"Victoria and Abdul"

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Many know through history that Queen Victoria was known for her long, great reign over England and being the trendsetter for dressing her baby girl up in pink outfits when it was common for boy babies to wear pink since so many assumed she was having a boy and didn't want to send perfectly good baby clothes back. Yet it only came to light in 2010 through a journal about an unexpected and what was seen by many as a taboo friendship. 

During Queen Victoria's (Judi Dench) jubilee two Indian men Mohammed (Adeel Akhtar) and Abdul Karim (Ali Fazal) a Muslim clerk are brought to England to serve and present a mohur, a gold coin minted for her to show appreciation from the British-ruled India that she has been Empress of for 29 years. During his time there, Victoria takes an interest in him and the wisdom and stories he tells her. She ask him to teach her Urdu and the Koran become her Munshi (teacher) and trusted friend. Yet as their friendship grows, others around her would wish to see it end. Everyone from the nobility, the palace staff including the outspoken palace doctor, Dr. Reid (Paul Higgins) even her own son Bertie (Eddie Izzard), yet through all the bigotry, they remain loyal to each other even through ups and downs of their own.

There are very few friendship that go above and beyond throughout history, and this one in particular went the distance. Capturing a piece of history almost forgotten was not an easy task and the writers did all they could to remain accurate while portraying a gripping story with little to go on. The film also portrayed the contrast between Abdul's world in India and the world of Queen Victoria that he is submerged into well with its casting of characters, background people and sets. It helped you understand how different their lives were and why it made the friendship all more special. Victoria and Abdul may have only taken away a nomination, but they reign supreme with 5 G.M.Stars with me and hopefully many others.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

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