What hype has been created around this movie!! First, the music created a flutter with its folksy-fusion feel and energy, then the promotions with Ranveer and Deepika, literally scorching the telly with their chemistry and finally, the audience reaction post the release. Now a days, I just hear Ram-Leela (Krissh and the other movies seem to have disappeared from discussions.
Coming back to the movie, this is a Either-you-hate-it or You-Love-it movie. You know its surreal, but it still captivates you. You know its illlogical, but you still want to sit through it. You will find over 47 minutes of songs in the movie and compare it with chayyageet but you will still sit through it. The movie is compulsive, obsessive and fatally grand.
Sanjay Leela Bhansali has painted a canvas of Gujarat - Vibrant Gujarat (Modi inspired???) , with a riot of colours, music and explosive emotions. A violent gujarat seems almost a paradox, but love and violence are shown to go hand in hand. As the credits bring out - This movie is SLB's version of Romeo and Juliet - by Shakespeare and believe me, it captures the essence, the comedy, the tragedy of the original. The emotions are unrestricted in their intensity, be it hate, love or sadness.
The backdrop of the film is in the Rann of Kutch and the life of two warring clans - Sanedo's and Rajri's. Sanedo's are rich, Rajri's are poor. They both deal in arms - in fact, guns and bullets are sold in the open along with potatoes and bread. The enmity between the clans dates back over 500 years.
Ram - Ranveer Singh- the son of the head of the Rajri clan - runs a porn parlour and other such businesses and leela-Deepika is the daughter of the head of the Sanedo Clan - Supriya Pathak . The story revolves around how they meet, fall in love and overcome obstacles.. but as this is an adaptation of Romeo and Juliet , you know how this ends. We all wait for the HOW????
Herein in lies the movies weakness. Amidst the grandeur, the photography and music, the script meanders, it flounders and finally comes to life in the endgame, but fails to please as it been left too late. The twist is brilliant, but I only wish it had come near the interval. Too many songs take away the urgency and intensity of the movie and make the audience believe that the director wanted a long movie, so he stretched it. A shorter, snappier movie would have made this movie a brilliant one.
The lead pair are brilliant - Deepika is effortlessly sexy and confident, Ranveer is the Alpha Male with a soft side and together they make a potent combination. The unabashed sexual chemistry portrayed between Deepika and Ranveer is a
refreshing change from the subtle and muted scenes we are used to... :)
The songs are beautifully composed, but there are far too many of them - too much of a good thing is also bad!!! The best song is "Nagada Sang Dhol" as its a visual treat and the start of the endgame. The picturisation is a visual delight with the Sanedo's in Red and white and Ranveer in Blue. I just loved the contrast, the mood the song portrays... here's a look
Ram Leela could've been the first movie I would have given five stars to, but the script and editing have let it down - But please watch this movie on a large screen, and get immersed in it. Leave logic aside and soak in the emotions the lead pair go through. Feel the excitement, the pounding heartbeats and remember the first time you fell in love, that feeling of never wanting to let her/him go, to spend every waking moment in his/her arms, the wretched feeling of separation, the sinking feeling when you both fought, the tears, the joy..
The "leela" that SLB tried create didn't quite work out to be perfect... but hey.. just do it..
Rating : ***1/2
