What an epic: Padmavaat

We just came home after watching 'Padmavaat' at the Silverbird Cinema at the TM Mall in Mamba Point. It's surreal to be able to watch this big film, released a day ago in India, a movie that has been causing such shor sharaba, here in Monrovia. 

Now that we have a 'proper' cinema in Monrovia that is showing the latest films, one can start to appreciate again that the film experience on the big screen is so different from watching it on TV at home. Folks who know pre-war Monrovia can tell you they enjoyed cinema going but since I only know Monrovia in the post-war era, I have never experienced the cinema here.

As you can appreciate, it's a treat to watch the latest films now. Since December, we have seen the latest Star Wars and Jumanji 2. Tickets are $ 6 and include a soft drink.

We went with a group. The theatre was full of desi people and, there were a few families too which got me wondering how appropriate it was to let children watch this film, particularly with rape, sex and assault scenes. I am also one of those guilty parents and took Kavita along. I tried to cover her eyes in some of the scenes and, thankfully, she was asleep by the time the women were jumping into the fire.

Padmavaat has been in the headlines for quite a long time and even international media picked up on it. There's even an AJ+ video. I also had read quite a few articles explaining the real history behind the legend of Padmavati so it was exciting to know I actually had the option of stepping out of articles and headlines and actually see the film. 

The film is of course breathtakingly epic and stunning. Yes, take us back to a glorified history of India of sultans and shehanshas and maharajas and their ranis and malikas dripping with jewels, brave with courage and honour! Gosh, wasn't Indian pre-colonial history glorious? Those majestic palaces and forts. What a lively contrast to the drab and dreary Europe of the Dark Ages/Middle Ages. 

As expected the stars radiated on screen with their beauty and ripped bodies. Shahid Kapoor's kohl lined eyes stared lovingly into Deepika's gorgeous eyes, a face laden with jewels. Their clothes were majestic and regal. The dances were beautiful. The music was so befitting. 

Ranvir Singh played the most neurotic, loony character of all: Allauddin Khilji. He's mad and without remorse but is singular in his purpose. All he seems to be obsessed with is : is Padmavati. If his madness is not enough, he has an equally psychopathic servant played by Jim Sarbh (he is an actor to watch out for, ahem, not only his good looks but his style and delivery). Even while assault, murder and deadly plots are being made, Jim Sarah's servant just dances about or enjoys the show. It's kind of alluded that the servant is in love with the Sultan. The madness of Allauddin is clear but it's acted out in the most entertaining manner. 

The scene where Jim Sarbh steps out of the bath (fully clothed) after helping to bathe the Sultan is  erotic. But if that wasn't enough, he starts serenading the Sultan who then starts swaying to the  music while still in the bath. The servant leads him to his bed, where a woman is waiting for him, perfume/ittar in her hands.

Epic sagas like these rarely have the time to pause for psychological analysis and revelations. That the film gives space for the psychotic Sultan and his servant to depict an on-screen chemistry is interesting to say the least. Many Bollywood blockbusters are famous for comic relief scenes where the 'comedy actors' made almost fools of themselves in their humiliating get up and crass dialogues. These scenes between Allauddin and Malik Kafur are fascinating.

Padmavati equally has the chance to show her intensity, devotion, courage, and wit. Deepika is not only unbelievable beautiful and graceful in all the scenes but she glows with intensity, especially when the takes are non-verbal. The intimate scenes between Shahid Kapoor and her are beautiful, as they both look adoringly at each other. 

"Khalibali" where Ranvir Singh dances like mad is such a strange moment for a Bollywood film where usually one is 'treated' to an item number. Here, we have the Sultan himself dancing mad! 

So, what was the khoon kharaba for? If anything it is the Sultan who is depicted as the evil, unprincipled and shameless despot. The Rajputs are the heroic and honourable lot. 

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What do you take away from the film? I can't discuss whether or not this film actually hurts Rajput sentiments or dishonours the figure of Padmavati. I read that she is first mentioned only in a Sufi poem. Did she really exist? And does this film really dishonour her? 

As for other themes, is this a film which elevates Padmavati as a courageous, skilled and brilliant Queen and even shows her to be more strategic and adept at politics than her own principled King?  Women must have felt good when they saw that it is Padmavati who not only has the Sultan send her Raqhav Chetan's head but also rescues him, with the help of Malika Jahan, Mehrunissa. But in the end, Padmavati performs jahaur when Rattan Singh falls on the battlefield and all is surely lost. Why didn't he just listen to all her caution from the beginning? Or was it just doomed from the beginning?

Does this film show that courage/principles are better or outwitting your enemy? Why didn't Rattan Singh apprehend/finish the Sultan when he had several chances? Was he smart or principled in missing every single opportunity to destroy Allauddin? Why did he never listen to his wife?

Is this epic glorifying the courage of the women of Chittoor or pandering or very archaic values?

At the outset, the filmmakers say none of the characters in the film are based on reality nor do they endorse sati.

The women who commit jahaur are depicted as even more courageous and valiant than the men but didn't they all die because their maharaja made one false move after another? Can Ratan Singh still be the hero?

The most disturbing moment was watching a pregnant woman and a little girl walk towards the fires of the pyre. Is this a moment of glory or tragedy? Deepika's Padmavaati is hauntingly beautiful and fierce as she walks so courageously with a victorious smile on her face. Is this film glorifying sati? The Partition is full of stories of women who had to jump into wells to save their honour. We weep when we think about it but we don't feel proud about it.

While watching the epic, of course, we know that it is the Rajputs who were the good guys who stood  by their principles of courage, honour, fair play, devotion, and hospitality. The evil Sultan does not hold to any principle.

But, this saga falls short of speaking to us in the modern era where women willingly burn themselves rather than succumb to the enemy, especially if their doomed end was thanks to their men, who just weren't good at plunder and war. 

At least kings fought in battle themselves. These days, President brag about the size of their nuclear buttons.