Bajirao Mastani- An essay- 😆
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This is going to be a really long so please ignore the post if you feel bored reading essays in review threads.
I have never read about Bajirao in school, it was never a part of our syllabus.I remember being fascinated visiting Shaniwarwada for the first time, it looked majestic- a fort right in middle of a busy street and that's how I actually heard about Peshwa Bajirao for the first time and got hooked to his story. I was way too excited seeing the trailer of the film and was expecting a lot and at the same time being skeptical because it was a Bhansali film and I hate Bhansali films.This was the first time I sat throughout a Bhansali film and genuinely loved every bit of it.
Completely mindblown after watching the film. It takes a lot of determination and guts to nurture one's dream movie for years and finally delivering such a brilliant output like Bajirao Mastani. I don't know from where should I start praising the film.Every single element (except Deepika Padukone;will come to that later) is just perfect! From that peacock feather to the burst of flower petals falling on Shaniwarwada to the whole hallucination of Bajirao- every single frame looks like a beautiful painting.Superb production values and cinematography. I loved how finally Bhansali gave up his obsessive bright color schemes and chose something more mellow and real.Beautiful recreation of Shaniwarwada, not even once did I find the sets look fake.The Aina Mahal, though a Bhansali addition was breathtaking.I loved the small intricacies woven into the storyline- like the Aina Mahal reflection, Kashibai blowing off the diyas, Radhabai walking in that covered white shamiana,etc.
Another thing that i loved was the way this film was beyond just good sets,song and dance--the typical Bhansali fare. I felt Bhansali really worked on a storyline this time and gave attention to content as much as the visuals. The way he has shown a pretty long period of time in three hours is commendable and not even once, does the film get boring despite being a historical film.
Then comes the characters and the cast. Except for Deepika, loved each and every actor in the film. It looked like they belong to the Peshwa era and not like some costume drama happening on screen.The characters were very well handled by Bhansali. Despite the image Peshwa Bajirao has among people who look up to him even today, I loved how Bhansali tried playing around with Bajirao's heart instead of his mind throughout the film. So many layers in the character brilliantly portrayed by Ranveer. And not just Bajirao, even the other characters-The command that Radhabai had over the society despite being a widow back then was visible throughout the film. Even that small moment when Bajirao's friend gives him the sword during the climax was so beautifully done.
But the biggest reason behind loving the film is Bhansali's handling of the character of Kashibai. I really feel attached to characters who are underdogs lost in pages of history books and I am so glad Bhansali gave Kashibai the perfect amount of screen space she deserved and that too, with a lot of respect for being such an integral part of Bajirao's life. So many shades in Kashi's character explored to it's fullest by Bhansali.I think Kashi was the only one in the movie whose character goes through such a transformation from start to end. Kashibai is the only character which I think will stay with me for a long time.Bhansali leaves the audience with a lot to think about what happened to Kashibai after Bajirao's death.
The trailers and songs have been deceiving to me. I didn't think the film would be so good after watching the songs and teasers so I thought maybe it's the same with Mastani as well since she looked the least interesting from the promos. Weird but the same holds for her in the film, atleast to me. Inspite of the film having her name, I feel Mastani was the biggest flaw in the film and I think the fault in the character started from the scripting stage and became worse in the casting stage. No second thought about the fact that Deepika has improved tremendously as an actress- her Piku and Tamasha are proof enough of her rise as an actress and not just a star, but Mastani was just not made for Deepika. I felt Bhansali chose her and Ranveer after Ram Leela only because of their on and off air antics and chemistry and while on one hand Ranveer has taken the character of Bajirao to another level, Deepika has just brought down the character to just a wooden showpiece. I know I'll be the only to say this but Deepika was so wooden in the film that she made Mastani such a boring character to even think about. I personally didn't see any drunk in love expression on Deepika's face,the grace that Mastani had or the warrior princess Mastani was. The fault also goes to Bhansali for sketching Mastani as a character without any depth. She was a warrior princess but the film made her look like Meerabai. Mastani also comes across as pretty creepy in the film.
Kattar se shaadi kar lo lekin Bajirao ko mat bolo.Phir Pune jaao aur apna hak maango. I don't mean to demean Mastani- the warrior princess but that's how it felt like seeing her character. I just couldn't feel anything for Mastani except for the last chained sequence. The whole twirling around with sword to vent out her anger,the shayari,the dance-everything looked so fake and didn't work for me at all. Despite the beautiful set of Bundelkhand palace and a brilliant song in the Mohe Rang Do Laal sequence, Deepika ruined every single thing. No grace, no expressions; I was missing Madhuri so much in that sequence. Also,Deepika's pronunciation bothered me a lot,especially since she is shown to be from Bundelkhand. She really needs to work on her Hindi diction- like
talvar pe sarrr rakkhoo instead of
sar rakhoon in this film,
mein bhaar khake aaongi instead of
baahar in Piku,
main kuch aur doondrein hoon instead of
dhoondh rahi hoon in Tamasha; I know I'm nitpicking like a snob but it's very irritating while listening to dialogues with such bad pronunciation.😆 But yeah, Deepika and Mastani just didn't work out for me. They were the only boring parts in an otherwise brilliant film.
Another thing that I had a issue with was glorifying the love story of Bajirao Mastani and showing them as Heer Ranjha,etc. I know polygamy was usual back then and kings had several wives, most of whom they would marry due to politics than love but Bajirao wasn't a king and neither was he a womanizer.He and Kashibai already had a kid before Mastani entered his life. He could have married someone else apart from kashi but he didn't.Nowhere in the film do we see Kashi as a headache of bajirao, you know like
bachpan mein shaadi kar diya,ab pati dharam nibhao. Baji was very much in love with Kashibai and it's seen in the film. So I don't buy this
'polygamy was usual back then' as a reason for supporting what Bajirao did.He technically cheated on Kashi and that is the truth. Same goes with Mastani. She fell in love with Baji,they have hardly shown Baji falling in love like Mastani in the first half of the film.(maybe Bhansali wanted to play safe) So despite being a warrior or having been shamed and tortured after coming to Shaniwarwada (which was bad), she is a home breaker.She knew Bajirao was married but still she went ahead and came to Pune in order to be accepted as Bajirao's wife.Keeping the issues with their religions aside,what they both did was technically wrong so I like the fact that Bhansali exploited the faults in the characters of Bajirao and Mastani but didn't like how he and his team passed off the faults in the name of love and tried to glorify it.On a philosophical level, these things work but not in reality.
And now,coming to the two shining stars of the film.Ranveer Singh and Priyanka Chopra.Sheer brilliance!From the trailers and songs, I felt Ranveer was overdoing it since I usually feel he overacts in his films but he completely blew my mind with his portrayal of Bajirao. That command that Bajirao should have, that confidence, his way of walking, his way of chanting Har Har Mahadev, like everything was just brilliant! I had a big doubt whether he will be able to pull off this role but kudos to the way he did it.Loved him in that hallucination sequence.Though a bit over the top, that's one of my favorite sequences in the film.That helplessness that the warrior in Bajirao has while seeing the approaching army and the longing for Mastani,knowing the condition she is in, that whole part was portrayed really well by Ranveer.
I usually don't like using this done to death term but can't stop myself but TAKE A BOW Priyanka Chopra.I am so happy she doesn't disappoint. She has been my favorite character throughout the promotion of the film and I can't express properly the way she has portrayed Kashibai in the film. The small nuances, the bit of Marathi that she throws in every now and then, the grace and that personality that the wife of a Peshwa should have-everything done so beautifully by Priyanka.Not even once do I see Priyanka in Kashibai. Her costumes,jewellery,dialogue delivery makes her look like the real Kashibai, as in if I read something about Kashibai, I can only imagine Priyanka and no one else. And this attachment for her character is not because she is probably the most positive character but like I said, because she is the most underrated character. And Priyanka actually portrays the character like that- you get a sense of how important Kashibai is in Bajirao's life but she is never in the forefront.Always behind her family's welfare, like a strong pillar of the wada. The way both Ranveer and Priyanka used Marathi, it looked so natural, not forced like other films. Easily one of Priyanka's career best performances.Subtle but brilliant. Inspite of the film being named Bajirao-Mastani, it is Priyanka who shines the most with Kashibai.
The album of the film is the best album of the year and a treat for classical music fans and I am glad most of the songs were picturized as beautifully as the songs.Malhari and Pinga could really be edited out.The songs were useless for the screenplay. I was so happy seeing the Albela Sajan song because the promo was disappointing. Right from the sound of the tutari to the riot of colors in Shaniwarwada to Kashi running with the diyas- such a gorgeously shot song! And Aaj Ibadat was such a grand way to close the film with the hindu chants and the qawali parts. Beautiful.❤️
I watched the film in the same city where all the action that I saw onscreen happened, so needless to say the theatre was houseful. I struggled to get tickets at decent prices but couldn't but I am really satisfied after spending Rs.300 for a movie like this. It was nice to see that i was not the only one after coming out of the theatres.
Despite the flaws and Deepika, i can't help but rate it a
5/5. I have never had such a magical experience before while watching a Bollywood movie.
Sorry for turning an essay into an essay. Just realized it's way too long.😆
Lekin jo bhi likha hain, dil se likha hai (I feel weird saying such a thing for a Bhansali film)
. I need more time to come out of the magic that I experienced while watching the film.
Edited by AdaPadaKaunPada - 8 years ago
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