Bajirao Mastani review | Deepika’s performance makes it a good one-time watch

Bajirao Mastani explores the romantic side of 18th-century Maratha general Bajirao Ballal Bhat played by Ranveer Singh, who fought and won 40 battles against the Mughals with an aim to create a unified Hindu kingdom.

Deepika Padukone plays Mastani, the Peshwa's second wife who's scarcely recorded history gave Sanjay Leela Bhansali a beautiful premise of a love story that has never been explored onscreen. However, he makes it a tiring affair: Laden with the burden of self-indulgence and dramatic “dialoguebaazi”, the film drags on at its own sweet and laid-back pace.

The actors offer relief in this period saga, especially Deepika as she enters the scene with sparkling brilliance, stepping up the tempo every time she is in the frame.Priyanka Chopra's subtle performance adds grace to her character of Kashibai, the Peshwa's first wife.

If you appreciate Sanjay Leela Bhansali's opulence and grandeur, this won't disappoint. It can be a good one-time watch, for Deepika's performance, if not anything else.