the British called the events of 1857 58 sepoy mutiny do you think it was just a mutiny by some sepoys give reasons

There is a discrepancy between the western and Indian historians over 1857 rebellion . Some say it was a sepoy mutiny whereas others suggest that it was the first war of independence. Some regard it as the biggest armed resistance to colonialism in the nineteenth century anywhere in the world. A situation developed in the northern parts of India in 1857 when the English East India Company faced a massive rebellion and that threatened the Company’s very presence in India. Sepoys mutinied in several places beginning from Meerut and a large number of people from different sections of society rose up in rebellion. Thus it would be unfair to just minimise it at the level of sepoy mutiny