When one walks in to watch a Sanjay Leela Bhansali movie, they know what bar to set for their expectations. The grandeur of the sets, the costumes, the camerawork, and the direction, as always, is spot on. The story of Padmaavat, relatively simple, as that of Bajirao Mastani and Ram Leela, has been the fixation of some violent groups who claim that the movie demeans a particular community. Well, surprise! It does not. Padmaavat has rare instances of underlying mocking of the Rajputs, given how certain aspects were stressed, but it is not insulting in any manner. Instead, it uncloaks an aspect most filmmakers have shied away from (more on this later). So without wasting anymore moment, here’s my review for Padmaavat!
Padmaavat Review: The Performances
Deepika Padukone is going to win all the awards again. She is menacing, to say the least, and for a movie that is otherwise average and even distracting and disengaged in most parts, she takes the best part of the cake away in the climax. Ranveer Singh is great, playing the obnoxious, repelling, and lustful Khilji, and it will take a special performance from Bollywood to keep him away from the awards in 2019. Jim Sarbh as Malik Kafur has the best entry in the movie, and some of the best lines too. Aditi Rao goes unnoticed for a major part of the movie, until the last scene where she lets her eyes do the talking. Shahid Kapoor is a miscast. Make no mistake, he is a fine actor, but somehow, he is a miscast here. He does well with whatever he has been given, but there are actors who could have done more with the same role; Randeep Hooda for instance.
Padmaavat Review: The Letdowns
Coming to the let downs, the music being the biggest one. I am appalled by the absence of a single memorable track in a SLB movie. The first-half of the movie is literally Bajirao Mastani in parts. Narrative is stringed together weekly, disrupted by songs that make no sense whatsoever, including the one choreographed on Jim Sarbh and Ranveer Singh in a bathtub. It’s ridiculous. A song is no way to portray an underlying current of homosexuality.
Padmaavat Review: What stood out
What stood out for me was the climax of this movie. In my entire row, everyone was on the edge of their seats, even when the end was clear to one and all. It is beautifully written and directed, and makes you forget, momentarily, how cringeworthy the movie was in parts.
Padmaavat Review: Should you watch it?
You can watch this movie for its unconventional end, or even skip it. It’s an average movie with a grand climax that leaves you with some difficult questions.
Padmaavat Review: A Running Commentary of how I watched it
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