Bajirao Mastani review in pics: Five reasons why this movie is all costume and no drama

Bajirao Mastani, the much-awaited release of the year 2015 finally hit theatres today. Indian Express critic and reviewer Shubhra Gupta tells readers why Sanjay Leela Bhansali film is all costume and no drama.

Shubhra Gupta writes: "From the first frame, you know you are in a Sanjay Leela Bhansali film. Everything is scaled up, grander than grand, a-glitter. The Maratha court is in session. As all eyes turn to Peshwa Bajirao (Ranveer Singh), we are invited not just to see, but to behold a warrior in the full glory of manhood, striding off to conquer new places and hearts. It’s all razzle-dazzle, the way only Sanjay Leela Bhansali can turn it on. And then we tear our gaze away from the lush sets and the gorgeously attired actors – Priyanka Chopra playing Kashibai, Bajirao’s wife, Deepika Padukone as the film’s eponymous Mastani (lover, concubine, second wife?)and the equally beauteous Singh, and demand the very thing we come to the movies for: a story. And we don’t find it.
Read: Bajirao Mastani review

The real action in 'Bajirao Mastani' is in the bedrooms and boudoirs and hallways, between Bajirao and brave ‘Bundalkhandi’ lass Mastani, with Kashibai valiantly fighting a rearguard action.

It is hard to imagine anyone else as Bajirao after Ranveer Singh finishes chewing up the part (and, to my untrained ears, cracking the Marathi accent), and owning the film – he swaggers, struts and ruts, an actor fully enjoying himself. Read: Bajirao Mastani review

Priyanka Chopra’s hurt wife has a couple of strong moments (in fact, the only remotely felt sequence in the film belongs to Chopra and Tanvi Azmi, who plays Bajirao’s widowed, ambitious mother, as they ponder over the meaning of love and betrayal, and the man they are tied to). Read: Bajirao Mastani review

Deepika Padukone is lovely, and creates sizzle with Ranveer Singh, but hasn’t melded with the part. Her Mastani is all dressed up, and acting away. And of course, we get an item number with the two lovelies—aiming for total 'paisa-vasool' two-for-the-price-of-one,—but ‘Pinga’ felt such a tired ‘Dola Re’ rip-off, only spectacle, not spectacular. Read: Bajirao Mastani review

You long for a genuinely moving, exciting story, featuring all these beautiful people, all actors able to pull off characters, but buried under their mounds of clothes, mouthing dialogue. 'Bajirao Mastani' had the potential to be a terrific historical. What it ends up being is a costume drama: too many costumes, too much revved-up, empty drama, and too little story. Read: Bajirao Mastani review