January 6, 2018 – The most amazing thing about this unlikely spring-autumn love story appears at the end of the film: The fact that this story remained hidden in private journals for over 100 years before finally being discovered. The British royal family tried to kill this story, but facts are stubborn things, and the facts finally came to light.

This is a story similar to one told in the film “Mrs. Brown” (1997) starring Judi Dench and Billy Connolly, about Queen Victoria's relationship to her Scottish personal attendant and favorite, John Brown. He became a friend to the queen and helped her in her time of sorrow after the untimely death of her husband, Prince Albert. She was bereaved again when Brown died in 1883. Brown is mentioned in this movie, too.

This story begins a few years later, in 1887, when Victoria (played by Judi Dench again) finds a new friend in an Indian Muslim servant, Abdul Karim (Ali Fazal of “Furious 7”). Abdul is sent to England to present gifts to the queen, along with another man, Mohammed (Adeel Akhtar of “The Big Sick”). The Queen takes a liking to Abdul, who begins to teach her Farsi and tells her stories about India.

As Abdul becomes the Queen's favorite and he gains more influence, the Queens family and staff become alarmed. They try to dig up dirt on Abdul in hopes of having him demoted or deported. It gets very ugly. Mohammed gets sick and wants to go home, being very unhappy in England, but Abdul likes the Queen and decides to stay, despite all the attempts by the Queen's family and government officials to get rid of him.

Abdul brings his wife and mother-in-law to stay with him. The Queen is upset when she finds out Abdul is married, but he makes it clear that he is devoted to the queen. He seems to care more for Victoria than her own family does. When Victoria first met Abdul she is lonely and sick. Under Abdul's influence, the Queen rebounds physically and emotionally. Her spirits were lifted.

While most of the other people surrounding Victoria are fawning, seeking favors and influence, Abdul seems utterly devoted to Victoria, wishing only to make her happy. Their relationship seems very warm and loving. Others are jealous. Victoria warns Abdul that others are out to get him and advises him to leave while she can still protect him, but he vows to stay by her side until the end. Things get increasingly difficult after that.

This is a very warm story about an unusual relationship between a young man and an old woman surrounded by palace intrigue, power struggles and jealousy. It is about the loneliness of a long lived Queen who finds the emotional support she needs in a man from a very different culture.

Judi Dench is superb, as usual, playing Queen Victoria, a role for which she is well-suited, and she is also used to playing the Queen of England. Ali Fazal also gives a fine performance in this film. Comparing the film version of Abdul to the historical person being portrayed, it appears the film makes him less complex and a little less mysterious than he really was. Otherwise, the events in the film follow history pretty well. This film rates a C+.

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