Padmaavat

Deepika Padukone( xXx: Return of Xander Cage ), Shahid Kapoor and Ranveer Singh bring welcome grandeur — and irresistible sensual appeal — to the film, setting the stage for a robust showing at the box office. Padmavaat, based on a poem written by Sufi poet Malik Muhammad Jayasi in 1540, describes how Rajput king Maharawal Ratan Singh ( Kapoor) and his beautiful and politically savvy queen Padmavati ( Padukone) attempt to save their centuries-old kingdom from a savage madman named Alauddin Khilji (Singh), the ambitious Sultan of Delhi bent on possessing Padmavati and dominating India. When Khilji triumphs, Padmavati chooses self-immolation over subjugation — an act deemed heroic in its time. Today’s women see it differently. Bhansali draws out the sizzling onscreen chemistry between Kapoor and Padukone, and finds eroticism even when the characters are wrapped in yards of gold-embroidered silks and draped in pearls and precious gems. Singh’s flamboyant, broadly sketched performance is right at the edge of believability — he’s all kohl-rimmed eyes and leonine growls — but in counterpoint to Kapoor’s noble heroism it somehow works. Padmaavat’s sumptuous palace interiors and classically inspired music lend elegance to the film without overpowering it — a welcome shift in tone from the director of the lavish but uneven Devdasand Saawariya— and would doubtless be impressive in 3D or 3D Imax (this review is based on a 2D screening). Hindu fundamentalists threatened to destroy cin...

• • • • Shahid Kapoor says he did not like himself in Padmaavat: 'I got stuck in a headspace' Shahid Kapoor says he did not like himself in Padmaavat: ‘I got stuck in a headspace’ Shahid Kapoor believes he did not bring out different elements of his personality in Sanjay Leela Bhansali's magnum opus Padmaavat. The film also starred Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh in the lead roles. Bollywood actor The 2018 film, Padmaavat, helmed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali, is a tale of valour and sacrifice. It celebrates a Rajput queen’s willingness to die rather than give herself over to a tyrant who coveted her. It stars Deepika Padukone in the titular role, Shahid plays her husband Ratan Singh and Ranveer Singh essays the role of Alauddin Khilji. Upon its release, the film was a box office hit. In a recent conversation with Humans of Bombay, when Shahid was asked to name one character of his that he would like to revisit and play differently, the actor said that he would like to replay the role of Maharawal Ratan Singh. He said, “I did not like myself. I was so uptight. I think I did not bring out other elements of that personality, I got stuck in a headspace. I am being candid, maybe other people liked me, but I did not.” Also read | Shahid had once shared that he felt like an outsider on the sets of I’m used to being the favourite of all my filmmakers. This was the first time that I was like an outsider. When you work with a team that has worked together, you are kind of an outsider...

After staying the ban on release of Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Padmaavat, imposed by four states, the Supreme Court dismissed pleas from state government requesting reversal of its order and cleared all decks for a pan-India release of the Deepika Padukone-Ranveer Singh-starrer on January 25 on Monday. Padmaavat will release on January 25. However, there seems to be no end to the troubles en route to the release. Despite the top court’s orders, various incidents of Here’s the entire timeline of the controversies: December, 2016: Sanjay Leela Bhansali started preparing for his biggest film till date. However, he had to stop shooting for a few days because a worker died on the sets of the film after falling from a stand. Deepika Padukone offered condolences on Twitter. January, 2017: Bhansali was slapped and assaulted by the members of Karni Sena who staged an angry protest at Jaigarh fort in Jaipur where Bhansali was shooting for Padmavati. In a viral video, protesters were seen running amok, damaging cameras and other shooting equipment while raising slogans and spewing abuses in Hindi. April-August, 2017: Many Bollywood celebrities came out in support of the film and freedom of expression. The film started a debate on the social media. September, 2017: Two posters of the upcoming film were released and both show Deepika wearing a red royal dress and heavy Rajasthani jewelry. This also marked the beginning of another round of protests by the Karni Sena. First week of November...