wajid Ali Shah was enthroned with
the full consent of the Company.

lf he proved to be a bad ruler,...

why did the Company not do
something about it?

Why did it not guide him,...

to correct the administration?

Why such a hard measure
ten years after?

Has my son ever defied
the Company...

or made trouble for it?

Mr. Resident,...

do you remember...

the reception our people gave
you when you came...

for the first time, a year ago?

Have you ever known...

such warmth and hospitality
as here?

Do you appreciate that His
Majesty is being...

offered most generous
compensation...

for the action that our government
is forced to take against him?

ls not the Governor-General a
servant to the Company?

ls he also not a servant of
the queen of England?

''Does the queen of England
realize how our servant...

is treating His Majesty,...

who's the servant of the almighty
God and nobody else?

Tell the Governor-General...

that we do not want money.

We want justice.

lf queen's servant cannot
give us justice,...

we shall go to the queen herself
and ask for it.

Mr. Resident had an audience...

of the Queen Mother today.

The Queen Mother has told him that
she'll go to England...

to seek justice from
Queen Victoria.

Our barons have also sent a word.

They wait Your Majesty's order...

to raise an army of 100 000 men...

and 1 000 pieces of artillery.

to oppose the Company's forces.

When l leave

My beloved Lucknow

l don't know

l don't know

How l shall bear the
pain of parting

When l leave my beloved Lucknow

They can take away my crown,...

but they cannot take away
my dignity.

The Company has offered me
a handsome allowance.

As citizen of Lucknow,...

if not as its king,...

l must show my gratitude.

lnform the Honorable Resident...

t that l shall be pleased
to receive him...

tomorrow at 8:00 in the morning.

But before he comes,...

dismount all guns...

and disarm all the soldiers.

lnstruct my people...

to offer no resistance...

when Lucknow is entered...

by the Company's troops.

Where is your mosque?

l can see it clearly in
my mind's eye.

Even the tamarind tree
right behind it.

Perhaps the British troops have
razed it to the ground.

God forbid!

Shall we ask that boy?

There used to be an old
mosque here,...

a ruined mosque.

-lsn't around here?
-There's a mosque 2 miles away.

An old mosque?

No, built only the other day.

Perhaps you saw the mosque
in a dream.

Say something.

l am terribly sorry, Mirza.

This mosque was in Kanpur.

l saw it as a child.

One can't always be
right, you know.

As in the couplet:

l have spent this time in
unawareness, and now...

To hell with that couplet!

Where do we play now?

ln that field of mustard?

You can come to my house, sir,...

and stay there.

Who else is there?

Nobody. They've all run away.

Run away?

To Sitapur.

Why?

The British are coming, sir. What
if they shoot people down?

Yet you've stayed?

l want to see them come.

Aren't you afraid?

l like their red coats.

They're coming today, sir, down
that road over there.

What if the war begins?

Do you want to go back now?

Not at all.

Then you'll stay...

and play?

Very well. Let's go to
your house.

What's your name?

Kallo, sir.

We don t need that.

You're playing, sir?

Yes, Chess.

Can you prepare a hookah?

Yes, sir.

Go on, then. Everything's here.

You'll give me baksheesh?

Of course.

Can you get us something to eat?

-Now, sir?
-No, when we're hungry.

l'll run to town and get
anything you want

Are you going to fight the British?

Why not?

We don t have afraid.

lsn't that so, Meer?

We are most grateful
to His Majesty...

for granting us this interview.

We also appreciate his gesture
in disarming the soldiers.

We regard it, we hope rightly, as
evidence of his concern...

to negotiate a peaceful conclusion
for the treaty.

l would like, if l may,...

to add a personal request
to His Majesty:

That he please sign this treaty...

and formalize his abdication.

His Majesty shall have a maximum of
3 days for the liberation.

After which the Company
will assume...

the administration of Oudh.

l hope the king has understood
what l said.

What is this?

Please tell His Majesty that l
have no use for that.

l can bare my head for you,...

but l cannot sign that treaty.

You're sure?

You can take it back.

lt's all right.

As you wish.

l'm afraid you'll lose this time.

No wonder, these mosquitoes
are draining my blood.

They must be starving.

They don't seem to bite me.
They're choosy.

They only go for pure blood.

Where the hell is that boy?

You sent him to fetch the food.

Can you manage that yourself?

God knows where he's put the
tobacco.

lt's well past noon and still
no sign of food.

How helpless we are
without servants.

As the verse goes,...

a very interesting verse,...

Passion alone will not take you
anywhere...

neither to the sea, the woods,
the land or the air.''

You're in high spirits today.

l feel wonderful.

lndeed.

The general is about to
win the battle.

My strategy has paid off.

What an ideal spot this is!

No officers to harass us,...

and the British can come and go
for all we care.

You must have slept well, thanks to...

the balm your wife rubs on your
brow...

That's true of every night.

l wonder where Aqil places himself...

while your wife does...

her massage?

Under the bed, l suppose.

What do you imply?

Your move, Meer.

lt's a dirty trick to put me off my...

game just because you're losing.

Who's losing? l've moved,
now it's your turn.

You've beaten me often and
l've never lost my temper.

Your move!

One doesn't expect this
from a gentleman.

Does a gentleman let his wife
carry on with any man...

that comes her way?

You've no right to talk like that!

Why not?

You forget that your ancestors...

were nothing but grass-cutters!

And what about your ancestors?

Slaving away in the kitchens of...

Come on!

What are you doing?

Are you crazy?

You must be insane. Drop that!

Throw away that stupid gun!

When l'm really angry, l can kill.

Pull the trigger, then!

But what l've told you is the truth.

Lier!

l swear it is true.

l don t believe you.

You'll find out for yourself one day.
Then you'll regret it.

You're saying this to upset me,
so l lose the game.

That's a vile thing to say, Meer.

Do you think l could ever
be so mean?

lt's you who cheated in the past,...

but l never said a word.

The British are coming!

l've brought the food, sir.

There was such a crowd
in the market.

Everybody shouting and running...

one way and another.

That's why it took me so long, sir.

Put in on the mat.

Here's the change, sir.

Keep it.

Our king has given up, sir.

The British have become our rulers.

There was no fighting, sir.

No guns went off.

You're right, Kallo.

No fighting, no bloodshed.

King Wajid has made sure of that.

Three days from today,...

on 5th February, 1 856,...

the kingdom of Oudh...

will be in British hands.

Wajid Ali Shah will leave his
beloved city for all time.

And Lord Dalhousie will have
eaten his last cherry.

The food is getting cold.

l see you've been standing
under a tree.

Even the crows despise me.

The British take over Oudh,...

while we hide in a village...

and fight over petty things.

We couldn't have done much even
if we'd stayed in town.

lf we can't cope with our wives,...

how can we cope with the
British army?

Yes, you're right. So why worry?

l'm not worrying about that.

What are you worrying about?

About who to play chess with.

Here is one person, Meer.
And there is some food.

We can eat and play at
the same time.

When it's dark, we can go home.

We need darkness to
hide our faces.

Come, let's have a fast game.

A fast game?

Yes, a fast game.

Fast, like a railway train.

Move over, Minister.

Make way for Queen Victoria!