I’m going to keep this short, considering the movie was not. Welcome everyone to the review of the most anticipated movie of 2017 which is released in 2018 (lol) due to some unfounded rumours and pointless controversies. Directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali, starring his favourite actors- Ranveer Singh, an eccentric guy who falls for the wrong girl; Deepika Padukone, a princess with immense charisma and wits along with some warrior spirit and Shahid Kapoor playing quintessential Shahid Kapoor but with a beard, turban and moustache. It doesn’t even feel like I’m talking about a new movie.
If you’ve seen the trailer, then you know the plot. If you’ve ever read about the actual historical events, then you know the plot. If you’ve even seen the posters of the film, then you know the plot. Basically, I’m expecting very few to be actually surprised by what unfolds in this epic adventure. This is simple storytelling. Up till the interval, not a single scenario takes place which is not mentioned in the trailer. When something like this happens, the emphasis shifts more on the grand ambiance the movie has created and the larger than life characters.
The Music
The music of the whole movie stands out. The background score by Sanchit Balhara is a delight. And we get to hear plenty of it. It perfectly captures the tension between the two parties and the rift created by the menace of one insatiable entity. The valour of the Rajputs and Ranisa’s invaluable contribution to the survival of their clan are accentuated by the enthralling sounds. The songs composed by Sanjay himself are not up to the mark. Except the two Khali Bali and Binte Dil, I would consider the rest mediocre and ignorable. The performances of Ranveer Singh on the songs deserve a mention too because he adds a certain amount of thrill to it too and its fun watch him. Overall, due to the brilliant score, I would say the music was quite good along with very well minor sounds of chains, torturous writhing, soldiers, weapons and garrisons.
The Characters
The cast consists of majorly just the trio- Deepika Padukone as Raanisa who does a good enough job considered what was asked of her; Ranveer Singh as the big bad Khilji monarch who is shown to be absolutely barbaric with seemingly no end to his savagery; Shahid Kapoor as the noble and irreproachable king of chittor, Raja Maharawal Ratan Singh. The problem with the characters was that they were too straightforward and underdeveloped. But they work on some level considering how much the audience is already familiar with Indian mythos and historic battles between kings. With a really long runtime, the movie should’ve invested more in familiarising the characters or atleast given the actors more time to get under their skin and appear as believable to the audience. The side actors, Raza Murad, Aditi Rao Hydari, Anupriya Goenka, Jim Sarbh all did a magnificent job. Deepika as Raanisa felt short of her reputation. Shahid’s Ratan Singh is honourable, pious and utterly stupid. Ranveer’s Alauddin Khilji is exciting to watch and probably the greatest character of them all. He is despicable, abhorrent and occasionally comic. Except at some moments when he goes over the top, Ranveer’s actually managed a rather remarkable evocation.
The Presentation
Here we come to the strongest point of the film. The movie is archetypical Bhansali movie with all his favourite elements protruding through glorious 3-d. The lavish sets, the luxurious landscapes, the sumptuous outfits, you name it. If something is regal and has got something to do with the Rajputs, its likely here. The movie is a treat for the eyes as it is mighty joyful to see these rather vexing events unfold in such a splendid manner. The fight sequences are well enacted. The choreography is good especially in numbers featuring Ranveer Singh. The cinematography is top notch. The pacing could’ve been improved though. Through such a long runtime and few actual substantial events taking place, it feels slightly lethargic especially after the interval. The constant tension between the people is more than palpable at any given point but to extend it for far too long diminishes the extent of the forthcoming shock to catch the audience off-guard. As a result, the film’s overall ability to inspire awe is significantly diluted. With all so much extra slow motions, cheesy gestures, few intentional or unintentional overlooked details in some shots make the overall product sloppy. A bit more polished and tauter script with intricate storylines could’ve greatly helped improve this visual marvel.
Author’s personal outlook
When he was inside, he liked most moments of the film without much thinking. Then when he thought about it, he realised that beneath all the glitter and profligacy and repetitive soundtrack, there isn’t much to the movie. He would like a repeat viewing but doubts the movie’s got something to stay with him for a long time. The author also feels underwhelmed by deepika padukone as the mesmerizing rani padmavati. Her dazzle is just not convincing enough for him. He’s bored by looking at an actor's face all the time with few expressions, dainty impact on the plot and the omnipresent light shining on her face. He is not convinced with why the whole of her physical beauty is such a big deal. It takes more than looks to impress him and he considers raanisa above average at best. Ranveer Singh tries very hard to appear as the incorrigible baddie but his innate human nature betrays him at moments. He cannot completely hide the person he is in real life. As for Shahid Kapoor, there isn’t much to do except play what he’s played many times before. A seemingly stoic, brave and noble person who does the dumbest of things in the name of tradition and righteousness. He is borderline irksome had he not been so vital to the setting. The author also sees no big difference between Khilji and Ratan Singh except their demeanour and the violent tendencies of the former. They both want padmavati merely for her appearance but Ratan Singh comes first, asks nicely and she agrees. He doesn’t consider Khilji all so evil as he’s being made out to be. His actions were very understandable considering that period. He was an ambitious and capable ruler who fell in love with the idea of a person without ever even knowing the person. His lust for the idea of beauty is appreciated more by the author than the so called love between the pair.
As for the controversy and protests surrounding the film, the author thinks it was deliberate. The movie was over its budget and the makers realised the final product wasn't so amazing to attract as much audience to turn a profit so they saw it fit to start a little conflict with some group to garner publicity. But unfortunately they could not control the aftermath. They caused the spark themselves but could not tame the explosion. The whole thing blew way too much out of proportions. Now they can only hope for it to be a big hit amid vandalism and threats.
A movie which is very well dressed up but slightly messed up. The overall appeal of the movie is praiseworthy. One will not walk away disappointed. The graphical presentation builds up quite an enthralling epic only to be let down by the humdrum gimmicks of extravagance. If you are looking for a chronicle blockbuster of a story then the movie falls short of its potential with talented actors and rich source material. On the other hand, if you’re looking for a simple but grand scale adventure to keep you entertained for a long time with its catchy songs, absorbing score and garish delineation then you’d be captivated.
If you’re as broke as the author, then you can just watch the trailer of the movie in high definition and in real slow motion at your home. With adequate imagination it gives almost similar feel as the movie.
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