Respond to these rapid questions in our Padmaavat quiz and we will tell you which Padmaavat character you are. Play it now.
It should be noted that my three-star rating for “Padmaavat,” the equally thrilling and upsetting Indian period epic, does not reflect my personal disagreement with the film’s political message. The star rating assigned to a review is typically intended to be a comprehensive representation of the critic’s response. A different kind of film, however, is “Padmaavat,” a controversial adaptation of Malik Muhammad Jayasi’s 16th century epic poem, and it requires a different kind of review/rating.
Once you reach a certain point in the film, “Padmaavat” becomes propaganda for a pseudo-traditional and highly romanticized fundamentalist attitude. You can watch most of this 11th-century period drama without questioning why it was made, especially during scenes in which the mild-mannered King Ratan Singh (Shahid Kapoor) and his headstrong queen Padmavati (Deepika Padukone), rulers of the small kingdom Chittor, attempt to prevent greedy Sultan Alauddin (Ranveer Singh) from abducting Padmavati. The real trouble begins in the final act of “Padmaavat,” which is based on a dramatic act of “jauhar,” a Hindu ritual in which women who have been threatened with rape and/or enslavement set themselves on fire to protect themselves.
The thought of other milestone period dramas that were this ideologically extreme came to mind when deciding how to review and rate “Padmaavat,” including “The Birth of a Nation” and “The Passion of the Christ.” Those earlier films also appeared to be intended to appeal to a hypothetical like-minded choir of people who already agreed with the filmmaker’s point of view on the subject matter. “Padmaavat” is also a labor of love for the filmmakers. One of the most compelling aspects of this book is its seductive rhetoric. Its goal is to captivate you and make you see the world through the eyes of its main characters, in order for you to better understand the appeal of values that many people consider to be out of date. The movie is a powerful explosive with a very long fuse, and it is extremely dangerous. Apart from the blatant provocation of the film’s ending, “Padmaavat” is, in that sense, exactly the kind of film that writer/producer/director Sanjay Leela Bhansali (“Black,” “Saawariya”) set out to make. As a result, I want to assess how well he and his collaborators convey the ideas of the story.
But you shouldn’t waste any more time and start this Padmaavat quiz.
Even though “Padmaavat” is primarily concerned with secular traditions rather than religious beliefs, Bhansali implicitly extols questionable concepts of femininity, loyalty, and spirituality in his film. Although that may be true, try telling that to right-wing Hindu rioters who took to the streets of New Delhi last week to protest the film’s depiction of a Muslim Sultan trying to seduce a Hindu queen who has come to symbolize purity and inner strength, according to Reuters. It’s difficult to imagine being able to talk about this film, or the symbolic significance of its characters, without getting into a debate about the film’s inherently retrogressive nature. Betwa Sharma of the Huffington Post India writes that the film exposes a raw nerve during her conversation with Indian schoolteacher Rakhi, who says that she cannot begin to talk to her family about why she dislikes being treated as a positive role model because Padmavati is not a good role model: “[My family] has told me that I am anti-national, anti-Hindu, and a disgrace to your caste…
Padmaavat Quiz
“Padmaavat,” on the other hand, appears to exist solely to showcase the beauty of Jayasi’s archetypal love story. In a number of pivotal scenes, we see how Bhansali highlights Alauddin’s secular greed and obsessive character. When Singh himself goes so far over the top that he flies into space, his intensely committed performance makes you believe in his character’s Iago-like malevolence. It is only because of Singh’s charisma that you believe him when he snarls, grimaces, and even dances his way through Alauddin’s defining aggression. As in the scene where Alauddin gathers his men and boasts that he is “aloof before heaven,” Singh’s dancing is particularly impressive. In fact, it is so rousing that it stands out as the best musical number in a film that is otherwise filled with strong vocal performances and well-executed choreography in general.
Also, you will find out which character are you in this Padmaavat quiz.
Bhansali also manages to make Padamavati and Rhatan Singh’s relationship appear strong enough to be attractive to the audience. Eventually, she comes to him and asks for his permission to commit suicide. However, based on her previous actions, that choice appears to be one that her character would make as a matter of course. Padamavati’s point of view is convincingly sold by Bhansali in scenes such as the one in which she defiantly tells Rhatan Singh’s treacherous Brahmin adviser what she believes: that “happiness” in a relationship is dependent on mutual trust, and that personal “sacrifice” is only possible when you believe that your physical body is a fleeting expression of your self. Bhansali employs scenes that are similarly fraught but comparatively innocuous in order to make inflexible characters appear affable and appealing. Take, for example, the scene in which Rhatan Singh and Padamavati participate in the spring festival of Holi by painting their faces and ankles with brightly colored powders and smearing them with colorful powders. It’s a genuinely sultry and tender sequence that gives the impression that the couple’s unequal power dynamics are more equal than they actually are.
About the quiz
Still, even if you admire the film’s technical accomplishments, what can you say to a viewer who is outraged by the notion of a woman using self-immolation as a means of asserting her rights? Nothing. I sympathize with and share the sentiments expressed by actress Swara Bhasker in an open letter to filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali, who claims that “In the event of the death of their husbands, or male ‘protectors,’ “owners,,” or “controllers of their sexuality,” or whatever else you want to call them, women have the legal right to continue living. Women have the right to live, regardless of whether or not men are alive at the same time.” Moreover, I must confess that Bhansali briefly persuaded me that Padmavati’s representative actions in the context of his drama reflected her inner strength, which I found hard to believe. “Padmaavat” is a one-of-a-kind piece of pop art that is both powerful and repugnant at the same time.Also, you must try to play this Padmaavat quiz.
For more personality quizzes check this: All The Money In The World Quiz.
