Chhaava

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.

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.

While the movie is based on the book, the events could have been portrayed with a much better screenplay and some better music. Overall the movie is good but there were many parts that could have been acted well.

Screenplay suffers in many areas before and after interval where it slows down the pace of thw film. Dialogue should have been strong enough and music should have elevated the actions performed by the actors. But Rahman added much of the regular average music to this movie with some romantic music to some songs that is generally given to romantic movie songs.

It was the best opportunity he could have used to come back with equal or greater music composition on par with Jodha Akbar that he gave. But it falls much below average. Directors needed to focus more on editing and screenplay skills. Story telling was quiet good. The movie elevated well from the moment he had to fight and get captured till the very end.

It was directed more like a TV serial budget direction. Movies will need much better skills to make it a perfect cut.

This movie is based on the life and adventure of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj (also popularly known as Chhaava), who fought valiantly against the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb. It invigorates the fights and the valor of Chhava and portrays who he fought to save his kingdom and subjects.

However, my main gripe with this film is that it is a tad too long. By the climax scene, I was so tired that I almost dozed off. The scene itself is great, and the actor portrayed the scenes of torture in a heart-wrenching way. But before that, the fight scenes continued for almost one hour without much relief. This saturates the minds of the audience, and they may get bored while reaching the climax of the scene.

Other than that, this movie does a good job of portraying these historical characters and the dynamics between them. If you are a history buff, I would definitely recommend you watch this at least once.

The cinematography in this movie is nothing short of spectacular.

. Art direction is superb.

. Every frame feels like a painting, with beautifully composed shots that highlight the grandeur of the Maratha Empire. Whether it's the vast expanse of a battlefield, the golden hues of a sunset over a fort, or the intricate detailing of a palace, the visuals transport the audience back in time. The use of lighting, especially in dramatic sequences, adds a poetic quality to the storytelling, making key moments even more impactful.

. Actors have performed well. Storytelling by the director is also engaging even with the limitations as per the biopic of such a legend which ends brutally as of betrayal.

. But at someplaces background music is too loud like other grand movies since the last two years in an influence of south indian commercial works!

Moreover, at many places the action movements took a complete opposite side from- laws of physics. Again like south indian movies.

. It focuses on pride, family, a son, a king, a selfless devotee & a warrior with extreme physical strength.

Best movie of this year yet.

So I suggest to everyone to watch this to know the history of forgotten heroes.