Victoria & Abdul
| Company type | Film |
|---|---|
| Industry | Film industry |
| Founded | 2017 |
| Founder | Stephen Frears (director), Lee Hall (screenplay) |
| Products | Biographical drama film |
| Parent | Working Title Films, BBC Films, Focus Features, Perfect World Pictures, Universal Pictures |
| Website | www |
Victoria & Abdul is a 2017 biographical film and historical drama helmed by director Stephen Frears with a screenplay by Lee Hall. Adapted from Shrabani Basu's book Victoria & Abdul: The True Story of the Queen's Closest Confidant, the narrative delves into the unique bond between Queen Victoria and her Indian Muslim attendant, Abdul Karim. The cast features Judi Dench, Ali Fazal, Michael Gambon, Eddie Izzard, Tim Pigott-Smith (in his final performance), and Adeel Akhtar.
The film debuted at the 74th Venice Film Festival and was released in UK cinemas on 15 September 2017. It achieved a global box office total of $66.6 million against a production budget of $21 million. The project was produced by companies including Focus Features, BBC Films, Perfect World Pictures, and Working Title Films, with Focus Features handling US distribution and Universal Pictures managing international release.
At the 90th Academy Awards, the movie garnered nominations for Best Costume Design and Best Makeup and Hairstyling. Additionally, Judi Dench received a nomination for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy at the 75th Golden Globe Awards.
Plot
Abdul Karim, a young clerk from a Muslim, Urdu-speaking family in Agra, British India, is dispatched to Britain during Queen Victoria's 1888 Golden Jubilee to present a mohur—a gold coin symbolizing gratitude from British-ruled India.
Tired of her usual courtiers, the Queen forms an unexpected friendship with Abdul. She spends private moments with him, gifts him a jeweled locket containing her portrait, appoints him as her Munshi, and requests lessons in Urdu and the Quran, which she studies over fourteen years. Upon discovering Abdul is married, Victoria invites his wife to England; despite household unease, she is intrigued by the traditional black burqas they wear.
Victoria’s fascination with India inspires her to commission the Durbar Room at Osborne House on the Isle of Wight for official ceremonies. This room is richly adorned with Indian elements such as a carpet from Agra, portraits of distinguished Indians, a replica of the Peacock Throne, and carvings by Bhai Ram Singh.
While Victoria embraces Abdul as part of her family, his ascent provokes hostility among her household and inner circle, including her son, Bertie, and Prime Minister Lord Salisbury. They conspire to have Abdul removed, hoping for his return to India. After Victoria embarrasses herself by repeating Abdul’s biased version of the Indian Rebellion of 1857 at court, her confidence in him falters; she initially orders his departure but soon retracts the command.
The prime minister escalates attempts to undermine Abdul by probing his humble origins. When Victoria requests a medical examination following Abdul’s wife’s inability to conceive, it reveals he has gonorrhea. Expecting dismissal, courtiers are surprised when Victoria remains steadfast and announces plans to bestow upon Abdul a knighthood.
Confronted with resistance, the household threatens collective resignation and questions Victoria’s fitness if Abdul remains. In response, Victoria dares them to leave; none do. She subsequently cancels the knighthood but includes Abdul as a Commander of the Royal Victorian Order in her subsequent honours list.
As Victoria’s health declines, she urges Abdul to return to India for safety from court animosity after her passing. Abdul declines and stays until Victoria dies in 1901. Her son Bertie, now King Edward VII, repudiates Abdul by destroying all gifts and correspondence from the Queen and expelling him and his family back to India. Abdul’s wife preserves the locket given by Victoria.
Abdul lived out his days in India until his death in 1909. The story concludes with him bowing before a large statue of Queen Victoria near the Taj Mahal, speaking respectfully.
Cast
The ensemble features:
- Judi Dench portraying Queen Victoria
- Ali Fazal in the role of Abdul Karim
- Tim Pigott-Smith as Henry Ponsonby
- Eddie Izzard playing Albert Edward, Prince of Wales ("Bertie")
- Adeel Akhtar as Mohammad Bakhsh
- Michael Gambon cast as Robert Gascoyne-Cecil, 3rd Marquess of Salisbury
- Paul Higgins in the role of Sir James Reid, 1st Baronet
- Olivia Williams portraying Jane Spencer, Baroness Churchill
- Fenella Woolgar as Harriet Phipps
- Julian Wadham playing Alick Yorke
- Robin Soans as Arthur Bigge, 1st Baron Stamfordham
- Simon Callow in the role of Giacomo Puccini
- Simon Paisley Day as Mr Tyler
- Amani Zardoe portraying Princess Helena of the United Kingdom
- Sophie Trott as Sophia of Prussia
- Penny Ryder playing Sophie of the Netherlands
- Joe Caffrey as Sous Chef
- Tim McMullan in the role of Tailor
- Jonathan Harden portraying Wilhelm II, German Emperor
- John Rowe as Head Waiter
Production
On 17 June 2016, it was revealed that Judi Dench would return to embody Queen Victoria in Victoria & Abdul, with direction by Stephen Frears. The movie adapts Shrabani Basu's book and acts as an unofficial follow-up to Dench’s 1997 performance in Mrs Brown. By 5 August 2016, Ali Fazal had been announced to play Abdul Karim. The film was co-produced by Working Title Films, BBC Films, and financially supported by BBC alongside Focus Features. Distribution rights for the United States were acquired by Focus Features, while international distribution was managed by Universal Pictures International. The screenplay was penned by playwright Lee Hall (playwright), with producers including Beeban Kidron, Tracey Seaward, Tim Bevan, and Eric Fellner. Additional cast members featured are Eddie Izzard, Michael Gambon, and Adeel Akhtar.
Principal filming commenced on 15 September 2016 at Osborne House on the Isle of Wight, Queen Victoria’s former residence. Other shooting locations included Chatham Historic Dockyard in Kent—utilizing HMS Gannet and its surrounding quayside—and Knebworth House in Hertfordshire.
Costumes used in the production were displayed at Osborne House from July through September 2017. Capitalizing on the heightened public interest in Queen Victoria spurred by both this film and the ITV series Victoria, the Isle of Wight Tourist Board introduced 'Victoria's Island Trail' to encourage visits to related historic landmarks.
Release
The United Kingdom premiere of Victoria & Abdul took place on 15 September 2017.
Critical response
On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds a 66% approval rating based on 199 critiques, with an average score of 6.10 out of 10. The critical consensus reads: "Victoria & Abdul brings Dame Judi Dench back as Queen Victoria — a performance strong enough to compensate for its uneven storytelling." Metacritic assigned it a weighted average score of 58 out of 100, reflecting "mixed or average reviews."
Alexandra MacAaron from Women's Voices for Change awarded the film eight out of ten, applauding Dench's "Oscar-worthy return as Queen Victoria" for her moving depiction of diminishing authority and emotional bonds. Christopher Orr at The Atlantic emphasized Dench’s commanding portrayal and Frears’s confident direction, cautioning viewers not to regard it as a strict historical account.
Ella Taylor from NPR described the movie as an unusual blend—a tender romance without a happy conclusion—while praising its daring script. In contrast, Amrou Al-Kadhi writing for The Independent criticized Abdul’s portrayal as "offensively simplistic."
Andy Lea from the Daily Express rated it two stars out of five, labeling Abdul’s character "disappointingly subservient" and suggesting the plot leaned toward farce; however, he acknowledged Dench’s "predictably outstanding" performance. Rex Reed in the New York Observer gave it a perfect four-star rating, commending Dench’s heartfelt and regal acting alongside praise for the screenplay, direction, and meticulous cinematography.
Accolades
Soundtrack
External links
- Official website
- Victoria & Abdul on IMDb
- 2017 films
- British biographical drama films
- American biographical drama films
- BBC Film films
- Cultural depictions of Edward VII
- Depictions of Queen Victoria on film
- Cultural depictions of Wilhelm II
- Drama films based on actual events
- Films scored by Thomas Newman
- Films based on non-fiction books
- Films directed by Stephen Frears
- Films produced by Tim Bevan
- Films produced by Eric Fellner
- Films set in the Victorian era
- Films set in 1887
- Films set in 1901
- Films set in Florence
- Films set in India
- British Indian films
- Films set on the Isle of Wight
- Films set in London
- Films set in Scotland
- Films shot in Agra
- Films shot in Delhi
- Films shot in Hertfordshire
- Films shot in London
- Films shot in Scotland
- Films shot in Surrey
- Films shot in Yorkshire
- Films with screenplays by Lee Hall (playwright)
- Working Title Films films
- Universal Pictures films
- Focus Features films
- 2010s English-language films
- 2010s American films
- 2010s British films
- Golden Jubilee of Queen Victoria
- Cultural depictions of Robert Gascoyne-Cecil, 3rd Marquess of Salisbury
- English-language biographical drama films
- Films about servants