Ram-Leela



Hindi (U/A) **



Director: Sanjay Leela Bhansali



Cast: Ranveer Singh, Deepika Padukone, Supriya Pathak, Raza Murad, Homi Wadia, Richa Chaddha





Nothing can kill your enthusiasm for a film faster than knowing that it belongs to a particular genre, is based on a real incident, or on a work of fiction. You know how it ends — the boy gets the girl, an unlikely hero saves the day, or the protagonists die.



So far, the only recent film that has bucked this trend is Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na, where you know what happens in the end, but you are more interested in the “how”.



Sanjay Leela Bhansali's name inspires a similar eagerness when one sits down for Goliyon Ki Rasleela Ram-Leela (henceforth referred to Ram-Leela for brevity), but one comes out asking oneself, did the film really need to be made? Sure, the bright and radiant colours, a grand scale of narration and some good acting do a lot to mitigate the disappointment. But where is the heart of the film? The brain is there, as is evident from a few interesting plot twists and some really sparkling verbal exchanges, but when does Ram-Leela get you to shed some tears? Especially when you are told in the second frame itself that the film is inspired by William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet?





That last sentence should end the need to iterate the story, so let’s concentrate on the other aspects, like music. Or not.



The tunes are melodious, but somewhat cliched, explained by Bhansali donning the composer’s hat. But how do you explain away anachronisms like a thriving, lush-green semi-urban setting in the middle of the Rann in Gujarat? Or why do the womenfolk walk miles to get drinking water, while using the local reservoir to float oil-lit lamps on festivals?



There’s not much sheen in the acting department, too, barring a few sparkling dialogues mouthed by Ranveer and Supriya Pathak.



One wishes Deepika had a little more to do than utter rhymes that become inane after a time.



It’s time Bhansali learnt that literature-backed films don't spell success. Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, Devdas and Black may bear evidence to the contrary, but Ram-Leela should be his wake-up call.



The time has come for him to bring back some from his Khamoshi days whatever that made people laugh and cry simultaneously.