After all the brouhaha preceding Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Padmaavat, filmgoers might be drawn into thinking that it is more than a film. However, at Film Comments, we review Padmaavat alluding to it as a piece of cinema and nothing less or more. The Padmaavat film review ensues.
In what can be easily called Ranveer Singh’s most competent performance thus far, he dons the hat of a scheming and mostly eccentric Alauddin Khilji. Upon a tip-off from a revenge-seeking man, when informed that the key to his fortunes lies in possessing Padmavati (Deepika Padukone) who is married to a Rajput king, Ratan Singh (Shahid Kapoor), Khilji goes berserk as he sets out on a quest to get her at all costs.
Khilji is shown as a debaucherous person and he and his army are clad in dark shades that personify the wrongs that they perpetuate. On the other hand, the Rajput king and his followers are colorfully decked, and the queen herself is bedecked in precious attire. All of Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s trademarks are there in Padmaavat. It has grand sets that are opulent and visually arresting, while the long shots effectively convey the ravages of battle.
There is enough detail in the interior shots that your eyes won’t wander offscreen, and the story moves at a reasonably brisk pace for a period fantasy film not to disengage the audience who is inclined to watching such movies.
As mentioned earlier, Ranveer’s performance is the highlight and will nudge his acting career forward. Shahid Kapoor is understated in his portrayal of the Rajput king Ratan Singh, and Deepika Padukone carries off her part of Padmavati with aplomb. The supporting cast worthy of mention includes Jim Sarbh who plays Malik Gafur, Khilji’s male lover and Aditi Rao Hydari who plays his wife. Raza Murad has a brief role as Jalaluddin Khilji that he has pulled off in his inimitable style.
All-in-all, Padmaavat, as an absorbing period fantasy flick won’t disappoint the genre fans. Those not into period films might find it a tad too long. Also, the portrayal of sati toward the end might not go down well with everyone. Sanjay Leela Bhansali could have taken a less glorified route to show the self-immolation scenes. At the cost of impacting the ending, it could have assuaged those who were irked. However, as I mentioned earlier, this is a period fantasy film and drawing any social or other inferences out of it are outside the purview of this review.
If you like films that feature mythological and historical topics, Padmaavat is something that you can consider. For those of you who have not been into such fare, this won’t pique your interest, and it isn’t something that you’d like to do for the better part of three hours.
Padmaavat film review rates Padmaavat 
(3 / 5)
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