The Cinemawala

It is often said that love has no religion. Love doesn’t understand caste or creed. The unabashed form of love is free from any boundaries and keeps burning in the heart of the betrothed souls, even if they are seas apart from each other. Bajirao Mastani might not be as famous as Romeo-Juliet or Heer-Ranjha but they speak the same language of love, unyielding and undying. The words opulent, grandiose and magnificent fall short of describing Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s magnum opus. It’s the most accomplished work of SLB till date and something he’ll always be proud of.

History says Peshwa Bajirao Palhar was one of the most ferocious warriors from the Maratha clan. He never lost a battle and was a tactical master at warfare. Mastani was the daughter of King Chatrasal of Bundelkhand, from a Muslim wife. As the stories go, as a token of gratitude for saving Bundelkhand, a political marriage took place between Bajirao and Mastani. In those days, these political marriages were common. However, it was swiftly rejected by the conservative brahmins and Bajirao had to face the wrath of his own family. Although the stories never discuss the relationship between Bajirao and Mastani but his efforts to give her and her son legitimacy suggests that he must have adored her.

Moving on from real to reel, SLB has not left a single piece on his epic canvas blank. The visionary director known for his grandeur and obsession with larger than life scale of art doesn’t disappoint the viewer. Each and every set, all palaces, battle sequences, attires, dictions have been perfect. It is widely known that SLB wanted to make this film for the last 20 years but couldn’t make it due to various reasons. When you see this on a big screen, you would realize that it’s worth the wait. The vfx scenes are amazing and the background score gives goosebumps. It’s one of the highlights of the movie. The cinematography is of top notch. The story goes from an epic mode to episodic but SLB keeps it tight. As a viewer, one might expect huge battle sequences but at the core, the love story takes centre stage. Performance wise, every actor is on the top of his game. SLB has taken a plethora of powerful actors so the entire cast comes up as a winner. Be it the minor role of Nizam played by veteran actor Raza Murad or that of Bajirao’s mother played by a bald Tanvi Azmi, the sheer effort of the actors sets the screen ablaze.

But the heart goes out to the terrific trio of Ranveer Singh, Deepika Padukone and the rising star of Quantico Priyanka Chopra. The lead actors have played their parts so well, that you tend to blur the line between fact and fiction. Priyanka plays Kashibai who’s heartbroken at the advent of Mastani in her husband’s life but remains dignified. Deepika as Mastani is poignant and performs brilliantly as the warrior princess in love with Bajirao. But ladies and gents, the heart and soul of this movie is the dynamite, Ranveer Singh. What an actor he has become !!! Like a chameleon, he moulds himself in any way the director wants him to. As the brave warrior Bajirao, he supersedes all of his previous performances. He is a revelation and folks, mark my word, soon he will be a force to reckon with. Outstanding performance !!!

It’s probably the movie of the year 2015  !!!