Last year, I met Vicky Kaushal at his residence in Mumbai; Sam Bahadur had just released to wide acclaim and Kaushal was on top of his game. The thick and fat script was on his table and he was yet to read it completely.
I asked him about the story, and he spoke about Sambhaji Maharaj at length and with great enthusiasm. Today, after watching Chhaava, I could see that energy translated on the screen with Kaushal being at his fiercest best in this emotionally charged, intense and visually stunning historical drama based on Maratha leader Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj; at a point Kaushal steps so beautifully in the warrior's shoes that for the audience, he becomes the Maharaj himself.
Directed by Laxman Utekar (LukaChuppi, Mimi, Zara Hatke Zara Bachke), Chhaava brings a captivating cinematic spectacle, you cannot get enough of. At the same time, the film also leads one to recall previous such large-scale historical dramas, especially Bajirao Mastani helmed by Ranveer Singh.
In terms of the optics, the scale and the visual experience, Chhaava is 10X of everything we have seen so far. Based on Shivaji Sawant’s Marathi novel of the same name which literally means a lion's cub, where his father Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj being the lion and Sambhaji his cub, the film makes sure you soak in the narrative as much as you enjoy the spectacle.
The film starts from the time when Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj is crowned the king of the Maratha Empire, and takes us through his life and times including his rivalries, his friendships, his following and his impending war with the Mughal king, Aurangzeb, played by the very able and charismatic Akshaye Khanna.
The 155-minute movie takes us through some of the epic battles that were fought between the Mughals and the Maratha warriors who mastered the art of Guerilla warfare; and the most nail-biting is the way in which Aurangzeb’s army captures Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj after a nine-year chase.
The action sequences provide an edge-of-the-seat thrill, however, there should have been more focus on how these warriors actually strategise and decide on their moves and tactics. Some nuanced dope on the technicalities of warfare in the two camps from that era would have been the icing on the cake.
After Munjya and Stree 2, Dinesh Vijan’s Maddock Films has brought yet another cinematic experience that can be enjoyed with the entire family and which really leads you to invest yourself in, completely. Interestingly, as much as one would love to "love" Kaushal in the character of Maharaj, one would equally love to "hate" Khanna as the scheming, aggressive and vitriolic Aurangzeb. His makeover as the "evil" Mughal ruler, is so near perfection that it is hard to see Khanna in Aurangzeb.
Mandanna as Maharani Yesubai Bhosale makes her presence felt through strong and imposing dialogues, the unmissable expressions with her eyes and restraint, yet, a formidable performance as the Maharani Queen. Even for someone who doesn't quite enjoy history lessons, Chhaava makes for an interesting watch because it is as much an entertainer as it is a lesson in history, beautifully told.
Mandanna and Kaushal, both actors who have had back-to-back box office hits—Vicky with Sam Bahadur and Bad Newz, and Rashmika with Animal and Pushpa 2—together make for a charming duo, aptly cast in the roles of the Maharaj and the Maharani.
The supporting cast too, delivers a strong and memorable performance, right from Ashutosh Rana who is a masterclass in himself, Divya Dutta whose silence and expressive eyes convey the message beautifully, to Diana Penty and Neil Bhoopalam, all of them deliver strong, character-driven performances.
The film showcases regality and grandeur, adrenaline-pumping action sequences and punchy dialogues, but interestingly, it does all of that and more, while ensuring it doesn't lose track of the plot and the narrative that runs beautifully across all its frames. This is a good watch, whether you're a history fan or not.
Film: Chhaava
Director: Laxman Utekar
Cast: Vicky Kaushal, Akshaye Khanna, Rashmika Mandanna, Ashutosh Rana, Divya Dutta, Diana Penty
Rating: 3.5/5
