Among all the movies produced in a year, there are some that stand out distinctly. Unparalleled, unmatched and worth remembering. “Padmavati” or “Padmavaat” as it is now called, is one such movie.
After all the controversies and negative publicity, “Padmavaat” is not an ordinary movie. I believe that it is a rare film that stands out against all odds.
I do not wish to give a review of the film here because watching it after a week since its release, my review would definitely be adulterated. But there are things that I liked in the movie and would like to mention it here.
Firstly, kudos to the writers, who portrayed the right emotions and scenario of that era.
“Ram ko bhi kya pata tha ki raavan sadhu ke bhes me aaega.”
“Jauhar Rajputon ki sabse badi jeet thi aur Alauddin ki sabse badi haar.”
These are some of the dialogues that really set the mood of the film. I believe a lot of effort has been put in trying to recreate the royal era on the screen, and to depict their valour and integrity.
Raja Ratan Singh, played by Shahid Kapur is a true, honest and courageous portrayal. With his steady eyes and charm, Shahid does do justice to the character. However, I felt that Hrithik Roshan could have been a better choice for the role.
If Khilji was really like Ranveer Singh’s portrayal of him, then may God save the world from him. Such a lustful and cruel king can destroy a complete lineage, and Ranveer Singh did not fail in making the audience believe that he was that cruel king.
Deepika Padukone is indeed a beautiful actress, and her beauty is catapulted with her flawless make up and attire. Serene, charming and alluring, she looked gorgeous in almost each frame of the movie, though I felt that she failed to place her mark in her acting, except in the last scene of the movie. I felt that she was overrated in “Bajirao Mastani” as well.
Among all the performances and screen presence, what stands out is the unparalleled beauty of Aditi Rao Hydari. In her small role, she was successful in making heads turn. In various places she even outnumbered Deepika’s beauty by her innocent charm.
Now to coming to all the work done behind the camera. Undoubtedly, Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s team have put a lot of hard work in this movie. Be it in any department of the magnum opus, each and every thing is creatively thought before being converted into script. The varying shades of red in the jauhar scene illuminated the efforts of the costume designers for the whole movie.
It seems a lot of research and study was done to know and understand the traditions, and lifestyle of the two communities. Whether it is about the white cloth stained by Raja Ratan’s hand-print when the queen takes his permission to commit Jauhar, or about the type of tents and place of living in which Alauddin made his cruel plans – everything seemed like coming straight out of a history book to me.
However, the music failed miserably in this much anticipated movie and I was really disappointed with it, except for the Ghoomer song, which is both a treat to the eyes and the ears.
The one scene that made me feel uneasy was the last scene – the jauhar scene. The determination on Rani Padmavati’s face, her unmatched beauty, the red color combination of the ladies of the kingdom gracefully marching towards committing jauhar and the eager desperation of Alauddin Khilji to see the queen at least once was spectacular. I believe that one scene was way better than the entire movie.
I could feel the pride swelling in me for being associated with Rajasthan, as I walked out of the movie theatre.
The one flaw I found in the movie was the extra emphasis on the portrayal of Alauddin Khilji. The movie also becomes boring at times. After an hour, I was waiting for the interval. Looks like the film failed to hook the audience because of its predictability, I guess.
For the visual appeal, this is a must-watch movie. If not for the controversy, or for the story or the Tanishq advertisement; for the other things that makes it a unique creation, one must watch it. I think one should watch it for the locations, sets, costumes, grandeur, the legacy, and for the efforts put in by the whole team.