SPOILER: What do you get when you have Bhansali, Ranveer, Deepika and Shahid in a movie? Well, I can't believe I'm saying this but sometimes you just get a shitty movie! Shahid is utterly miscast as a warrior king. He looks like a puffed up frog next to Ranveer and just doesn't cut it in this world. But the movie itself is honestly....terrible. The plot mechanics, basic story elements are just filled with illogical scenes. The CGI is horrendous! People are offended by this movie for various reasons but here I was offended by the bad CGI. The songs are just plain bad, two of them are so sudden and misplaced that you just end up laughing out loud. Never does it reach the level of Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, Devdas and Bajirao Mastani either visually or musically.
Now, Ranveer as Khilji is committed, looks great but the character is hollow because the film maker is in love with the actor. Never do we see Khijli's savagery or rumoured bisexuality. There is this idea that he's in search of LOVE but let's be honest, he was going to rape a queen...he wasn't some misunderstood bad boy. The violence, the sexual themes, religious differences in this war...everything is just disneyfied for prettiness and that's just bad cause it's not a Disney movie, it's a warrior movie and Bhansali should have make it like one. The slow-motion scenes are another minus point in this movie, the turban-tying and holi-rubbing are taking such a long-ass time. Shahid and Deepika have no chemistry, whatsoever. Why Padmawati falls in love with this symbol of hollow masculinity that is Raja Ratan Singh? No reason is given. The entire Rajput's strategy has dug a big hole and get captured.
The final fight should have been like Troy, but Shahid and Ranveer are mismatched. It's doesn't seem Shahid is interested at all. There is supposed to be a scheme and escape ending in a tragic sacrifice but we have terrible CGI instead taking all the air out. What also annoyed me is the lack of world building. Where is Mewar? What is Chittor? Is Khijli's throne in Delhi? And how does it take to get from one place to the other? How did Ratan Singh get kidnapped with all his guards outside the tent? Is Ratan Singh a good king, we should root for? Is he a warrior? Never is this established so all the showdowns with Khijli mean nothing. Also the betrayal that kicks off the war is never explained? Why was the priest watching???? Like I've said before, this movie is just filled with illogical loopholes and the movie is sooooo long like almost 3 hours.
Padmavat fails to establish emotional connect as the writing is pale and withdrawn. Despite all its opulence and grandeur that is a given in a SLB film it still does not have the "heart" that is associated in such films. Battle-scenes wise, sadly there is more action in the streets than in the film.
Now, Ranveer as Khilji is committed, looks great but the character is hollow because the film maker is in love with the actor. Never do we see Khijli's savagery or rumoured bisexuality. There is this idea that he's in search of LOVE but let's be honest, he was going to rape a queen...he wasn't some misunderstood bad boy. The violence, the sexual themes, religious differences in this war...everything is just disneyfied for prettiness and that's just bad cause it's not a Disney movie, it's a warrior movie and Bhansali should have make it like one. The slow-motion scenes are another minus point in this movie, the turban-tying and holi-rubbing are taking such a long-ass time. Shahid and Deepika have no chemistry, whatsoever. Why Padmawati falls in love with this symbol of hollow masculinity that is Raja Ratan Singh? No reason is given. The entire Rajput's strategy has dug a big hole and get captured.
The final fight should have been like Troy, but Shahid and Ranveer are mismatched. It's doesn't seem Shahid is interested at all. There is supposed to be a scheme and escape ending in a tragic sacrifice but we have terrible CGI instead taking all the air out. What also annoyed me is the lack of world building. Where is Mewar? What is Chittor? Is Khijli's throne in Delhi? And how does it take to get from one place to the other? How did Ratan Singh get kidnapped with all his guards outside the tent? Is Ratan Singh a good king, we should root for? Is he a warrior? Never is this established so all the showdowns with Khijli mean nothing. Also the betrayal that kicks off the war is never explained? Why was the priest watching???? Like I've said before, this movie is just filled with illogical loopholes and the movie is sooooo long like almost 3 hours.
Padmavat fails to establish emotional connect as the writing is pale and withdrawn. Despite all its opulence and grandeur that is a given in a SLB film it still does not have the "heart" that is associated in such films. Battle-scenes wise, sadly there is more action in the streets than in the film.