Ram-leela: what's new and what's not

There are some things you expect in a Bhansali film. Ram-leela, however, has many fresh features. Here's listing five elements that were unique to the treatment of Ram-leela and five which the director decided to borrow from his previous films:

Sanjay Leela Bhansali has a trademark style to filmmaking. There are some things you expect in a Bhansali film. This film, however, has many fresh features. Here's listing five elements that were unique to the treatment of Ram-leela and five which the director decided to borrow from his previous films:

What's new: In a typical Sanjay Leela Bhansali film, romantic moments are restricted to hugs and 'aankhon ki gustaakhiyan'. It goes much beyond that in Ram-leela, where the lead pair Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh indulge in countless kissing sequences.
What's not: The way Deepika and Ranveer's romance develops, it reminds you of Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam.

What's new: The fast pace keeps you at the edge of your seat, unlike a usual Bhansali flick, which flows at a leisurely pace; this one doesn't give you time to sit and appreciate the background and frames.
What's not: But then Bhansali has borrowed a lot of frames and settings from his previous films like Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam and Devdas.

What's new: The dialogues are laced with expletives and sexual innuendoes. It gels well with the theme of the film that basically is a love story of two people from rival warring gangs.
What's not: The dialogues flow like a poetry which is very typical of Bhansali.

What's new: The actress fires gunshots.
What's not: Deepika's chunky accessories remind us of Aishwarya's jewellery in Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam.

What's new: The action sequences take you out of Bhansali's usual beautiful world of picture-perfect frames. The violent scenes though are shot aesthetically.
What's not: In one scene Supriya Pathak chops off Deepika's finger leaving her in a pool of blood. Now, if you recall there is scene in Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam where Aishwarya cuts her wrist and has a bloodied hand too. The scenes seem to have been picturised in a similar fashion.