Bajirao Mastani
2015 · Directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali
Original language: Hindi
- history
- romance
- drama
The story
Peshwa Bajirao married to Kashibai, falls in love with Mastani, a warrior princess in distress. They struggle to make their love triumph amid opposition from his conservative family.
What it’s like
Lush, painterly widescreen frames dense with silk, gold and firelit palaces, where Sanjay Leela Bhansali's sets glow in warm amber lamplight and the candle-dark interiors give way to sweeping, colour-saturated battle sequences. Camera moves are fluid and theatrical, with long crane shots over armies and slow dollies through ornate halls, while the score swells with orchestral strings, tabla and voices in grand, operatic cues that give way to quieter, aching melodies in the love scenes. The texture is glossy digital, rich and deliberately stylised, every fabric and jewel lit to catch the eye. Its vibe is sumptuous and melodramatic, a grand, emotional escape best suited to a weekend evening with the lights low, or to a viewer who wants a big screen spectacle with heart. The pace is stately, with long build-ups before the action erupts, and the emotional register runs high: a devoted but strained marriage, a passionate outsider who refuses to be hidden away, and a mother whose disapproval hardens into conflict. Violence is present, with battle scenes and some bloodshed, but it is depicted in an epic, not graphic, way; there is no gore for its own sake. Sexual content is romantic and sensual rather than explicit. It is for viewers who love historical period drama, lavish costume and set design, and tragic romance told at full volume.
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