The Reel Review
One of India’s biggest blockbusters ever made is loosely based on Padmavat, a 16th-century Sufi poem about Alauddin Khilji, the sultan of Delhi, and his obsessive quest for the stunningly beautiful Queen Padmavati, wife of King Ratan Sen of the northwestern kingdom of Chittor. It is an epic saga in which the queen leads the women of the kingdom into committing mass self-immolation, rather than fall into the hands of Alauddin. Director Sanjay Leela Bhansali spares no expense – stunning cinematography, sumptuous set designs and costumes, intricate dance sequences, a beautiful score – all are exceptional, which helps to counterbalance a story that is one dimensional, stereotypical and at times, even cartoonish. Riveting performances from Deepika Padrone (Chennai Express) as the clever queen, Ranveer Singh as the mesmerizingly evil Alauddin, and Shahid Kapoor as the earnest king adds believability to the over the top story and keeps the action moving, which is no small feat with an equally epic, nearly 3 hour run time. On Amazon Prime
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