The trailer of Victoria & Abdul, a biographical film about the relationship between Queen Victoria and her Indian attendant has gone viral on the internet.
The film stars Dame Judy Dench, who reprises her role as Queen Victoria after Mrs. Brown (1997) and Ali Fazal of Furious 7 and several Bollywood films. Two-time Oscar nominee Stephen Frears directed the film set to release on September 29.
Queen Victoria had an extraordinary rapport with Abdul Karim – also known as the Munshi – which drew the ire of the white gentry of the British royal family.The first trailer of the film is filled with witty deliveries from Dame Judy as she repeatedly asserts her role as Queen Victoria. The first meeting between Abdul and Victoria is laced with trepidation, only to dissolve when the Indian makes eye contact with the queen, which was explicitly forbidden by the household staff.
The poignant wit and bubbling camaraderie on display in the film is enough to pique interest for the premiere this fall. Stephen Frears has directed moving dramas like Dirty Little Things and rom-coms like High Fidelity.
Here’s to looking forward to watching a brown man teach a white woman about colonisation.
Thursday, June 04, 2026
