Padmaavat is a 2018 Indian Hindi-language historical drama film directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali. Based on the epic poem of the same name by Malik Muhammad Jayasi, it stars Deepika Padukone as Rani Padmavati, a Rajput queen known for her beauty, wife of Maharawal Ratan Singh, played by Shahid Kapoor. Sultan Alauddin Khalji, played by Ranveer Singh, hears of her beauty and attacks her kingdom to enslave her. Aditi Rao Hydari, Jim Sarbh, Raza Murad, and Anupriya Goenka featured in supporting roles.
With a production budget of –, Padmaavat is one of the most expensive Indian films ever made. Initially scheduled for release on 1 December 2017, the film faced numerous controversies. Amid violent protests, its release was indefinitely delayed. The Central Board of Film Certification later approved the film with few changes, which includes the addition of multiple disclaimers and a change from its original title Padmavati. It was rescheduled for release on 25 January 2018 in 2D, 3D and IMAX 3D formats, making it the first Indian film to be released in IMAX 3D.
Upon release, Padmaavat received mixed reviews from critics, with praise for the visuals, cinematography, soundtrack and performances, but criticism for its storyline, pacing, runtime, and adherence to regressive patriarchal mores. Critics also disliked the portrayal of Khilji as a stereotypical evil Muslim king and Ratan Singh as the righteous Hindu king, which led to protests by the respective religious communities. Despite not being released in some states of India, it grossed over at the box office, becoming a major commercial success and the 12th highest-grossing Indian film of all time.
At the 64th Filmfare Awards, Padmaavat received a leading 18 nominations, including Best Film, Best Director (both for Bhansali), Best Actress (Padukone) and Best Actor (Singh), and won 4 awards, including Best Actor (Critics) (Singh) and Best Music Director (Bhansali). It also won 3 National Film Awards, including Best Music Direction (Bhansali).
Plot
In 13th-century Afghanistan, Khalji ruler, Jalal-ud-din Khalji plans to take over the throne of Delhi. His nephew Alauddin Khalji asks for Jalaluddin's daughter Mehrunisa's hand in marriage. Their wedding is organised, but on the night of the event, Alauddin engages in adultery with another woman. A senior courtier witnesses the act, Shareef Pasha, and is promptly killed by Alauddin. Mehrunisa is informed of this during the wedding, leaving her horrified. The wedding occurs, and Alauddin is appointed as a lead general in Jalalauddin's army.
In Singhal, princess Padmavati accidentally wounds the Rajputi ruler of Mewar, Maharawal Ratan Singh, while hunting in a forest. As she treats him, he reveals that he has traveled to Sinhala to acquire rare pearls for his only wife Nagmati. Eventually, the two bond and fall in love. Ratan Singh asks for Padmavati's hand in marriage, she agrees, and with permission from her father, they are married.
Jalaluddin takes over the throne of Delhi and sends Alauddin to repel a Mongol invasion. Alauddin is successful in doing so, but undertakes an unsanctioned raid on Devagiri. He captures the princess there, and makes her his concubine. Jalaluddin's wife and nephew, Itaat Khan, warn him against Alauddin's ambition to take over the throne. However, he journeys to Kara to meet Alauddin and gifts him the slave Malik Kafur. Alauddin has Jalalauddin's ministers assassinated by Malik Kafur, and Jalalauddin is killed by one of Alauddin's generals. Alauddin then returned to Delhi and declared himself the new Sultan. Over time, Alauddin and Kafur become very close, and Kafur rises to become a general in Alauddin's army.
Padmavati journeys to Mewar with Ratan Singh and is blessed by his royal priest, Raghav Chetan. Chetan later intrudes into the palace secretly and spies upon an intimate moment between Ratan and Padmavati, and is subsequently banished. He then travels to Delhi and informs Alauddin of Padmavati's beauty. Alauddin, who is fixated with having anything that is exceptional, invites the Rajputs to Delhi, but his invitation is rejected. Enraged, he lays siege to Ratan Singh's capital Chittor. After six months of an unsuccessful siege, Alauddin feigns peace on account of Holi and is allowed to enter Chittor, where he meets Ratan Singh. He asks to see Padmavati; Ratan Singh grants this request, but only momentarily while preventing Alauddin from seeing her face. Ratan Singh is tricked by Khilji and is taken to Delhi as a prisoner.