Movie: This song was featured in 2018 Bhansali Productions and Viacom 18 Motion Pictures’ super hit historical fiction Padmaavat directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali and produced by Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Sudhanshu Vats and Ajit Andhare. The movies starred Deepika Padukone, Shahid Kapur, Ranveer Singh, Raza Murad, Aditi Rao Hyadri, Anupriya Goenka, Aayam Mehta, etc.
Circa: 13th century. Place: Afghanistan. Jallaluddin Khilji (Raza Murad) wants to overturn the throne of Delhi. Alauddin Khilji (Ranveer Singh) is his nephew and captures a whole ostrich when Jalaluddin had requested only a feather for his daughter Mehrunnisa (Aditi Rao Hyadri). For doing this favor, he asks Mehrunnisa’s hand in marriage. On the night of their wedding, he is sexually engaged with another woman and kills the courtier, who witnesses the act. When Mehrunnisa is informed of the incident, she is horrified. Jallaluddin is successful in overthrowing the Delhi rule and sends Alauddin to deter a Mongol attack, in which the younger man is successful. Alauddin turns out to be an ambitious and ruthless plunderer and womanizer. He kills the Sultan and usurps the Delhi throne.
On the other hand, in Sinhala (Sri Lanka of today) Princess Padmavati (Deepika Padukone) mistakes the Rajput King Maharawal Ratan Singh (Shahid Kapur) for a deer while hunting in the forest and wounds him accidentally. She takes him to the nearest Buddha Vihar and treats him till his recovery. Maharawal has traveled all the way to Sinhala to get some rare pearls for his first wife Nagmati (Anupriya Goenka). Maharawal and Padmavati fall in love and get married. The newlyweds travel to Chittor in Mewar and are blessed by the royal priest Raghav Chetan (Aayam Mehta). Most of the people in the palace and the kingdom accept Padmavati as the queen.
Soon, Raghav Chetan is caught watching the king and the queen during an intimate moment and is banished from the kingdom. He goes straight to Allauddin and tells him about Padmavati’s beauty. Alauddin gets mesmerized at the mere description. The Sultan sends an offer to Maharawal to become a vassal king to him. But, the self-respecting Rajput declines the offer. Despite the dissuasion of Mehrunnisa, Alauddin declares war against Chittor. Maharawal is prepared for the attack and defends the city with a lot of enthusiasm. He first informs all the citizens living around the fort to come and stay inside it for protection and to avoid hostages. He also makes other arrangements. They celebrate Diwali despite the knife of uncertainty hanging over their heads.
Alauddin’s slave general Malik Kafur (Jim Sarbh) sings this song to amuse his Sultan.
Song: A M Turaz had penned the lyrics of the song and Sanjay Leela Bhansali composed the music.
The song talks about the beauty of Padmavati and is sung to keep up the enthusiasm of the Sultan in his mission. The song also compares the beauty of the unseen Padmavati (by the Sultan) with that of Egyptian girls.
Video: Cinematography is by Sudeep Chatterjee. Dance choreography is by Kruti Mahesh.
The video opens with Ranveer Singh enjoying his tub bath and Jim Sarbh beginning the song. Jim Sarbh has a flaming torch in his hand. Ranveer Singh sways in the enjoyment of the song as he sits within the bathtub. I love the typically Arabian music of this song.
I remember as a child, I would listen to the stories of the Arabian Nights. A girl is waiting for the Sultan in the bed and the rest of the shots are behind a partly transparent curtain that Jim Sarbh pulls down. The song peters out and the video also ends there.
Artists: The playback of this song was sung by Arijit Singh and the onscreen performances are by Ranveer Singh, Jim Sarbh and others.
Cultural Influence: Strong Arabian influence is seen in this folkish dance. The song and the artists are good. The video is watchable for the same.
