This is the best movie I have ever seen but, I can’t remember where I’ve read(or heard) this before, but to me, it’s one of the most vital guiding principles for good sound design —
which, in turn, is an aspect of film whose contribution to the impact a film has on a viewer is often grossly underestimated.
Sanjay Leela Bhansali, a veteran filmmaker who once studied at India’s best film school, must surely be aware of this.
Which is why it’s strange how he pretends he doesn’t in his latest mega-budget outing, Bajirao Mastani,
which eschews silence for most of its running time like a corrupt builder avoids the income tax department.
Sanchit Balhara’s background score is nicely orchestrated, but dominates the film’s soundscape balong with badly mixed-in battle sound FX a little too strongly. If you feel strangely exhausted when you walk out of this movie, you know what’s to blame.