Bajirao Mastani

Bajirao Mastani is a 2015 Indian epic historical romance film directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali, who also composed the music score of the film. It is jointly produced by Bhaansali and Eros International. The film stars Ranveer Singh as Bajirao I and Deepika Padukone as Mastani, with Priyanka Chopra playing Rao's first wife Kashibai. Tanvi Azmi, Vaibbhav Tatwawdi and Milind Soman appear in supporting roles. Based on the Marathi novel Raau by Nagnath S. Inamdar, the film narrates the story of the Maratha Peshwa Bajirao (1700-1740 AD) and his second wife Mastani.

The film was in development for 15 years, Bhansali wanted to make the film after Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam. However, several times, the production was delayed due to the changing cast. Principal photography started in mid 2014, after the casting of principle roles were finalised. The film was released on 18 December 2015 to positive reviews from critics, who praised the direction, cinematography, production design, costumes, music and performances, particularly of Chopra, and Singh.

Mastani

Mastani was the second wife of the Maratha Peshwa Bajirao I. She is said to have been a beautiful and brave woman, skilled in arts, literature, and warfare. She had been dearly loved by Peshwa Bajirao but always neglected by his mother and his brother.

Early life

Mastani was born to bundelkhand Rajput clan Maharaja Chhatrasal. She was born in MauSahaniya, now a village in the Chhatarpur district of Madhya Pradesh. There is a Mastani Mahal in Dhubela where Mastani lived.

Biography

There are many legends associated with Mastani. One of the most well-known is that Mastani was the daughter of Bundela Rajput leader Maharaja Chhatrasal (1649–1731), the founder of Panna State in Bundelkhand province,. When a Mughal officer from Allahabad, the Pathan Mohammad Khan Bangash, invaded Chhattrasal’s kingdom during 1727-28, Chhattrasal sent a secret message, seeking help, from Bajirao I, who happened to be on a military campaign in the vicinity of Bundelkhand. Bajirao came to the rescue of Chhatrasal. In gratitude, Chattrasal gave Bajirao his daughter Mastani, and a third of his kingdom, including Jhansi, Sagar and Kalpi. He gave 33 lakh Gold coins to Bajirao. He also gifted a Diamond mine to Bajirao in marriage to Mastani along with handful of villages.

Deepika Padukone

Deepika Padukone (pronounced [d̪iːpɪkaː pəɖʊkoːɳ]; born 5 January 1986) is an Indian film actress and model. One of the most popular and highest-paid Indian celebrities, she has established a career in Hindi films, and is the recipient of several awards, including three Filmfare Awards.

Padukone, the daughter of the badminton player Prakash Padukone, was born in Copenhagen and raised in Bangalore. As a teenager she played badminton in national level championships, but left her career in sport to become a fashion model. She soon received offers for film roles, and made her acting debut in 2006 as the titular character of the Kannada film Aishwarya. Padukone then played dual roles in her first Bollywood release—the 2007 blockbuster Om Shanti Om—and won a Filmfare Award for Best Female Debut. Padukone received praise for portraying the lead female roles in the romance Love Aaj Kal (2009) and the drama Lafangey Parindey (2010), but her performances in the romance Bachna Ae Haseeno (2008) and the comedy Housefull (2010) met with negative reviews.

Sanjay Leela Bhansali

Sanjay Leela Bhansali is an Indian film director, producer, screenwriter, and music director. He is an alumnus of the Film and Television Institute of India. Bhansali has adopted the middle name "Leela" as a tribute to his mother, Leela Bhansali. He is the founder of a production house, Bhansali Productions.

Career

Bhansali began his career as an assistant to Vidhu Vinod Chopra and was involved in the making of Parinda, 1942: A Love Story and Kareeb. However, they had a fall out when Bhansali refused to direct Kareeb. He made his directorial debut with Khamoshi: The Musical, the commercially unsuccessful but critically acclaimed narration of a daughter's struggle to communicate with her deaf mute parents. His second film was a triangular love story, Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, starring Aishwarya Rai, Salman Khan, and Ajay Devgan which established his individualistic stamp for visual splendor and creating auras of celebration and festivity. It was a great success and won numerous awards.

Ranveer Singh

Ranveer Singh Bhavnani (born 6 July 1985) is an Indian actor who appears in Hindi films. After completing a bachelor's degree from Indiana University, Bloomington, Singh returned to India to pursue a career in film. He made his acting debut in 2010 with a leading role in Yash Raj Films' romantic comedy Band Baaja Baaraat. The film emerged as a critical and commercial success, earning Singh a Filmfare Award in the Best Male Debut category.

Singh went on to star in the romantic drama Lootera (2013),Sanjay Leela Bhansali's tragic romance Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela (2013), his biggest commercial successes to that point, and in the action-drama Gunday (2014). In 2015, he starred in the ensemble comedy-drama Dil Dhadakne Do (2015), and portrayed Bajirao I in the historical romance Bajirao Mastani, one of the highest-grossing Bollywood films, for which he garnered critical acclaim and won the Filmfare Award for Best Actor.

Early life and background

Singh was born on 6 July 1985 into a Sindhi family. He has an elder sister named Ritika Bhavnani. Singh is the maternal cousin of actress Sonam Kapoor and producer Rhea Kapoor, daughters of actor Anil Kapoor and wife Sunita Kapoor (née Bhavnani). Singh explains that he dropped his surname Bhavnani, since he felt that the name would have been "too long, too many syllables", thus downplaying his brand as a "saleable commodity".