Bajirao Mastani (2015)

In 16th century India, an undefeated warrior, Bajirao Ballal was bestowed with the title of Peshwa, or Prime Minister, by the Hindu Maratha King Shahu. He became the greatest weapon of the Maratha Empire, which he expanded through non-stop war campaigns 8 months of the year. While camped with his men one night, a rider descended on Bajirao with an urgent request to save Bundelkhand, a fort belonging to another Hindu king, which was under siege by the Moguls, Bajirao’s greatest opponents. Bajirao refused initially, but was mesmerized upon seeing the rider, a beautiful girl, moreover a Rajput princess who rode for days to seek out his help. Princess Mastani was the daughter of a Hindu King, Raja Chattrasal. Her mother, Roohani Begum was Muslim. Mastani was used to getting what she desired, and she desired Bajirao. If Bajirao was the weapon of the Maratha Empire, his wife Kashi was the salve. She possessed a soft, soothing nature and was utterly devoted to Bajirao. She was adored by not just by the Peshwa family but also by the Maratha people. She, too, was a woman of great beauty, but an upholder of convention, in contrast to Mastani. Despite Bajirao’s best efforts, he could not deny his love for Mastani, who swore herself to him from the day he presented her his dagger as a souvenir. She pursued him to the Peshwa palace at Pune, where Bajirao?s family, led by his mother Radha, promptly sent her to the courtesan quarters. Bajirao faced great opposition from his family, the Maratha people and the religious leaders, the Brahmin priests. Every attempt was made to render Bajirao inaccessible to Mastani, but they always found their way to each other, finally paying the ultimate price in the name of love. Bajirao-Mastani immortalizes the journey of star-crossed soul mates against the backdrop of war and intrigue in one of the greatest eras of Indian history.