Chhaava

At its core, Chhaava is not just about a warrior-it's about the idea of resilience, sacrifice, and legacy. It's about what it means to fight for something greater than oneself. The film leaves the audience not just with admiration for Sambhaji Maharaj but with a deep respect for the ideals he stood for. It is a rare historical film that manages to entertain, educate, and inspire all at once. Whether you're a history enthusiast or just someone who loves a great story, this film is an absolute must-watch. Whether you're a history enthusiast or just someone who loves a great story, this film is an absolute must-watch.

Watched the big historical action release of Maddock CHAAVA directed by Laxman Utekar. The film stars Vicky Kaushal in the lead as Chatrapati Sambhaji and Akshaye Khanna as the ruthless Mughal emperor Aurangzeb and the film focusses on their clash.

Sambhaji as an important historical character of Maharashtra and there are various shades and different topics discussed and debated on him. However his battle with the Mughal army and torcher and finally execution under orders of hardliner Aurangzeb is discussed lot.

The film is supposed to be based on Shivaji Sawants popular novel Chaava and doesn't cover other aspects of Sambhaji's life,which we read in childhood in Amar Chitra Katha.

The film is a big budget actioner based on history and has lots of dramatic sequences. The film's treatment of the subject is very clear and characters are either pure white or pure black. The film though based on real incidents also involves lot of larger than life frames and fiction too. To be honest I felt the writers and makers haven't been able to make the film very gripping. The film starts well and then loses pace and then picks up and then loses and so on. There is lot of action but barring the final battle ,I found the other fights quite unreal with loads of VFX. There are some scenes which are impactful and especially Vikki vs Akshaye get maximum attention.

The film has huge hangover of Bajirao Mast Ani,Padmavati,Tanaji and Jodha Akbar but is not close to either of them in terms of impact and emotional feel. The pre climax of extreme violence and torcher though from history but was very uncomfortable to watch on big screen.

Of the performances Ashutosh Rana and Vineet Singh leave a mark. Rashmika I felt was totally out of place. Akshaye Khanna as the uni dimensional maniac monarch Aurangzeb was menacing. Though he doesn't have much dialogues but his look as the old Alamgir makes him the big bad villain. The film belongs to Vikki Kaushal who again pumps life in a real character after Sardar Udham Singh and Sam Bahadur. He has worked hard on the film and honestly it's his hard work which lifts the film of the negative points.

On the whole Chaava tries hard to be a patriotic historical actioner but works only in parts.

Laxman Utekar's Chhaava focuses on the Battle of Burhanpur and its impact on the Maratha-Mughal war, rather than being a complete biopic of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj. The first half of the film struggles with pacing, but the second half gains momentum, leading to an intense and emotionally charged climax. The confrontation between Sambhaji Maharaj and Aurangzeb, particularly the exchange between Vicky Kaushal and Vineet Kumar, stands out as one of the film's most powerful moments. The battle sequences are well-executed, but the background score by A. R. Rahman lacks the necessary intensity to match the spirit of the Marathas. The action scenes are largely effective, though some exaggerated stunts and editing choices take away from the realism. Despite this, the film excels in its cinematography, costume design, and CGI, successfully recreating the historical setting.

The performances elevate the film. Vicky Kaushal delivers a commanding portrayal of Sambhaji Maharaj, capturing his strength, determination, and sacrifice, especially in the final moments. Akshaye Khanna leaves a strong impact as Aurangzeb, despite limited dialogue, while Rashmika Mandanna, though competent, feels miscast. Ashutosh Rana provides solid support, and Vineet Kumar stands out with his gripping screen presence. While the film has its shortcomings, it succeeds in honoring Sambhaji Maharaj's legacy, ensuring that his courage and sacrifice remain etched in the minds of the audience.

Movie was good; though whoever directed the background music totally effed it up, I had to shut my ears every time a fight scene came.

Also I think it should have had more Marathi dialect, rashmika's hindi sounded a bit off, action scenes were really good, though they should've shown some tactical schemes by marathas, as they were known for their tactics and skills.

There were a lot of politics going on during that time, movie did not cover it however it is based on the life of Shambha ji's life and the movie did good there, costume and makeup artists did a really good job. The first half seemed a bit off, although movie caught the rhythm by the second half.

The movie was good; the acting from everybody was top-notch except for Rashmika; every time she's on the screen, you'd wanna scroll through Instagram reels instead of watching her. Best thing about this movie is Akshay Khanna as Aurangzeb. Vicky's casting as ShambhaJi was Excellent too but his voice wasn't to the mark for the role, he lacked heaviness and bass in his voice which makes his dialogues a little less energetic and enthusiastic. Over-all it was one time kinda watch. CLIMAX WAS EXCELLENT THO. But expected way too much from this movie, I dont think it'd leave a mark on People's heart. Plus it'd have been better if the director had casted someone else instead of Rashmika. She's just awful. She can't act. She shouldn't be in bollywood or maybe she shouldn't do roles that require ACTING cause she can't act.