Bajirao Mastani - Stunning movie!!

Bajirao Mastani is one of the very few good Hindi movies that released in 2015. It is a Sanjay Leela Bhansali movie and has fully lived up to my expectations. I went in expecting grandeur, romance, beauty, rich dialogues, a little bit of historical touch and the movie delivered. You can call me an ignorant soul but I had no idea who Bajirao was before I saw the movie.

I learned about the importance of this larger than life person in Indian history through this movie. History books don't actually have a lesson on him. So thanks to Sanjay Leela Bhansali, a lot of other people like me got to know about Bajirao and about Mastani as well. 

Now for the past few days, my Facebook wall has seen consistent outrage about the movie from a certain section of people who happen to know Maratha history really well. All I hear from them is that the movie didn't do justice to Bajirao's role in Indian history. My question to them is:

• Where were you when all these years nobody ever mentioned Bajirao at all? You should be thankful to Sanjay Leela Bhansali for bringing the story of Bajirao to the big screen (and to the attention of people like me).
• And why did you go to the movie expecting a history lesson when the disclaimer clearly says that the historical events aren't accurate. Stop crying foul about this great director. He intended to make a romantic epic drama movie and he did. If you want to highlight something else about Bajirao, do it without attacking his work of art.

Well, I didn't go to the movie expecting any history lesson but guess what... I still got all these facts about Bajirao from the movie!!

• He was a Maratha
• He wasn't a king (which is what I thought when the trailers came in) but was the best Peshwa the country ever saw
• He was fast as lightning
• He won 40 battles for his king and for the love of his kingdom (some people mentioned that the movie doesn't mention it, but it does)
• He helped other kings without any personal gain or motive just to see Hindu kingdom expand and win.
• I also got to know about Kashibai.... Man.. what a wife!! Bajirao was one lucky guy in marriage!!

and a lot of other such things. If you are mad that movie focuses on Bajirao and Mastani's romance, you are nuts because that's what the movie is supposed to be about. It was advertised that way in case you didn't notice. It's a stunning movie that encouraged me to read more about Bajirao and opened a chapter of history I never knew existed!! Thanks, Sanjay Leela Bhansali :)