#Padmaavat The third instalment of Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s grand telling of a Deepika-Ranveer happily-never-after epic, set against a re-telling of a kind-of-historical-but-not-really-ha-ha-fooled-you story.
If the first (Goliyon ki rasleela, Ramleela), was about their young, wild, passionate love set against a re-telling of Romeo and Juliet, and the second (Bajirao Mastani) about their stubborn, rebellious, inevitable love set against a re-telling of a legendary Maratha peshwa’s life story, this third (Padmaavat) is their “not-love” story set against a re-telling of a ‘mythical’ battle to claim Queen Padmavati of Chittor, by the then ruler of Delhi, Allaudin Khilji.
Ranveer, is brilliant, in portraying an obsessive desire of a compulsive ruler for a love he cannot and will not have.
Deepika, besides being drop-dead gorgeous, also beautifully brings to life the queen who is a confident, capable and equal partner to the King.
Shahid, also holds his own, being the proud, righteous, and brave Ratan Singh, who straddles between upholding the honour of the Rajputs, while still being human and vulnerable in his private moments.
Apart from Bhansali’s trademark grand sets, elaborate costumes, intricate dialogues, and glorious visuals, which make the movie a visual spectacle that must be watched, what really works for Padmaavat is the story-telling. From the beginning to the end, the movie has an easy flow that takes you along the movie without letting the Bhansali-ness get to you. And that’s why, Padmaavat is probably the best out of his last 3 movies.
Ofcourse the annoying bits are the scenes we’ve seen before on two counts. One, the very Troy-inspired plot of the grand battle to claim a woman, the camping outside for months, the duel between the two kings, and even Khilji’s gay companion. And two, the very Bajirao part 2 type royal castles and sets, and even Ranveer’s intensity (including a very familiar mad dance). Mr Bhansali, please do not make another one of these grand Indian monarch movies!
And the music. It’s time Sanjay Leela Bhansali realise that he can’t make good music. Let the music makers do their magic to make your movies even more. Remember, Khamoshi, Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, Devdas, Saawariya. What would these movies be if they had your music!
You may not be a musician, Mr Bhansali, but a painter, you are. Sometimes, it felt that may be he wrote the whole film backwards. All he had in mind was the portrait of Deepika dressed in bright pink and red, walking into the flames. And then he wrote rest of the story to lead up to that! What could be more passionately beautiful and intensely painful at the same time! Breathtaking! Heartbreaking. Just like a painting.
Though, you still can’t help wishing there was another way to demonstrate the art and the theatre, without glorifying a fundamentally regressive ritual! That was the only real thing for anyone to protest about, anyway!
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