Published in: Bollywood Film Reviews

Bollywood Film Review “Bajirao Mastani”

Author OneFilmFan

Published on: December 19, 2015

WATCH THE TRAILER HERE

First, the Recap:

Ancient empires. Warrior kings. Epic battles. And even in the midst of it all, hearts taken in love’s grasp sway the actions and attitudes of all those who fall under the spell of desire and longing while still striving for the power and rewards that come from being Peshwa (Prime Minister) in 1720-era India’s prodigious Maratha Empire. One such man is Bajirao (Ranveer Singh), a natural-born warrior whose prowess on the battlefield has become legend, having never lost an engagement in the ongoing struggles against the Mughals. Having proven himself multiple times over to his Chhattrapati (Emperor) Shahu (Mahesh Manjrekar), Bajirao’s life is one of honor and glory, all shared with his wife, Kashi (Priyanka Chopra), and close family.

However, after an intensely fought victory at Bundelkhand, the unexpected occurs when circumstance introduces Bajirao to its king’s daughter, Mastani (Deepika Padukone), who is both beautiful and deadly, and whom falls for the Peshwa none to quickly. As Bajirao begins to realize his own deepening attraction and love for Mastani, her presence at his home soon becomes troublesome, with his brother Chimaji (Vaibbhav Tatwawdi) and mother Radhabai (Tanvi Azmi) warning him against defaulting from his religion, cultural traditions, much less being less than attentive to Kashi, who only too soon realizes she is slowly losing her husband. As tensions mount, Bajirao’s behavior becomes more and more erratic, and with walls closing in on every side, choices are made that determine the fate of everything he holds dear.

Next, my Mind:

Director Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s dream project finally comes to rich, vivid life after a much delayed completion of an idea that originated over 12 years ago. But, being this reviewer’s very first Bollywood effort, it was way worth the wait! Visually stunning in it’s “Kingdom Of Heaven”/”300”-like stylized battle sequences, the simply awe-inspiring beauty of the interior shots at the royal palace, Bajirao’s home and other vistas, overall utilization of lush colors throughout, to the vibrancy and emotionally-charged sensuality of the dance scenes, this easily rivals any of Hollywood’s big budget epics. And as the viewer, you will be caught up in the entire affair (all two and half hours) solely because these elements are so well executed and the character development is deep.

Ranveer Singh most certainly deserves credit in bringing this Indian historical figure into being, as his chiseled features and ability to showcase Bajirao’s passion for his wives, ferocity on the battlefield, confidence as a peshwa, yet ultimate vulnerability to these exact facets of his character all come out in his performance very well. But, it is the ethereal allure and exotic attractiveness of Chopra and Padukone that give this story it’s backbone as the two wives battling for Bajirao’s affections. They both so deftly embody the seductive woman while also possessing the strength, will, and patience of a crouching tiger, biding time and waiting for a chance to strike, not always by violence, but with heart and wiles. All of it is truly enacted with genuine vigor and skill.

In total, “Bajirao Mastani” is an almost perfect visual and aural masterpiece of filmmaking that honestly deserves to be seen by audiences worldwide, especially those like this reviewer who had never seen a full Bollywood production. Take notice, folks, because the most prolific movie-making country in the world just got that much better at their art, and it is here to stay.

As always, this is all for your consideration and comment.  Until next time, thank you for reading!