XPost: rec.arts.movies.current-films, soc.culture.indian, soc.culture.pakistan
excerpt
http://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2015/12/24/features/the-stunning-bajirao-masrani/
The stunning Bajirao Mastani
Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s film is a class apart
Going to a film with several big names attached to it, there is always
a fear of what you’ll see and whether or not it will be up to the
standard the person in question has set in the past. This dread is
even more pronounced if the big name is of someone known not only for
their innovations but also for a reputation of delivering the highest
quality entertainment. Sanjay Leela Bhansali is undoubtedly one of
those names and his latest epic, Bajirao Mastani, does not disappoint.
Bajirao Mastani tells the story of Peshawa Bajirao Ballal as played by
Ranveer Singh and his torrid love affair with the witty, pretty and
warrior second wife Mastani, as played by Deepika Padukone. This
period drama weaves a narrative of a warrior falling in love, set
against the background of the Maratha expansionism, the weakening of
the Mughal Empire and the ramifications thereof. Bhansali, a masterful storyteller that he is, does not neglect the present and actually
plays the story as a parable for the modern day rise of intolerance in
India as well. This brilliant technique of interpreting modern events
against the background of similar historical incidents while also
staying true to the original historical characters, is a difficult
task that Bhansali makes seem effortless.
As far as the historical accuracy of the source material is concerned,
it is largely a moot point. The movie has taken certain liberties with
the historical characters and how they were portrayed, especially with
the eponymous characters Bajirao and Mastani themselves, but that is
the cost of an entertaining film. No one goes to the cinema looking
for a history lesson and if someone actually does think that what is
shown on the silver screen is exactly how everything happened is
living in a fool’s paradise. The source material also happens to be
the novel “Rau” by N S Inamdar and some creative license is to be
granted here as well.
The movie’s story follows all the traditional formulas, but does it
well. The film has a strong opening with a short prologue where the
titular Bajirao is introduced. Everything from the music to the
dialogues screams power and attention to detail. With this strong an
opening, the cynics might expect the quality of the movie to taper
off, but it does nothing of that sort. The movie continues to amaze us
and build more excitement until the denouement where you see some
extensive symbolism, down to the delirious ramblings of Bajirao and
the restlessness of Mastani. The entire story builds into a frantic
crescendo, never slowing down enough for people to get bored.
I have praised Deepika’s acting as a carefree manic pixie dream girl
in Tamasha before, and I would like to compliment her again now as she
has outdone herself as Mastani in this film. Her character is layered
and so is her performance. Whether it is the warrior who would stop at
nothing to deliver the message she was tasked to deliver or the gentle
lover who can fall madly in love with the handsome young warrior that
saved her life, Deepika embodies every bit of the character
effortlessly. Her classical dance moves are as good as her fight
choreography.
Ranveer Singh portrays Peshwa Bajirao Ballal, the Prime Minister to
the Maratha Emperor and a fearless, brilliant and witty warrior.
Ranveer embodies his role as if he is Peshwa Bajirao; Bajirao himself
would probably find it difficult to find fault in his performance. His
dialogue delivery, timing and acting are all well done. Especially in
the final scene where we see Bajirao in throes of delirium, fighting
off the imaginary demons, Ranveer Singh’s performance was
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