New Teaser Trailer: Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Bajirao Mastani

The newest teaser trailer for Bajirao Mastani released last week shows typical attributes of a Sanjay Leela Bhansali film. The sweeping score, the grandiose scale and lately, a doomed love story set against a periodic backdrop. The teaser for Bajirao Mastani releasing this December reveals its three stars gearing up for something... epic, we're just not sure what yet.

Ranveer Singh is Bajirao, the legendary Peshwa ruler, Priyanka Chopra is Kashibai, Bajirao's wife and Deepika Padukone plays Mastani, a warrior who ends up being Bajirao's second wife. The film will probably show they fall in love against all odds. Unfortunately, the fighting scenes especially those with the bow and arrow look so incredibly contrived. Deepika Padukone looks like she's about to finish painting rather than shoot an arrow across a distance. Also, Ranveer's sword in the last few seconds of the trailer looks like it's made of paper not metal. It's not just about hair and makeup that needs attention, these details matter too.

Let us wait and see what the full trailer will unveil. Bajirao Mastani goes up against another big film, Dilwale starring the star pairing of Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol reunited on December 18, 2015. Who will prevail? Which film will you be rooting for?

Movie Review: Barfi!

I missed this film when it initially released in theaters but finally watched it last month. There's no doubt that Ranbir Kapoor is one of the finest actors in India presently.  His portrayal of Barfi is incredibly sweet and selfless.  Barfi is a devil-may-care young man who lives life to the fullest in 1970s Darjeeling.  He also happens to be deaf and mute but doesn't let that get in his way.  Enter Shruti (Ileana D'Cruz), a young woman vacationing before her engagement.  Barfi and Shruti fall in love but he realizes that her family won't accept him so he gives her up.  Eventually an old childhood friend Jhilmil (Priyanka Chopra) reappears in his life and he gets involved in some hilarious and madcap schemes all the way to Calcutta.  Barfi then has to fight for reunite with the love of his life.

The film was India's submission for the foreign film category at the 2013 Oscars and while it is entertaining and endearing, at places it gets over long and confusing with multiple flashbacks.  Ranbir Kapoor is the main reason to watch the film as he will bring to mind some of the antics of silent movie comedy actors like Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton. Barfi! liberally 'borrows' scene inspirations from movies like The Notebook and Singin' in the Rain. If you've seen those movies, it might dampen your experience, knowing what's coming next. 

Directed by Anurag Basu; Written by Anurag Basu and Sanjeev Datta; Cinematography by S. Ravi Varman; Editing by Akiv Ali; Music by Pritam

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