A bit weird but not bad!!!. Review on Bhagmati: The Queen Of Fortunes

Nobody could have ever imagined, some years back that a Bollywood film would come which would have about 90 minutes of animation from a total 180 minutes duration, but it has happened with a film called ”Bhaggmati:The Queen Of Fortunes”.It`s not as if we are watching animated characters or cartoons in a Bollywood film for the first time.There was use of animations and cartoons,earlier too,in films such as ”Abhay”,”Main Prem Ki Deewaani Hoon”,”Shaadi Ka Laddoo” and ”Hum Tum”,but it`s true that animations have not been used for 1 hour and 30 minutes in any Bollywood film,so this is a big step taken by the film`s makers,but the question is that was this ‘big step’ worth it for the filmmakers?

Zee Telefilms. ”Bhaggmati: The Queen Of Fortunes”,directed by Ashok Kaul,stars Tabu,Milind Soman,Ashok Kaul and Hema Malini.Besides being the first Hindi film with a duration of 90 minutes of pure animation, this is the first film in which the much neglected love story of Prince Qutab Quli Shah and his princess Bhaggmati has been shown. Until now,we had known about Shah Jehan`s and Mumtaz Mahal`s love story but now we have the story of these two lovers as well.It seems as if nowadays it’s the season of historical love stories.Some months back ”Mughal-E-Azam” was re-released in color, then Akbar Khan`s much delayed ”Taj Mahal-An Eternal Love Story” is also complete and next year Ashutosh Gowariker`s ”Akbar-Jodha”,is also going to release.Right now,we have “Bhaggmati”,a love story about a prince and his princess.

The film revolves around, Shivranjini (Tabu),who studies in a university.She is very fond of history and so is her university`s principal (Ashok Kaul).Shivranjini asks her principal to let her do some research on historical facts.She asks him to let her do some research on Qutab Quli Shah`s and Bhaggmati`s love story.The principal simply rejects her idea,as he feels that Shivranjini does not have the ability to do research on such a difficult topic.After trying her best to convince the principal,Shivranjini finally gets his permission to research on this topic.The principal introduces Shivranjini to Naseem (Milind Soman),who is the son of the chairman of Qutab Quli Shah`s foundation.The principal asks Naseem to help Shivranjini during this research and to guide her,as well.During this research,Naseem falls in lov ewith Shivranjini,and she also starts liking him.One day,Shivranjini enters a mysterious fort,situated in Hyderabad,which was constructed during Qutab Quli Shah`s times.When she touches the walls of the fort,some strange things start to happen.She can hear some strange voices,voices that belong to Qutab Quli Shah,Bhaggmati and voices of all those people who used to live at those times.Now,Shivranjini starts imagining what had happened in those times,and so the audiences are taken to those times when Qutab Quli Shah was the prince of Hyderabad,through animations.While hunting,the brave Qutab Quli Shah meets Bhaggmati (voice of Bhaggmati dubbed by Mahima Chaudhary),a poor girl who belongs to a small village.Theirs is a love at first sight and after sometime,they fall more deeply in love.By the time,they are so much in love with each other that they take an oath of never getting apart.Qutab Quli Shah`s father`s friend wants to get his daughter married to Qutab Quli Shah,so that she becomes a princess,but when he gets to know that Qutab Quli Shah,is in love with Bhaggmati,he quickly tells Qutab Quli Shah`s father about it.As a result Qutab Quli Shah gets imprisoned in his mahal.Both the lovers,Qutab Quli Shah and Bhaggmati fight against all odds and finally get married to each other.One day Bhaggmati expresses her desire of creating a new city to Qutab Quli Shah,and for his princess,Qutab Quli Shah gets the construction of the new city (now known as Hyderabad),started.While the city is being constructed,a tragedy takes place,when Bhaggmati dies.In her memory,Qutab Quli Shah builts the “Char Minaar”.When Bhaggmati`s story ends,Shivranjini feels very depressed.What is the connection between Shivranjani and Bhaggmati`s story?

Tabu does a good job,as Shivranjini.We know this actress as one of the best in Bollywood.Here,her role doesn`t demand any histrionics so don`t expect to see the Tabu of ”Astitva” or ”Maqbool”.In this film,her role is nothing of that sort,but she still manages to give a decent performance.

Milind Soman in his role,is also fine,nothing great and nothing bad,either.Ashok Kaul,gets over-the-top.Hema Malini in her item number looks stunning and gorgeous.Her fan will surely love her dance number.Mahima Chaudhary`s voice suits the character of Bhaggmati,quite well.

Ashok Kaul,as a director,fails to make an extra-ordinary film out of an extra-ordinary script.The basic plot and the basic story of the film is very original (something very rare in Bollywood,these days) and interesting,but the treatment of the film is poor.The first half is very boring,which mainly focuses on Shivranjini and Naseem and their romance.The film looks like a very low-budget and a “low on production notes” kind of a film,in the first half and in all the scenes,between Shivranjini and Naseem.Their scenes look very old-fashioned,but there is no doubt that the animations are amazing and lots of hardwork has gone behind those beautiful animations.The film gets better,once we are introduced to the animated characters.The love story between Quli Qutab Shah and Bhaggmati is much more interesting and convincing than the love story of Shivranjini and Naseem.However,things are all messed up again,because of the poor and confusing climax.Screenplay is the weakest link of the film.The romance between Shivranjini and Naseem seems half-baked.Then,many questions remain unanswered till the end of the film.First of all,how come that the principal of the university,where Shivranjini studies,gets to know that there is a connection between Shivranjini and Bhaggmati.Secondly,the film ends on a very confusing note.You can`t figure out that whether Shivranjini and Naseem were the reincarnations of Bhaggmati and Qutab Quli Shah?But in the end,Ashok Kaul,symbolically tells the viewer that Qutab Quli Shah and Bhaggmati were reincarnated as Naseem and Shivranjani.Then,another question that remains unanswered is that whether Shivranjini died,in the end or not?Thomas.A. Xavier`s cinematography is not upto the mark in the scenes which involve real characters but in the animation scenes,the cinematography is breath-taking.

CONTINUED IN THE COMMENTS SECTION...