Magnum-opus Bajirao Mastani, magnificent in grandeur and splendid in variations…
Friday, December 18, 2015
Verdict: 3.5 /5
One of the most truthful attempts to make a kind of cinema like this, where every frame is like a painting, detailing is like once you sit inside the theatre you can feel the medieval era. Mr. Sanjay Leela Bhansali is so clear about every frame that sometimes he himself gets carried away with the grandeur, he has constantly repeated the same images rather than intensifying the oodles of emotions. This is definitely not a brutal portrait, but flawless soothing type of goody-goody paintings all around.
This is a story of one of the most intense warrior of all time, framed as a great lover after watching Mastani in the row of saving Bundelkhand. Don’t see this film as a politico-romantic drama but for Mr. Bhansali’s romanticism and I was dragged so much so that felt smothering sometimes, nevertheless this film has shown the Director’s endeavor all the way and the final product is worth a watch for sure. A Maratha Peshwa who worked under Sahu the chatrapati, fought 41 battles and never lost one, he was not just great but more than what portrayed in the film.
There are volleys of brilliant moments, actually propelled me to live in the created world of Mr. Bhansali but I was little disappointed with his obsession with water and pond, Introductory shot starts with the water, then after every pronouncement of love is in the water front then emotions swells inside the pond and so on, after interval Bajirao Mastani looks as writer doesn’t have another engaging plot, what they want to show is already been told before its endpoint. My main objection with this trail is the character development of Peshwa Bajirao who lost all his heroism just for his love, it was just pity for me to watch him struggling with hallucinations, basically I started believing at the end that he is non-competent warrior and at various stages I felt that his own premise was not under his control, although he was angry, disturbed and feeling miserable in taking decisions and nobody is listening. How could this be possible for a Man of Steel I don’t understand?
In terms of performances, this is the film of Ranvir Singh and he gave full justice to that, although there are Deepika Padukone and Priyanka Chopra but when they appear in front of him they vanishes like ghosts. I am impressed with his Marathi accent which multiplies his par excellence performance which will definitely be remembered for years to come, Deepika Padukone as Mastani is natural, attractive and virgin, Priyanka Chopra was impressive as Kashi Bai but not at her best. Music was little melodious but surely not like Devdas and dimly reminds us of Aishwarya and Madhuri. Climax was funny and so stretched, where our protagonist is battling with his helplessness. The heavy personality like Peshwa Bajiro should be told as a warrior in 1st place and lover in 2nd.
But all my above critical brawls show that this is a worth to watch film. Go for a glorious work of art.
