'Bajirao Mastani': Saved by Bhansali’s mastery over the craft

If Sanjay Leela Bhansali's love stories were to resemble a mountain, the mountain would start with an extremely steep climb that enthralls you and sucks you in, then there would be a flat surface without any turns or slopes for a couple of zillion kilometres thus ensuring that you are worn out and then at the end, there would be a dramatic drop straight into a valley, into which you'll be happy to fall because you know its all over!

Even the actual Devdas's hangover with an unfulfilled love story may have worn off, but Bhansali's hasn't. His attempts at creating yet another eternal love saga that will live on for ages keep continuing, but he just can't seem to get there.

Mind you, he's a master of the senses! Each shot is poetry in motion, each dialogue a front bencher's favourite, the scale overawing, each melody a vehicle to heaven; 'Deewani Mastani Ho Gayi' is sheer class. But the core script of Bajirao Mastani is self-indulgent and maybe even pointless.

One can't help wonder if the fact that Bhansali having held the script within him for 12 years (because he refused to cast anyone other than Salman and Aishwarya) worked against him by overthinking and thus overcomplicating it.

Granted that Bhansali would have been trapped by history (one that has already been debated by Bajirao's ancestors) but surely there could be a better way of shouldering that burden! Take the following examples into account:

The beginning of Bajirao's and Mastani's love for each other is a damp squib, utterly unconvincing and way too quick. Therefore, all through you may sometimes feel pained at their struggle & yearning but you seldom root for them to be together for you don't relate with how they came to be in the first place.
The otherwise comically stiff Bajirao suddenly springs a surprise by breaking into an absolutely unnecessary song and dance routine ('Malhari') crooned by Vishal Dadlani. Don't be surprised if you're reminded of 'Pandey Ji Seeti' from 'Dabangg 2'.
You can forgive the film's inherent sexism assuming that was the course history took but Bhansali's repeated obsession with the usual conniving woman (the original 'Komolika'), spurred on by a few blood-thirsty men is now, if nothing else, boring and overdone!
Bajirao and Mastani fall in love and everyone opposes. Mastani lands up unannounced - everyone opposes, Mastani is boycotted and humiliated - thus opposed, Mastani is moved into a respectable home - everyone opposes, Mastani has a kid - everyone opposes, the kid grows up - everyone opposes, Mastani dies - everyone is still opposing. There's such a sheer disrespect for time that after the first time everyone opposes Mastani, you can walk out of the theatre, take a piss, have a meal, go home, get married, have a kid, wait for him to grow up, get him married and then come back to the theatre to see that everyone is still opposing Mastani.
Bajirao fights all his wars in the first half an hour or so, then he and Mastani take turns mouthing supposedly epic dialogues of eternal love and sacrifice for the next 19 hours, then Bajirao acquires the ghost of Rajinikanth and fights his last war in a few seconds and then loses his spirit and dies, straight into Mastani's fantasies!

Further, one of the biggest weaknesses of the film is the sheer lack of any chemistry between Ranveer & Deepika. Ranveer tries so earnestly that his raw talent almost wins you over, Deepika's eyes do most of the talking and she looks exquisite, yet both together are so flat that they have about the same amount of chemistry as Ranbir had with Nargis Fakhri in 'Rockstar'! Quite honestly, Priyanka (Kashibai) is much more vivacious and endearing and her chemistry with Ranveer is far more palpable (notice the bath scene), which is great for her as an actor, but bad for the story and the viewer!

If not for Bhansali's mastery of your senses, it would be tough to endure 'Bajirao Mastani'. Good luck!