Bollywood Rewind | Ram-Leela: Ranveer Singh and Deepika Padukone's blood-soaked romance in Bhansali's visual feast
Before the muscular Love & War posters, and before the grim hardness of Gangubai Kathiawadi , watching a Sanjay Leela Bhansali film felt like walking through a luminous exhibition of things you could never afford and places you could never visit, but just had to admire. There was Aishwarya Rai Bachchan's wardrobe in Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam , and there was the lustre of Devdas . You could almost…
In 2013, Sanjay Leela Bhansali released Goliyon Ki Rasleela Ram-Leela, a film that elevated his signature opulence to a level of blood and violence. Starring Ranveer Singh and Deepika Padukone, the movie is a retelling of Romeo and Juliet set in a fictional Gujarati town. The narrative follows Ram, a Rajadi who sells videos and advocates for love over violence, and Leela, the daughter of the Saneda clan who is watched over by her stern mother.
Both characters are raw and flawed adults who can't resist each other despite their dangerous surroundings. The film opens with a tone of comic energy, showcasing guns being sold as casually as vegetables. The central romance between Ram and Leela is immediate, driven by hunger rather than courtship. Their love is real to them, allowing them to defy their clans and burn down their lives for each other.
However, the second half of the film falters, moving from bawdy comedy to gruesome violence to tragic operas without much cohesion. The chemistry between the leads is undeniable, but the film's tonal shifts make it difficult to fully engage with the story. Despite its flaws, Ram-Leela remains a standout film from an era when mainstream Hindi cinema was diverse and daring.
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