Tag Archives: Tanvi Azmi

Bajirao Mastani (2015)

Bajirao Mastani review.

written by Souranath Banerjee

‘Cheeteh ki chaal, Baaz ki naazar aur Baji Rao ki talvar par sandeh nahi karte, kabhi bhi maat de sakti hai.’

My Ratings: 4/5.

Almost twelve years back in 2003, director Sanjay Leela Bhansali wanted to make a film Bajirao Mastani with Salman Khan and Bajirao-Mastani-poster2Aishwarya Rai in the lead roles. But fate had some other plans. 

Finally in 2015, the film was made, i may add very beautifully made, with a fresh cast, Ranveer SinghDeepika Padukone and Priyanka Chopra.

Now, there are rarely any Bollywood films (if any) that are so pleasing to your eyes that the story, content and characters almost get sidetracked by the sheer beauty of each and every frame.

Bajirao Mastani is one such example of cinema.

Mr.Bhansali along with his cinematographer Sudeep Chatterjee and production designers Saloni DhatrakSriram Iyengar and Sujeet Sawant have managed to create stunning painting-like-shots (many Bajirao-Mastani-poster3of the frames in the film actually resembles classic paintings of famous Marathi painters) and have enthralled us with these great visuals through out the film.

And talking about the story of the film, (without going into the debate of how much historical authenticity it has), I would say it comes under the classic ‘doomed love story’ category, where love wins only through destruction of them who are in love!

Baji Rao Ballal Balaji Bhat, a great Maratha general of the early 1700, who though happily married and Hindu, falls in love with a charming half-muslim princess Mastani and eventually makes her his (second) wife.

But Baji Rao’s family (especially his mother and brother) are not too happy about this second marriage. So correspondingly, they humiliate Mastani and try to kill her a couple of times.

Bajirao-Mastani-poster7At the end, they do understand that ‘Baajirao Ne Mastani Se Mohabbat Ki Hai, Aiyashi Nahi’, but by that time it was too late!

Acting wise. superb performance by Ranveer Singh; his way of speaking Marathi, his body language as a warrior, his confident dialogue deliveries – basically he did look the part.

Deepika Padukone and Priyanka Chopra also did great job, and played out the perfect love triangle scenario.

Even the secondary characters Tanvi Azmi (as mother), Milind Soman (as minister), Aditya Pancholi (as the rival), Vaibbhav Tatwawdi (as brother) and Mahesh Manjrekar (as Maratha King) – all were at their best.

The content is relatively simple but the presentation is creditable, a Bajirao-Mastani-poster4bit too loud often (specially the dialogues) but again, that’s the part of Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s filmmaking style I guess.

A clever move to put a disclaimer in the very beginning of the film which basically said that the film doesn’t claim to be faithful to any historical facts; and then only did all the fuming historians calm down and concentrate on their popcorn tub.

Don’t forget the numerous elaborately choreographed dance sequences; decent musical score by Sanchit Balhara and Sanjay Leela Bhansali himself.

Do watch it in big screen to absorb the opulence and grandeur of this film.

P.S – Bajirao Mastani is banned in Pakistan since it is regarded as ‘a historical drama that is indirectly against Islam and Muslims.’ (No idea why or what that means).

Poster courtesy: www.muchask.netdailyroabox.comwww.bollywoodmdb.com

Bobby Jasoos (2014)

My Ratings: 2.5/5

Bobby Jasoos can be enjoyed as a film only if you don’t take it too seriously.

Check out Bidya Balan’s effortless acting, get tickled by the innumerable disguises she puts on, have a feel of Hyderabad and its cuisines, some funny moments here and there, a dose of family drama and the predictable romance.

If somehow the film has given the idea that there will be an actual detective drama or some kind of logical mystery/suspense to be solved by Bobby Jasoos, let me burst the bubble for you – there isn’t.

The story line is as simple and uncomplicated as the cases of Bobby Jasoos.

Bilqis aka Bobby (Vidya Balan) aspires to become the best detective in Mughalpura area (old city of Hyderabad). She has a supportive mother (Supriya Pathak), a non-cooperative father (Rajendra Gupta) and no success in her profession.

Then enters the mysterious Anees Khan (Kiran Kumar). He offers Bobby Jasoos loads of money to track down two young girls and a not-so-young boy for him.

Though Bobby Jasoos with her innovative ideas succeeds in finding the girls but soon she becomes suspicious of Anees Khan. Why is he in search of these young souls and more importantly why are these girls missing right after he has found them?

And why does Anees Khan need to carry a gun? (this is one of the many mysteries I am still trying to solve).

Never mind, I feel the ideal target audience for Bobby Jasoos should be the kids (although the film is not marketed keeping them in mind).

The funny title of the film, the cartoonish title track, the protagonist (Vidya Balan) being a caricature of a prototype detective who unnecessarily fiddles with magnifying glasses and binoculars and then the surprisingly sugar-coated climax –  undoubtedly it’s made for the little innocent hearts who still believes in happy-happy endings.

Vidya Balan obviously taking the spot light but there are many other good performances in the film. Ali Fazal, Tanvi Azmi, Arjan Bajwa, Prasad Barve, Akash Dahiya, Benaf Dadachanji  have all done justice to their characters.

Debutant director Samar Shaikh has tried his best to make a perfect family entertainment. Vishal Sinha did a good job with the camera. But the music (the unnecessary song sequences) doesn’t help the film at all – we expect much better from Shantanu Moitra.

I sincerely hope that the kids enjoy Bobby Jasoos and for the adults – watch your favorite Vidya Balan (that’ your only option).

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PHTTNn_XEtE