Mangal Pandey - The Rising

While fighting in the Emirate of Afghanistan, Pandey drags Gordon to safety when Afghan snipers target them. Gordon later expresses deep gratitude for the lifesaving act, solidifying a growing bond between the two men. This event takes place about four years before the main 1857 timeline.

After the Afghan rescue, Gordon visits Pandey's camp and offers his pistol as a token of gratitude. The gesture cements a friendship that crosses rank, color, and national origin. The moment occurs in the years leading up to 1857.

On December 31, 1856, at the Governor General's palace in Calcutta, Pandey clashes with Hewson during an incident involving Emily Kent. Gordon witnesses the assault and tension between Pandey and Hewson grows. The two officers later reconcile during a wrestling match, forming a bond that transcends tradition.

January 1857 brings the Enfield rifled musket to the troops, but rumors spread that cartridges are greased with pig fat or beef tallow. The sepoys worry about religious violations, while Gordon tries to calm fears by speaking with General Hearsey. Pandey and other soldiers express concerns and test-fire the rifle.

Gordon stops a Sati ceremony and arranges treatment for the widow Jwala, deepening his connection with Indian lives. He and Jwala's presence in Pandey's world foreshadow a growing personal bond with the people affected by empire. The episode occurs in the Calcutta area during the early 1857 period.

Hewson attempts to rape Heera, a tawaif sold to a brothel, but Pandey intervenes. He suffers a brutal beating from Hewson and others the next day, and Gordon steps in to intervene, strengthening their friendship amid rising tensions.

Nainsukh takes Pandey and other sepoys to the Kent factory, where they discover grease made from pig fat and beef tallow. Pandey believes Gordon lied to him when Gordon tried to reassure the men, and he returns Gordon's pistol in anger. The discovery confirms the sepoys' fears about the cartridges.

The 34th Regiment refuses to use the rifles, and the 19th Regiment at Berhampore follows on 12 February 1857 during a parade. This refusal sparks mutiny sentiments among the troops, setting the stage for a wider rebellion. Gordon unsuccessfully tries to dissuade Pandey and the mutineers from rebellion, while Major General Anson resists abandoning the cartridges.

The rebels meet Tatya Tope and Azimullah and decide to unite under Bahadur Shah Zafar, the elderly Mughal emperor. This coalition marks a clear move toward a planned rebellion against company rule. The venue is not specified in the summary, so the place is left empty.

General Anson orders the Queen's Regiment from Rangoon to intercept and subdue the rebels, with arrival planned for 1 April. The looming arrival intensifies urgency among both sides and reshapes the rebels' timetable. Place: Rangoon; Time: 1 April 1857.

On 29 March, Pandey rallies the mutineers and opens fire on approaching forces, wounding and killing several. Gordon testifies on Pandey's behalf during the subsequent court-martial, warning that hanging Pandey could unleash even bloodier rebellion. The events unfold in the Berhampore area.

In front of Gordon and the town, Pandey is executed by hanging. His death sparks a spontaneous outburst of revolt among spectators and inspires the broader arc of revolt leading toward India’s eventual independence movement. The execution takes place at Barrackpore, West Bengal.

The film closes with drawings of the Indian Rebellion of 1857 and archival footage foreshadowing the later independence movement. Pandey's sacrifice is presented as a catalyst in the long struggle against colonial rule. The timeline ends with a sense of continuing resistance and eventual change in India.