Realism as a word and theme remains obsolete in the exquisitely crafted world of Sanjay Leela Bhansali's fantasies. Bajirao Mastani has been the noor of his eyes for over a decade and he is dangerously indulgent this time around. Luckily he had actors who were able to carry the weight of his intricate and lofty vision on their able shoulders. Had it not been for Ranveer Singh, Deepika Padukone, Priyanka Chopra and even the mesmeric Tanvi Azmi and the mantastic Milind Soman, the film wouldn't even be half as good. We daresay the biggest pitfall is that it suffers from weak writing, so much so that even its romance depends entirely on the chemistry of Ranveer and Deepika for its magical touch. A lot of what the film is made of and what it becomes, is derived from its actors who are top notch in every frame. Suck them out and it is flaccid. Ranveer, especially delivers his career's best performance. What is with that guy and acting. His raving energy, his zest, the perfection in his dialect, his canter, his eyes that speak volumes - Ranveer is superlative. Now this is a performance that catapults him into just another league altogether. Deepika dazzles in her role. She is subtle, fiesty and faultless. And Priyanka is first-rate in her act!
When you get down to decoding what about SLB's films cast that lingering, bewitching spell, you realize it has mainly got to do with the man's vision and his ability to mount his product on a scale with such confidence. The biggest strength of Bajirao Mastani is the faith everyone seems to have on the product. Besides the expense of its opulent set up, palatial backgrounds, detailing in the narrative and the picture-perfect cinematography, it is a painstakingly created labour of love. There is a lot of heart in the story which supersedes everything else and makes the movie Bhansali's most winsome work till date.
