Panipat Movie Review: Pans out like fun school-history

PanipatDirector Ashutosh GowarikerUA HistoricalActors Arjun Kapoor Sanjay Dutt Kriti SanonRatingIn its timeline in history this film falls only about 20 years ahead of when Sanjay Leela Bhansalis Bajirao Mastani 2015 is set within the same empirefamily the Marathas with actor Ranveer Singh playing the male lead in that one Further the antagonist Ahmad Shah Abdali from Afghanistan as an invading Muslim rulercommander might seem to some as quite similar to Alauddin Khalji if you may mdash although from over four centuries before again with Singh in that part in Bhansalis subsequent release Padmaavat 2018Arjun Kapoor plays the Maratha warrior Sadashivrao Bhau in this film Sanjay Dutt is cast as Abdali He led the battle this film is named afterBoth lead actors play their respective roles very differently from how Singh interpreted the two supposedly similar parts in the abovementioned Bhansali movies To be clear they both in fact play it down mdash Kapoor in particular allows the narrative to overpoweringly take precedence over his presence on screen alone This is a smart thing to do and a sure sign of confidenceSize for a warrior matters Both Kapoor and Dutt in that sense fit their roles like reasonably tight gloves That said where exactly does Panipat fit into the scheme of Indian history itself Right on top for the crackling story being told mdashof a conventional war with possibly the highest number of casualties over a single day But the film belongs to an even more interesting space given that history is inevitably told through the wordseyes of the victor This one is from the lens of the loser so to sayWere looking at the Third Battle of Panipat 1761 mdash Abdalis army from Kandahar and his local allies versus the Marathas based in Pune along with military alliances they stitched with friendlyprotectorate states A similar sort of diplomacy played out to bring together various princely states against the East India Company during the Revolt of 1857 relived most recently with Kangana Ranauts Manikarnika 2019 mdash also a story told from the side of the defeated The fact is that the Marathas lost the Third Battle of Panipat even if valiantly so as it were Why did the battle take place to begin with Due to the Mughals in Delhi mdash in decline at the time reduced to near tenants of the Marathas looking to avenge hurt egos and inviting Afghans for help in this regardAnd then what happened I could tell you more of all that Ive learnt But the fact is mdash thats really the whole point purpose besides plot of this entire picture More than a period film a costume drama a Bollywood musical a war memorial a battlefield actioner Panipat is essentially a lesson in history that might have occupied at best a page in your NCERTschool text And so you know so little of what transpired between kings and their cohorts as they conspired and cornered each other to battle it out at a neutral field mdash laying to rest around a lakh lives eventuallyDirector Ashutosh Gowariker plays it even straighter than his actors sticking to recreating facts as accessedinterpreted by him The film as a result you might notice feels flat in certain portions lacking a natural rhythm of dramatic highs and lows and seeming long overallWatch the trailer ofArjun Kapoor Sanjay Dutt Kriti Sanon starrer Panipat hereBe that as it may you can tell within this structure the germ of a global web series that similarly delves deep into the minutiae of Indias history with massive production budgets and all technological wares in place mdash a luxury director Shyam Benegal couldnt afford when he set out to make the 53part historical drama Bharat Ek Khoj for Doordarshan in the late 80sAnd theres in fact plenty to admire about aspects that Panipat touches upon through its storytelling Whether that be the significant role for women actor Kriti Sanon has a strong part mdash otherwise uncommon for a warbattlefield film That we even peer at how armies running into tens of thousands would be fed daily meals marching over a thousand and half kilometres to take on the enemy in Panipat from Pune for instanceOr indeed the fact that Gowariker doesnt overtly frame this battle into a unidimensional one between Hindus and Muslims mdash feeding into the invadernative narrative which morphs into a dangerous migrant versus locals canard in presentday populist politics History regardless of age has been dictated more by insecurities egos greed and avarice than religion or race Even if subtly the film does make this point Does it hit homerun with all of it moving you to bits and tears taking you through exhilaration and anxiety Im afraid not exactlyAll said and done did it surpass my personal expectations Hell yeah Both Lagaans Oscarnominated director Gowariker Whats Your Rashee Khelein Hum Jee Jaan Sey Mohenjo Daro and the films leading man Kapoor Half Girlfriend Namaste England Indias Most Wanted havent quite been having a great run with the said material theyve put out in the recent past If it helps for you to know this is by far their most accomplished work in a long while A better reference for you to judge this film by mdash its infinitely better than its tardy trailer Thats most important to knowCatch up on all the latest entertainment news and gossip here Also download the new midday Android and iOS apps to get latest updates