I’m not sure whether to feel bad for or be critical of Bhansali. But here’s the thing (hello Karni Sena, I am talking to you): your disappointment and disapproval of a film can coexist with the film itself. You can watch a film, and disagree with it, but still not hold a country to ransom. Just a thought.

Padmaavat is a surefire hit and has all the trappings of a blockbuster. If the film is allowed to be screened peacefully all over India, it has the potential to smash box-office records. But opposition by Rajputs and failure of government machinery in various parts of the country, prompting many exhibitors to refrain from screening the film for fear of damage to the cinemas, will definitely take its toll on the film’s business unless corrective action is taken soon. The 3D conversion (by Prime Focus) is very well done and that will be an added attraction for the audience as the grand sets look grander in 3D.

Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s film is a visual delight and thoroughly entertaining fare, courtesy the epic performance by Ranveer Singh. It talks about Rajput pride and there is nothing that will offend anyone. At least, I couldn’t find anything that can be termed offensive in anyway. And there is no dream sequence between Khilji and Padmavati.

The only lessons worth taking from Padmaavat are sartorial, but this thin epic is likely to be parsed for meaning by millions in the coming weeks. When none emerges, we’ll likely do what we’ve always done—fall back on tradition.

Padmaavat has raised the bars in terms of cinematography, music and production design, the film has authentically registered the richness of Rajput Kingdom, the lifestyle of Khiljis and their practices. Though the film’s runtime is 163 minutes, it engages you from the start to the end. Special mention to the team who is in charge for the Tamil dubbing, they have done a brilliant job and in fact, we slowly begin to feel as if we are watching a direct Tamil film.

The colours, costumes and jewellery scream luxury and weigh the actors down but very strangely I also felt the glitzy spectacle getting dwarfed in 3D IMAX. The opulence doesn’t seem as awe-inspiring, the special effects, especially in some of the battle scenes, are plain tacky and the actors seem like cardboard dolls of themselves in the long shots, acquiring a human visage only in extreme closeups, which is when Deepika Padukone (and Aditi Rao Hydari too) looks extremely regal and radiant, which she anyhow always does.