Padmaavat

Watching a Bhansali movie is always a treat. Padmaavat promised to leave a mark on Bollywood with its lavish set, gorgeous costume, breath-taking visuals, larger than life characters and a mesmerising music but if you remove all that Padmaavat is your mediocre Bollywood movie with foot tapping dance number.

This movie didn't live up to its potential, a total waste of such fine actors and acting. When I say acting I mean brooding, delivering punch lines, looking gorgeous, flexing biceps and wielding swords. I started respecting Deepika as an actor after Ramleela, paired with Ranveer, this couple proved they are here to rule Bollywood but Padmaavat is going to disappoint fans of this couple.

That being said, why didn't I rate this movie as low as possible? Like I said earlier, Bhansali's movies are a visual treat. You can hate them or you can love them but cannot deny that his movies are a class apart and he nobody can beat him in his own game. He is one of a kind filmmaker this industry needs who deserves appreciation for his work.

I'm reviewing this movie after 12 hrs and even now I can't stop the background score playing in my head on a loop. That ending had me on the edge of my seat, it was the only saving grace of this sinking ship.

Director Mr. Sanjay Leela Bhansali is magician when it comes to emotions but this time his magic is missing. Ironically he succeeds to evoke laughter in few scenes which are supposed to be dramatic or emotional. I am not aware of historical facts so I am putting my point as a fictional film as disclaimer states too. I am quite unable to understand which factor intrigued director to make a movie on this story. What I received from its screen version that it is not a story about sacrifice or valour but it is story about obsession of a barbarian savage. Story is typical simple. A king , his divinely beautiful second wife, whom he weds even without informing his first wife, then a treacherous Raj Purohit and an infernal tyrant, who is obsessed with queen even without getting a glimpse of her. Let me explain few things so why I got feeling of director confused mind state. Female lead is introduced while hunting a stag but mistakenly shot arrow just an inch above of heart of a king, which gravely hurt him too but due to above incident rather than being angry of even remain neutral, he falls for her!? I could not find a pinch of love in this scene. Director deliberately chose a war subject but when it comes to showcase war scene, he preferred to tone down it's violence by showing dust storm engulfing the fight,(Villain first war with Mangol), ok fine but then he show cased severed head being being showing off on the point of spear or served on plate in few scenes! First half of film is very slow. You just watch it like a documentary, getting information but not emotions. Second half offers something average but as expected pre climax comes with heavy dose of pathos. Dialogues are lengthy in most of the scene, like when Queen first time got introduced to Raj Purohit. Most of the songs are unnecessarily stuffed. They slow down the pace. When Villain is being bathe by his male companion, who starts singing abruptly, is irritating. Even there is subdued gay angle between both. Performance wise Ranveer Singh as Khilji is first rate. Aditi Rao Hydari as Mehrunissa, looks innocent and performed well in her brief role. Deepika Padukone and Shahid Kapoor are fine. Rest are just ok.

#Padmaavat is an epic film which ensures that u stay interested throughout the proceedings. Every scene, every frame, every character is larger than life. Bhansali's able direction n music will stay with u for a long time after u exit the theater. The rajputs r supposed to be brave n righteous. But Ratan Singh completely ignores his first wife as soon as he eyes Rani Padmavati. So where is true love? Khiljis character seems to be highly exaggerated. Wonder why hes shown as a maniac n a monster. There is nothing objectionable tho. Watch it. Rating 3.5/5.

Ironically, the movie is obsessed with Rajputana "Aan-Baan-Shaan" most of which got lost in protests.

Bhansali unabashedly depicts a stark contrast between 'righteous' Hindu and 'dastardly' Muslim warfare cultures, and due to deficiency of shades of grey the movie greatly suffers from lack-of-depth syndrome. However, Bhansali tries to make up for it with magnificent visual poetry and his typical OCDness in set design.

Unlike Rajamouli, Bhansali doesn't invent laws of motion. Instead, he rewrites Indian geography. Chittorgarh looks like Pushkar crossed with Asgard and Valhalla, and Delhi looks like Agrabah from Arabian Nights. Moreover, Khilji's march to Chittorgarh seems easier than commuting to Gurugram from Delhi.

Shahid's Ratansingh doesn't have to do much apart from showing his righteousness and sinewy torso. Had he been born in the British Raj, he would have played a princely cricketer who could contribute little with bat and ball but had the Wisden memorized by heart. Time for Shahid to return to Mr Bharadwaj.

Deepika's Padmaavati is adorned to such an extent that her jewelry would outweigh her hubby's chain-mail. She's the reason why men must take caution in watching this movie with their beloved as V-Day looms by. She manages to boil the pot in the first half but comes on her own in the second. Her chemistry with Shahid is lukewarm at best.

Ranveer's Khilji is the reason why we all watched Jurassic Park - to see the T-Rex. He gobbles up meat with the same intensity and dwarfs everything around. His narcissism, grandiosity and menacing grin can give Gabbar Singh an inferiority complex. Compound it with a beefed up physique, dark soulless eyes and sexual monstrosity which is way more intense than that of rapists depicted in 90s flicks. His moments with Malik Kafur are the best this movie has to offer.

Had Bhansali named this movie as "Khilji Ka Aatank", he could have had lesser problems with CBFC and Karni Sena.

Duration : 164 minutes Genre : Period Drama

Shahid Kapoor... As Ratan Singh, the last Rajput ruler. Shahid looks kingly and worthy for his role, he shows immense power and bravery as a Rajput emperor. Deepika Padukone... As Padmaavati, the legendary Rajput queen. Deepika as known to be an artist who is beautiful and equally talented, she mesmerizes with her beauty, brains and emotions. Ranveer Singh... As Alauddin Khilji, the Afghan ruler of the Delhi Sultanate. Ranveer unveils his monstrous and vicious character; he immediately makes you hate him in his first few scenes, Definitely his best performance till date! Absolutely applause worthy... Both Jim Sarbh as Malik Kafur, the general slave of Alauddin and Aditi Rao Hydari as Mehrunisa, the wife of Alauddin blend in their characters well.

Story : Based on the epic poem Padmaavat (1540), the journey of a Rajput queen who performs Jauhar (self immolation) to protect herself from Khilji. The mastermind Sanjay Leela Bhansali turns poetry into motion in a very majestic way. His vision on the locations, props, lighting, battle scenes, costumes, background score is admirable.

Music : Unlike the much celebrated music of Bajirao Mastani, the music of Padmaavat is weak and unpromising. However the track Ek Dil Ek Jaan is beautiful and Ghoomar's choreography is worth a praise.

Overall Padmaavat is history of the Rajputs unveiled, and undoubtedly a Must Watch!