Queen — Queen of Hearts

Early in Queen, Mrs. Dhingra, when meeting Rani for the first time, says to her, "Haaye kitni sweet hai." And then she says to her son, Vijay, "Tu mithai kha, hum gol gappe khate hai." Later, when the Italian restaurateur compliments her for making sumptuous gol gappas, he says, "Spicy but delicious." That was the entire purpose of the movie Queen — the transformation of Rani from being 'sweet' to 'spicy but delicious.' Again, it is no coincidence that both the scenes had a gol gappa reference. It is these beautiful details that make Queen a terrific film. It also helps that Kangana Ranaut, who plays Rani, gives one of her career-best performances in the film. She is perfect as Queen and brings her own interpretation to Rani. Perhaps that explains why she was credited with additional dialogue in the opening credits.  

Queen is the story of Rani — a middle-class girl about to get married in a day — and she is jilted by her fiancé one day before their wedding. Heartbroken, she decides to go on her honeymoon alone to Paris and Amsterdam. It is there when is she on her own for the first time in her life that she comes of age and learns to let go of her past and live her life. She makes friends who bring a change in her. She realizes that love is not the only thing in life and that she deserves much better. Queen is her journey towards empowerment and emancipation. It is one of the finest coming-of-age films I have seen since Ek Main Aur Ekk Tu and English Vinglish. What makes Queen a much different film from the typical coming-of-age films is that Rani does not require love to find herself. Aditya in Jab We Met discovered his passion for music through Geet. Rahul in Ek Main Aur Ekk Tu needed Rianna to tell him that it is an excellent quality to be 'perfectly average.' Sid in Wake Up Sid needed Aisha to wake him up from his immature slumber. Arjun in Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara needed Laila to slow him down and help him visualize a parallel universe not only physically underneath the ocean but also metaphorically where people see the stars at night. In Queen, Rani finds life on her own — through observation, courage, experience, and guts — without losing her original charm, and she has friends who help her do that. Love is not a necessary ingredient for her to find life. That's what makes Queen different. There are other coming-of-age films where someone finds life, not through love. But they are few that I can recollect. Lakshya and Udaan seem to be on the top of that list.

One of the criticisms of English Vinglish was that it was not really a story of female empowerment as Shashi was already an empowered individual. She was an entrepreneur who made delicious laddoos. Just because she did not know English, she felt disrespected and powerless. Many people had said that she should have stood up to the conceit of her husband and daughter. But Queen is genuinely a brilliant statement on women's empowerment. In one of the film's amazing scenes, we see Rani's friend Sonal is walking on a treadmill, and she says to her, "Tu Amsterdam ghoom teen laundon ke saath aur hum potty dhote hain yahan." In some way, that scene pointed to what could have been Rani's life if she had married Vijay. Being the male chauvinist that Vijay was, who had said to her that he did not want Rani to work after their wedding, it was very clear that Rani would end up with the same fate as her friend Sonal — having not even a few minutes to talk to your friend, not even having the time to go the gym and washing your kid's poo all day. Some women would love to do that, but it should be their choice, not their husband's. That is the story of every girl, as another scene shows. Rani got 80% marks in her Class 12th exams, and she wanted to manage her uncle's business accounts. She said that her father said to ask Vijay if he wanted her to work after their wedding. Vijay asks her what her father wants. She has to work, and who gets to make the decision — her father or her husband. In another brilliant scene, Rani talks about how girls are not even allowed to burp openly. Beneath the veneer of the scene's jocularity was a stark statement on the social mores that a girl is expected to follow. In another great scene, Rani drives the car all by herself without the constant jibes of anyone. These and the fact that the entire film is driven by one heroine prove that Queen was also a comment on the changing dynamics of a woman's position in our society. 

Not just about female empowerment, but Queen is also a nuanced and complex film. In one of the film's brilliant scenes, Rani makes a profound statement in her drunken stupor. "Mera haal na Gupta Uncle ke jaisa ho gaya hai. Gupta Uncle ko na cancer ho gaya hai, unhone kabhi sharab nahi pi, cigarette nahi pi, phir bhi cancer ho gaya. Isse accha to pi lete. Apni mummy daddy ki har baat maani hai maine, teachers ki har baat maani hai maine, kabhi exam me cheating nahi ki, kabhi jhooth nahi bola, tu jiska naam lo uski har baat mani hai maine." A very famous quote says — If you expect the world to be fair with you because you are fair, you're fooling yourself. That's like expecting the lion not to eat you because you didn't eat him. Just because Rani has been an obedient girl all her life, it does not mean that life would be obedient to her. Because, as they say, "Shit happens." So why not live life fully without worrying about the consequences of blaming your misfortunes on life and simply move on. 

There is another insightful point that Jai Arjun Singh makes about Queen. He says here that: Perhaps part of the point – a point running through the story – is that appearances are deceptive and that everyone contains multitudes. A trio of men sniggering together at a girl who is unknowingly examining a dildo can simply be having harmless fun. The sweet-looking boy who shows up on a scooter with dozens of red balloons for his girlfriend could become a domineering, iron-fisted husband. A jovial grandmother might casually, after decades, recall an old boyfriend from whom she was separated by Partition. A hooker who displays herself in a window in red-light Amsterdam might speak in refined Urdu outside her working hours. And a "simple" West Delhi girl who was in love with the idea of being married might return from a foreign trip and happily flaunt her "single" status on Facebook. The more I think about it, the more what Jai Arjun says seems true. This holds true for other people as well. Taka, her Japanese friend, behaves like a child, but deep inside, he compensates for the parental love he used to get from his mother and father, who died in the tsunami. Vijaylakshmi, at first, is the sultry waitress who has sex with strangers, but later we find that she is also a loving mom who calls her son 'jaan', and she is as thrilled by watching the Eiffel Tower as is Rani.  

Vikas Bahl brings many such layered nuances and vignettes to Queen. When Rani checks in at the hotel in Paris, her reservation is under the name of Mr. and Mrs. Dhingra. In Amsterdam, her reservation is under her name when she checks in at the hostel. When she moves her luggage to her room in Paris, she struggles to do so, but when she takes the train to Amsterdam, she carries a backpack effortlessly. Both of these point to her metamorphosis into an independent girl with her own identity and who does not require her boyfriend or her father to hold her hand to cross the road. In the song Badra Bahar, she runs away from the Eiffel Tower and could not escape it. Wherever she goes, she finds something related to Eiffel Tower — the souvenirs, the road signs, the shadows on the car — it creeps out like a monster. The more she tries to escape it, the more it follows her. She had wanted to visit the Eiffel with Vijay, which reminded her of him. Later, she makes it a point to go to see the Eiffel with another Vijay (Vijaylakshmi) as if she has been able to confront her fears head-on. She is not afraid of it anymore, and rather than seeing it through the prism of her past, she takes it as an opportunity to get enthralled by the tower's spectacular beauty. 

When Vijay breaks up with Rani, it happens in a Cafe Coffee Day and the director shows us its tagline 'a lot can happen over coffee' as if making a statement that a lot did happen over coffee. In that excellent scene, Vijay breaks up with Rani, and we see that he clears the mehendi particles from the table that had fallen from Rani's pleading hands, indicating his haughty character. Such fine attention to characterization accentuated the film's beauty. At another point, we know that the only thing he knows to cook is the instant Maggi. He tries to woo her by offering her ice cream and a cold drink but eventually, she agrees to the more simmered and hot sweet corn soup, bringing out the contrast in both of them through the choices of the food they prefer. Vijay was indeed a male chauvinist pig. He asks her to make a tattoo of his name, but when she asks him to do the same, he makes some cheesy patronizing statement. She prefers Paris—the city of love, and he likes Amsterdam—the city of sins. 

The West Delhi middle-class life has become another genre in itself. Oye Lucky Lucky Oye, Band Baaja Baaraat, and Do Dooni Chaar also did this excellently. So, in Queen, we see bottles of Roohafza, a cooler with khas, and Amul butter in Rani's house. There is an inverter as a backup for electricity. The bank teller sits in a cubicle that has iron grillings. The family has a Maruti car. The girls go and eat dal ke pakode in the market. Rani says she is from Rajouri, India, and does not use the word Delhi as if Rajouri is altogether a different entity from Delhi. Vijay often speaks with a hard 't' just like the new trend it is now. Even after staying in France for years, the relatives she visits in Paris convert Euros into Indian currency (11 Euros = 750 Rupees). Yes, they will show off too by saying from where they learned French. Rani's brother brings a chowki for his dadi to sit when she speaks to Rani. Nobody knows what hing is called in English. But there was one scene that confused me a lot. At one point, Rani dreams about Vijay, and she sees that Vijay is dressed as a mithaiwala in one scene and as a conductor in the second scene and he says to her, "Kyunki hamara status match nahi hota." Earlier, when she was drunk, she had said about Vijay, "main Vijay se zyada good looking hun, meri dost Sonal use conductor bolti thi." I was nonplussed by the dream scene especially as to why was Vijay shown like that. Was it a real statement on the hypocrisy of the middle class bringing out the class divide where someone who is not good-looking is perceived to be like a conductor, or was it a statement on Rani's anger that a man, who is clearly not as good as her, dared to tell her that she is not of his stature? I don't know, but it made me think a lot. My friend A gave me this explanation which I think makes complete sense. Rani complied with the guy's proposal as he pursued her till she said yes, and she is a submissive person who relented. She had said that she wanted an arranged marriage, and being such a good-natured person, she could not break his heart. Though in her mind she wanted more, she never found him of her standard. Thus, when he broke off, she was angry at Vijay; she saw him as a conductor because she saw herself as better than him.

That is why Queen was a much deeper film than it is made out to be. At another point in the film, when Rani is in the hostel in Amsterdam, she is shown wearing a sweatshirt on which it is written 'Alice in Wonderland meets the White Rabbit', as if she is Alice herself, who has fallen into the wonderland and is fascinated by the creatures she meets. Aiyyaa, another brilliant film with a superb performance by Rani Mukerji, had references to Alice in Wonderland. But I digress. The whole purpose of naming Lisa Haydon's character as Vijay had a symbolic purpose as she explains, "Vijay nahi, Vijaylakshmi to hai." Even though Vijay might not be there, she has other Vijays, and therefore, she should just move on, and eventually, she would be victorious (vijay). 

The supporting cast in Queen is splendid. Rani's mother and father are played very nicely. When her mother says, "Tune sweater kyun nahi pehna jab itni thand hai", I was instantly reminded of my mom. Ab ghar ke andar thori thand hoti hai! Her brother is equally fantastic. Dadi is awesome, "Yahaan to adult picture chal rahi hai." Though, in all honesty, I was slightly irritated by that gag. It appeared very pretentious and cliched. One scene was enough, but every time Vijaylakshmi came, it was irritating. Lisa Haydon and Rajkumar Rao give excellent performances. But Queen is Kangana all the way. She brings a charming vulnerability to Rani—be it her mannerisms, her language, her emotions — it felt as is Kangana is Rani herself. That is the mark of excellent performance. The way Rani blushes and says 'lip to lip kiss' to herself when she sees Vijaylakshmi kissing a stranger, the way she makes pouting lip movements before she kisses the Italian guy, the innocence with which she calls a dominatrix belt as a normal costume belt and then later laughs it off as "foreigners find Lajpat Nagar very funny," the way she tells the non-veg Santa Banta jokes, the way she says, "Aapka nature bahut jolly hai," or "Mera naa sense of humor bahut funny hai, dheere dheere aapko pata chala" — Kanga brings a resplendent verisimilitude to Rani. She is simply outstanding.

I was thrilled by the music. Amit Trivedi's music is so good. Badra Bahar reminded me so much of Nayan Tarse from Dev D. I loved Kinare and Harjaiyan. The lyrics of Harjaiyan are lovely — became my instant favorite like Lehrein from Aisha.

Saaye saaye phirte hain jidhar mudoon,

Baithi hain ruswaaiyan bhi uske door,

Ho behla fusla ke khud ko nasihaten karun,

Jhooti muthi si, tuti-phuti si,

Ho dhundhali dhundhali si,

Main to idhar udhar phiroon.

Queen also has perhaps one of the best ending credits of a Hindi film. Wonderful. I can watch the film again just for them. I did send an email to happyrani@yahoo.com to check if the mail account is active or not. The email did not bounce back, so maybe the account is real :)

My favorite part was the film's ultimate message — que sera sera — what will be, will be. When her dadi consoles Rani, she says, "Kaun kahan mil jata hai kisko kya pata, bas apni zindagi ji aaram se bilkul, jo milna hota hai na zindagi me, vo mil ke rehta hai, use koi nahi rok sakta; jo hua accha hi hua."  That was the film's teaching to us all. Rani was dejected and heartbroken when her wedding was called off, but it opened her to a new world. Would she have been able to do that if she had gotten married? That is why in the end, she comes and returns the wedding ring to Vijay; she hugs him and gracefully thanks him. She does not hold a grudge against him because she would miss so much in life if he had not called off the wedding. Even in that moving moment, she had the grace to go to his home and call it off, unlike what Vijay did to her when he did not have the courtesy to give her a single call. And as Siddharth Dhanvant Shanghvi says, "There is nothing more critical than to exercise the generosity to let something end with the grace it started with." I do hope Rani finds the happiness she deserves. Queen made me care for her. It is a spectacular film that needs to be seen.

Hungama Ho Gaya

Dialogue of the day:

"French Toast..nahi yeh na sirf India me hi milta hai." 

— Rani, Queen

Goliyon Ki Rasleela Ram-Leela

After waiting in anticipation of Goliyon Ki Rasleela Ram-Leela for nearly six months, I finally got a chance to watch it a few days ago. Let me first make a confession. I am a big fan of Sanjay Leela Bhansali and I have loved every single film of his. From the resplendent radiance of Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam to the golden grandeur of Devdas to the bewildering brilliance of Saawariya, each of his films has enthralled me in its own way. I have been accused of being hagiographic in my writings on films. I can accept that charge for other films, given my ability to over-analyze situations, but I do not agree with the same for his films. As B. Rangan says, "Stop trying to figure out what the director intended, only he knows; besides, there’s no guarantee that what he wanted to make is actually what he’s ended up making and trust the tale, not the teller." The depth of Bhansali's films is so immense that I feel happy if I understand only a small portion of them. Of all the countless reviews of Ram Leela that I read after watching it, not one of them talked about the movie's underlying theme. Without digressing further, let me talk about Goliyon Ki Rasleela Ram-Leela.

Ram Leela is an adaptation of William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet - a tale of the romance of two lovers from two feuding families. Bhansali's Romeo is Ram, and his Juliet is Leela (his real-life mother's name). The film is set in rural Gujarat with two families called Saneda and Rajadi. The film is the story of Ram and Leela caught in the melee of the warring clans, who eventually sacrifice themselves for peace between the two communities. The story's plot is a hackneyed one but as he does in other films, in Ram Leela too, Bhansali uses his deft and expansive imagination to give us a melange of colors that is a sheer visual treat for the eyes. No one can use the camera with such accomplishment the way he does.

Bhansali uses many recurring and vivid leitmotifs in Ram Leela. My favorite was the one on the peacock. In Hinduism, the peacock is associated with Lakshmi, a deity representing benevolence, patience, kindness, compassion, and good luck. The feather of the peacock is also associated with Lord Krishna, who was loved by his numerous gopis with whom he played Raas Leela. The peacock symbolizes beauty, prosperity, royalty, love, compassion, soul, and peace. In Buddhism, a peacock symbolizes purity, and its feathers are used for purification ceremonies. In Bhansali's world, the peacock is a metaphor for love. His hero, Ram, is the peacock who spreads the message of love everywhere as, at one point, he says, "Make love, not war." I lost count of the times I saw something or the other related to a peacock in the movie. In fact, I felt this film was a tribute to the peacock. In the beginning title credits of the movie, Bhansali writes a eulogy for Late Jhaverchand Meghani for using his song Mor Bani Thangat Kare in the film. The film begins with that song, a lyrical melody that signifies the happiness of the human heart in dancing like a peacock.

The movie opens, and we see a group of women in the first scene. In the background, we hear the screaming of a peacock. From there till the end, Bhansali adorns Ram Leela with the peacocks. When Ram meets Leela in the Romeo-and-Juliet-inspired balcony scene, a peacock is beside her which flies away when Ram enters. Later, when Ram enters Leela's room, the conversation they have is filled with peacock-related metaphors. Ram says, "Mor ko bhi vohi chahiye jo humein chahiye"; to which Leela replies, "Mor apna pankh kholte hai aur bas dance karte hai." Ram says, "Karne se pehle hum kapde kholte hai vo pankh kholte hai." Then Raseela knocks on the door and says, "Tera mor nikla nahi abhi tak", confirming that Ram is the peacock. The cushions and the pillows in Leela's room are all of the peacock color. Again, the song Mor Bani Thangat Kare plays in the background.

Peacock

Peacock Cushions

At one point in the movie, Raseela says to Leela, "Main sab samajhti hun main tere kamre se kaunse more ka shor aata hai." In another scene, Ram comes to visit Leela again, we see that while going back to her room, Leela uses a tree and Ram also joins her. I mean when she has the stairs available to go back why will she climb the tree? Because peacocks and peahens climb the trees, they both do too as they are the embodiment of the love represented by the peacock.

Climbing trees like peacocks

Later in the movie, when Leela is forced to return to her place, she recites several messages and one of them reads, "Morni bina mor kis kaam ka, yeh sindur hai Ram naam ka." At another point in the movie, when Dhankor invites Ram to her place, she sends a dead peacock to Ram and says, "Humare beech me mor bahut bolne lage the, lekin ab dushmani no more." Again, this unambiguously was referring to the fact that she is going to kill him as lately some peacocks (love) were speaking among them.

Morni bina mor kis kaam ka, yeh sindur hai Ram naam ka

Dead peacock

After Dhankor cuts Leela's finger and she is lying in her bed, Ram comes and puts a blood-stained mark on her window as if he has cut his finger too, as he wants to go through the same pain Leela is going through. When she wakes up and goes out to the balcony, a peacock is seen fluttering its winds symbolizing that Ram is the peacock that came to visit her. This was my favorite scene in the movie.

Peacock flying away - The symbol of Ram.

Another scene that demonstrated Bhansali's creative ingenuity was the rape that never happened. After Raseela is assaulted by Rajadi men, Dhankor sanctions the same for Kesar. When Saneda men are running after Kesar, Bhansali creates an enthralling sequence like that of the prey and the predator - just like there are goats in that scene. Again, a peacock is seen fluttering its feathers on a tree. I was stumped by this scene as to what it meant. The peacock's presence in that scene was bewildering because the peacock represents Ram. Why is he there? Then, I thought about it a lot and I think that the peacock's presence in that scene was like Lord Krishna's in Mahabharata during Draupadi's cheer haran. As one might recall, Duryodhana had ordered the disrobement of Draupadi when the Pandavas lost the gamble and none of the adults raised a voice to stop that. Draupadi then prayed to Lord Krishna, who protected her by providing her with an endless piece of cloth. Think of the similarities here. Kesar's assault is ordered by Dhankor. Draupadi and Krishna were devar-bhabhi, and the same applies to Kesar and Ram. The peacock's presence in that scene perhaps referred to the notion that he would protect her just like Lord Krishna did. At one point, Kesar's dupatta is picked up by Bhavani (like Dushasan) but eventually, nothing happens to her. Ram was not only Ram but Krishna as well because, in the song Ang Laga De, we see Ram as Krishna. I take the liberty of the Mahabharata reference because, at one point in the movie, there is a line in the film that says, "Pet se Abhimanyu bhi seekh ke aya tha, lekin chakravyuh se vo bhi bahar nahi nikla."

Lord Krishna saving Draupadi

There are peacock-related items everywhere. Be it a brass artifact or a showpiece in Leela's room. 

Brass statue on the table is a peacock

Peacock pen holder

Now, let me talk about the songs and the choreography which I loved like anything. The music has actually been composed by Bhansali himself and it is so good that it makes me wonder if there is anything that he cannot do it. I was amazed by the spiritual connections in every song of the film.

When I had first heard and watched the song Tattad Tattad, I was indifferent to it but when I watched it in the context of the movie, I was thrilled by its brilliance. The song is an introductory sequence of Bhansali's eponymous hero, Ram. With this song, Bhansali shows us that not only is Ram an avatar of Lord Rama but he also imbibes characteristic elements of other deities. There are pictures of Lord Rama everywhere. But there is also Lord Krishna in the song. The dancers with blue bodies who are wearing peacock feathers in their heads symbolized Lord Krishna. At one point, some girls faint on seeing him as if they are Krishna's gopis. The song is shot in Hanuman Gali and there are some dancers dressed as Hanuman. Some shops and carts are named Somnath and have a 'shivling' painted on them. Thus, Bhansali's hero Ram is an amalgamation of all these deities. He has Lord Rama's virtue, Krishna's playfulness, Shiva's power of destruction, and Hanuman's loyalty - which as we later see in the movie will fit him perfectly. Besides that, several other birds and animals are present in the song. There is a parrot, which is symbolic of Kama Dev. The vehicle of Kam Dev is a parrot. At one point later in the movie, Ram's brother Megh remarked, "Dekho sakshat Kam Dev chale aa rahe hain." Not only was Kam Dev a symbol of the philandering nature of Ram, but also a reference to Brahma too because, according to some legends, Kam Dev is the son of Brahma. There is a big bird in the song which was a representation of Garuda who is the vehicle of Vishnu. There are many shops named after Lakshmi who is the wife of Vishnu. Thus, this song has the holy trinity in the song - Brahma, Vishnu (Lord Ram and Krishna are Vishnu's incarnations), and Mahesh (Shiv). Did I mention the numerous peacocks? :) Also, if you notice, Ram's dance move, especially the signature movement of the hand behind the head, is very symbolic of a peacock's dancing. I was convinced that Ram is the peacock from this song itself.

Lord Rama

Parrot - Kam Dev

Dancing like peacock

Lord Krishna and peacock feathers

Hanuman in Hanuman Gali

Garuda and Lakshmi

Somnath and shivling

The second song Lahu Munh Lag Gaya is another gorgeous piece of choreography in the film. Bhansali uses more peacocks in this song as well. The lamps that are being lit at the back have peacocks! Also, Ram's neck is peacock colored. Even Leela's earrings are in the shape of peacock wings. Beautiful lyrics and even more beautiful choreography.

Peacock lamps

Peacock colored neck

This song reminded me so much of Aankhon ki Gustaakhiyaan from Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam. The scene where Sameer burns his hand on the diya is exactly similar to the way Ram burns his hand on the diya. Also, the garba dance scenes are present in both the songs.

Lamp

In the item song Ram Chahe Leela, there are more peacocks. The song begins with a peacock's painting. The curtains have peacocks. The lyrics have peacocks. The dancing has so many peacock-related steps. If these were not enough, even Priyanka's dress has peacocks!

Lage saare dushman

Dikhe sab mein chor

Teri balcony mein betha ek mor

Moron ki hai mistake

Ram-Leela badnaam

Peacock painting

Peacock curtains

Peacock on her top

Nagada Sang Dhol Baaje is another colorful and exquisitely choreographed song in the movie. There are some deep spiritual undertones to this song as well. This song reminded me of Dhol Baaje from Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam. Nagada Sang is a tribute to Shabri from Ramayana. Shabri was a devotee of Lord Rama and she is singing to him. She is eagerly waiting for him and wants him to come to her and bless her. She has brought betels for him. She is asking Lord Rama to stay at her ashram as she wants to have the honor of serving him. But Lord Ram politely refuses and tells her that he can’t do that as his wife Sita is all alone at their hut and she is anticipating him and Lakshman, his brother. 

Leeli lemdi re
Leelo nagarvel no chhod

Parbhu parodh na re

Maar gher uttaara karta jaao

Utaaro nahi karun re

Maar gher Sita juve vaat

Sita ekla re

Juve ram-lakhman ni vaat.

In this song too, there are references to peacocks as one line talks about how the peacocks are singing in the gardens. The lamp that Leela lights has a peacock on it and even the bells have peacocks on them.

Baagon mein bola, bola re bola mor,

Badla re dil ka bhoogol.

What was also fascinating was the presence of trimurti in this song too. The sculpture at the top of the building has a trimurti that is a replica of the one in Elephanta Caves in Mumbai. Dhankor prays to the pot that has water used to worship Ambe Maa. She becomes so lost in it as if the goddess' spirit has entered into her as we say 'mata ayi hai.' 

Peacock bells and trimurti

Peacock lamp

Wow!

Ambe Maa in Dhankor

Trimurti - Elephanta Caves

Another song that left me spellbound was Ang Laga De Re. The song begins when Leela lights a lamp and we see a painting of Radha and Krishna (with a peacock feather again!). Radha is Leela and Krishna is Ram. Leela is praying to Goddess Lakshmi, who as I mentioned earlier, is also associated with a peacock. She is trying to seduce Ram. The song is picturized splendidly and is imbued with divine motifs, such as the gorgeous paintings of Raja Ravi Verma. Outside the window, we see some temples and a religious procession of a group of saints who in all likelihood are carrying a palki of Lord Krishna and Radha to get them married. In that precise moment, we hear the sound of the temple bells and the Vedic chants as if the priests have blessed the wedding of not only Krishna and Radha but our own Ram and Leela. Ram puts sindoor on Leela's head at that very moment. Thereafter, Ram and Leela engage in passionate lovemaking signifying their sacred union has been blessed by the gods. Beautifully conceptualized and executed. Loved it.

Radha and Krishna - Ram and Leela

Praying to Raja Ravi Verma's Lakshmi

Spiritual motifs on the wall

Radha Krishna wedding outside

Like Ram and Leela wedding inside

Thus, in some way or the other, the songs of Ram Leela contained something or the other based on a peacock. I was just stunned by the beauty of the songs. My slight disappointment was that my favorite song from the film Laal Ishq was not there at all. It was there only in bits and pieces. I would have loved to see what Bhansali does with that lilting melody. I am sure he would have done it fabulously. But the one song I absolutely hated was Ishqiyaon Dhishkiyaon. After watching such masterpieces, I was confounded as to why exactly that song was there because it was so un-Bhansaliesque. The deep meaning of the songs is without a doubt the best thing about Ram Leela. I have been watching them again and again and just can't get enough of them, teaching me something new every single time.

In the final scene of the film, when Ram and Leela are being carried away, we see a peacock on the terrace again symbolizing that in the end, their love triumphed to bring peace between the two communities.

Peacock triumphs

The countless peacock references were not there at random. I think there was a definite reason for them or a method to the film's madness. In my earlier post, I had written about Bhansali's favorite filmmakers. He had said the following were his favorite films.

• Pakeezah: Because it is Kamal Amrohi and Meena Kumari’s film. Because of its beautifully expressed anguish. And it’s a great film.
• Mirch Masala: The interpretation of a village girl and a beautifully made film by Ketan Mehta.
• Mughal-E-Azam: Because it’s sheer genius. Every second of the film is excellent.
• Do Ankhen Barah Haath: V Shantaram is my favorite filmmaker. I am most impressed, inspired, and influenced by him.
• 36 Chowrangee Lane: Aparna Sen’s best work, and it will always be. It’s a beautiful film, and Jennifer Kapoor gives a wonderful performance.

In Saawariya, he paid tribute to his favorite filmmaker, V. Shantaram, by using the song Ae Malik Tere Bande Hum from Do Aankhe Barah Haath. In Ram Leela, Bhansali again pays tribute to his favorite filmmaker, V. Shantaram. These whole peacock references were a tribute to V. Shnataram's Jhanak Jhanak Payal Baje. I have not seen that film, but when I searched on V. Shantaram and Peacock, I got results for the film. Jhanak Jhanak Payal Baje had many references to peacocks. Thus, Bhansali pays tribute to his favorite filmmaker again. His love for the peacock was his love for his favorite filmmaker. This is the first time he has given such a homage to V. Shantaram. Also, in Ram Leela, Bhansali pays tribute to Mirch Masala, his other favorite film by Ketan Mehta. Dhankor had a business of spices that was so reminiscent of Mirch Masala. 

Jhanak Jhanak Payal Baje

Mirch Masala and Ram Leela

Now, let me come to my other favorite part of the movie. Not only is Ram Leela a tribute to peacocks, but this is Bhansali's love song for Raja Ravi Verma. His paintings are everywhere. Almost all of his paintings are used somewhere or another. I was so fascinated by the paintings that I read about them everywhere I could. I had seen some of his paintings earlier, but now, after reading and seeing so many of them, I can say I am a big Ravi Verma fan. His paintings are charming and graceful. His portrayal of female characters is especially worth noting. Bhansali places these paintings strategically depending on the situation and the character. From Leela's rooms that have a picture of Shakuntala waiting for her Bharat to Dhankor's house, where there is a painting of Maneka and her daughter Shakuntala, to the lodge where Ram and Leela stayed that had paintings of a romantic couple, to the gorgeous Ram Leela procession in the climax that had paintings of Ram and Sita. These paintings simply accentuated the level of the film for me. 

Raja Ravi Verma Paintings

Raja Ravi Verma Paintings

Raja Ravi Verma Paintings

Raja Ravi Verma Paintings

Raja Ravi Varma's Shakuntala in the Forest

Raja Ravi Verma's Maneka and Shakuntala

Romantic Couple in the painting

Ramayana related Raja Ravi Verma paintings

Ramayana related Raja Ravi Verma paintings

Ramayana related Raja Ravi Verma paintings

Ramayana related Raja Ravi Verma paintings

And these are the some of the originals:

The final Ram Leela procession was simply amazing. So colorful. I loved it. I so wish I had seen them on the big screen.

Wow!

Bhansali creates wonderful characters in Leela and Dhankor. His Leela is impulsive, brave, and sexually liberated. She dares to kiss a stranger in front of many people without thinking of the consequences. She reads the raunchy Mills & Boon's The Duke's Cinderella Bride; she has bags of Marilyn Monroe and Audrey Hepburn; she has paintings of Shakuntala in her room as she waits for her own Bharat. At one point, Ram tells her, "Jitni tu sexy hai, utni danger hai." Without a doubt, she had a rebellious streak in her. That may be because of her dictatorial mother. At one point, she says to Ram, "Dushman hai tabhi to aankhen lad rahi thi baar baar tujhse?"

Audrey Hepburn and Marilyn Monroe bags

Mills & Boon's The Duke's Cinderella Bride

Dhankor is also a very powerful character. She is very strong from the exterior or tries to be. There were spiritual shades to her character as well. When her son dies, she does not shed a tear and just recites a shlok from Geeta. Her house had walls on which shlokas were written. Even the curtains in her house had shlokas written on them.

Nainam chindanti shastrani
Nainam dahati pavakah

Na chainam kledayanty apo

Na sosayati marutah

Shloka curtains

Shloka walls

Bhansali uses his own trademark styles in the narrative. Like in Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam and Saawariya, the bridge played an important role, here also he gives us a similar device. So, when Bhavani comes and picks Leela from the lodge, Ram tries to swim to the other shore. There is no bridge here, and at the end of the scene, he is left floating in the middle of the lake, just like his love life. Neither can he get her nor go back to his clan. He is left stranded in the middle with nowhere to go. He can not reach the shore just like he can't do that in his own life. He is left swimming all by himself.

Stranded in the middle

I also felt the scene where Bhavani takes Leela through the narrow alleys was symbolic of the extreme narrow-mindedness and the shallowness of the two communities. Bhansali also uses the weather as a metaphor for the situation. When Kanji and Megh die, it is raining. When Ram and Leela begin their relationship, the sun is shining in the desert. When they are running away, the sky becomes grey symbolic of the troubles and the path ahead for them. When Leela is snatched away from him, he is left in the desert, which is dry and windy. When Leela is reading to her mother saying, "Kal Ram Leela ka aakhri din", Bhansali already told us right ahead symbolically that they both will die tomorrow.

Narrow alleys and narrow-mindedness

Grey skies - trouble lies ahead

In the end, when Ram and Leela are about to shoot each other, they end up in the same pose they had first met during Holi. Their positions are now reversed, and the color of Holi has turned into the darkness of Dussehra. Bhansali can make tragedy look so beautiful.

Gorgeous

Gorgeous again

Also, Ram Leela has many references to Bhansali's earlier films. As mentioned earlier, the songs look very similar to Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam. The garden where Ram and Leela meet reminded Devdas and Paro's meeting place in Devdas. The use of mirrors was so reminiscent of Saawariya. In Saawariya, we saw Mona Lisa curtains. Here we see a shop that is named Monalisa. When I researched on Bhansali and Mona Lisa, a link cropped up that said Bhansali wanted Guzaarish's actress Monikangana Dutta to change her name to Mona Lisa. Does he then think himself of a painter like Leonardo da Vinci? I will keep that in mind for his future films :) The use of Bhavai in Ram Leela was also reminiscent of Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam. Ladke vale London ke, aye kitne tan tan ke, noch noch ke rakh lenge, yahi daboch ke rakh lenge, ta taiyya taiyya taiyya thai.

Monaleesa shops

Mona Lisa curtains

Mirrors

Mirrors

At one point in the movie, we see that Ram falls in the water. I was instantly reminded of Lootera because both the scenes look so similar. Vikramaditya Motwane who is the director of Lootera was the assistant of Sanjay Leela Bhansali. Like a teacher, like a student :)

Lootera

Ram Leela

There were a number of things that I failed to understand. I thought and researched a lot but just could not find the link. In the song Tattad Tattad, there is a poster of a Gujarati play that is shown in the background. The play is called Preet Piyu N Parnetar. I tried really hard to search more about it but at best I could only find its poster. I was not able to find out what is it about.

Preet Piyu N Panetar

At one point in the movie, when Kesar is running to save herself from Saneda men, we see a rolling brass pot. I am very much sure it meant something by the way it was shot. I couldn't understand what was Bhansali trying to say. When I tried to find some Gujarati connection, I found a poster of the same play Preet Piyu N Parnetar with a woman having a brass pot in her hand. Are then these two linked in some way? I have no idea. Maybe talking to some Gujarati would help :)

Brass Pot

Preet Piyu N Panetar

I just could not figure out what is written on Priyanka's waist and Leela's neck. It is in Hindi, but whatever is written is beyond my comprehension.

Who is behind?

In the beginning credits, Bhansali pays a tribute to his parents Navin and Leela. His love for his mother is so strong that he has taken his middle name after her and named this film after her. And Lady Popo is his dog. Is this the first film by an Indian director dedicated to his dog? :)

My favorite dialogues:

"Ghurror me doobe samandar ko bhi kya pata tha ki vo ek din banjar ran ban jayega, jab uska guroor nahi tika to hum aur aap kya hai baap ji." – Ram

"Dushman se pyaar nibhana har kise ke bas ki baat nahi hai." – Ram

"Gusse me isne nafrat chunni, tu pyaar chun." – Raseela

"Green hai angoor, kela peela hai, kehdo saari duniya se sirf Raam ki Leela hai." – Leela

"Jab Ram naam ka raag lage to paani me bhi aa lage." – Leela

"Jaan bhi nikaal li, aur zindai bhi chhod diya." – Raseela

Performances are excellent. I loved Deepika and Supriya Pathak. Deepika is a star, and she is getting stunning with every film. Ranveer is good, but I felt his character was too over the top for my sensibilities. The supporting cast is excellent, especially Richa Chaddha and Barkha Bisht. A special mention for Ravi Varman's gorgeous cinematography, without which any Bhansali film is incomplete. Wasiq Khan's production design is fabulous. Loved his article in Mint: Wasiq Khan | How to blend in and stand out

My biggest problem, actually, is not a problem; it is just more of an opinion that Ram Leela showed a very different Bhansali. He is not the Bhansali of Saawariya or the Bhansali of Black. Yes, there are shades of the Bhansali of Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam. This Bhansali reminded me more of Anurag Kashyap and Vishal Bharadwaj. The show of guns, the lyrics of Ishkiyaaon Dishkiyaaon, the rambunctiousness of his hero, and the ephemeral nature of taking away someone's life - all these made me somewhat uncomfortable. I am an old-school Bhansali fan. It was as if Bhansali was showing the world that I, too, can make a film like the Kashyaps and this new breed of filmmakers. In fact, in that scene when Leela says to Ram, "Tere to baal hi nahi hai," it was as if he is taking revenge on Anurag Kashyap for mocking his Devdas in Dev D. In a pre-coital scene in Dev D, Paro takes off Dev's shirt and says, "Tere bade baal hai." Later, Anurag had used Bhansali's Devdas in his film. In Ram Leela, I felt Bhansali was giving it back to the world that I, too, can make such films. 

Chanda and Chandramukhi

Dev and Devdas

Also, the film's story has been done to death, most recently in Ishaqzaade. I knew exactly how it was going to turn out. I was somewhat disappointed by the storyline and this new Bhansali. But what I loved was the old Bhansali who instills spiritual undertones in the film, shows me the sheer resplendence of the colors, fascinates me with the gorgeousness of his heroines, enthralls me with the stupendousness of his imagination, and forces me to peel the layers. I love this old Bhansali and hope he will continue to treat us with his gems. Ram Leela might not be his best work, but it gave me enough to gorge on. I will always be a Sanjay Leela Bhansali fan. I wish I could get to meet and learn from him someday. 

Dialogue of the day:

"Bada badtameez, besharam, khudgarz hota hai lekn pyaar to aisa hi hota hai." 

— Raseela, Goliyon Ki Rasleela Ram-Leela