Chhaava Movie Review: It’s frustrating to review a film like Chhaava, a movie that reeks of ambition but is ultimately doomed by its ideological intentions. There’s no room for nuance, with broad strokes of religious fanfare dominating the narrative. Philosophical ideas are echoed but never explored, and a fine actor like Vicky Kaushal is reduced to screaming his lungs out to depict the courage of the historical character - so much so that I wanted to pass him some lozenges through the screen. Chhaava is a historical war drama made for our strife-laden times, with all the set pieces in place, yet the final product feels pretty rough around the edges. ‘Chhaava’ Movie Review: Critics Hail Vicky Kaushal’s Portrayal of Heroic Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj in Laxman Utekar’s Period Film!

Directed by Laxman Utekar (Luka Chuppi, Mimi), Chhaava delves into the brave exploits of Maratha king Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, the son of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, as he battles the tyrannical Mughal emperor Aurangzeb (played by Akshaye Khanna). The film expects you not to know much about Sambhaji Maharaj - it conveniently glosses over some controversial aspects of his life, such as his attempted defection to the Mughal side while his legendary father was still alive, and why Shivaji Maharaj wasn’t entirely keen on entrusting the Maratha empire to him.

‘Chhaava’ Movie Review - The Plot

The story begins with Aurangzeb receiving news of Shivaji Maharaj’s death, which sparks both celebration and lament (the fall of a great foe). When Aurangzeb wonders if anyone as valiant as Shivaji will challenge him, enters Sambhaji Maharaj (Vicky Kaushal), whose forces raid and destroy Behurpur, a town within the Mughal empire.

Watch the Trailer of 'Chhaava':

Enraged by this - and further provoked by the news that his rebel son Akbar (Neil Bhoopalam) is now under Sambhaji’s protection - Aurangzeb marches to the Deccan to capture Sambhaji. However, he underestimates the Maratha king’s valour and cunning, as Sambhaji and his allies relentlessly attack the Mughal army - until an act of betrayal turns the tide.

‘Chhaava’ Movie Review - A Boisterous Exploration of an Interesting Historical Figure

As the title suggests, Chhaava paints Sambhaji Maharaj as the lion’s cub, as brave as his father. This is established early in a scene where he battles a CGI lion and pries open its jaws (was this meant to symbolise his thorny relationship with his father? We may never know). The film positions him as the worthy successor to his father’s ideals of Swarajya, but like many historical biopics in contemporary Bollywood, it reduces his legacy to a single dimension: his bravery. The film forgets that Shivaji Maharaj is revered not just for his valour against Aurangzeb’s empire, but also for his skills as a ruler and administrator. Sambhaji Maharaj repeatedly shouts about Swarajya, but if you didn’t know what it meant before the film, you’ll remain none the wiser by the end.

Chhaava Movie Review: It’s frustrating to review a film like Chhaava, a movie that reeks of ambition but is ultimately doomed by its ideological intentions. There’s no room for nuance, with broad strokes of religious fanfare dominating the narrative. Philosophical ideas are echoed but never explored, and a fine actor like Vicky Kaushal is reduced to screaming his lungs out to depict the courage of the historical character - so much so that I wanted to pass him some lozenges through the screen. Chhaava is a historical war drama made for our strife-laden times, with all the set pieces in place, yet the final product feels pretty rough around the edges. ‘Chhaava’ Movie Review: Critics Hail Vicky Kaushal’s Portrayal of Heroic Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj in Laxman Utekar’s Period Film!

Directed by Laxman Utekar (Luka Chuppi, Mimi), Chhaava delves into the brave exploits of Maratha king Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, the son of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, as he battles the tyrannical Mughal emperor Aurangzeb (played by Akshaye Khanna). The film expects you not to know much about Sambhaji Maharaj - it conveniently glosses over some controversial aspects of his life, such as his attempted defection to the Mughal side while his legendary father was still alive, and why Shivaji Maharaj wasn’t entirely keen on entrusting the Maratha empire to him.

‘Chhaava’ Movie Review - The Plot

The story begins with Aurangzeb receiving news of Shivaji Maharaj’s death, which sparks both celebration and lament (the fall of a great foe). When Aurangzeb wonders if anyone as valiant as Shivaji will challenge him, enters Sambhaji Maharaj (Vicky Kaushal), whose forces raid and destroy Behurpur, a town within the Mughal empire.

Watch the Trailer of 'Chhaava':

Enraged by this - and further provoked by the news that his rebel son Akbar (Neil Bhoopalam) is now under Sambhaji’s protection - Aurangzeb marches to the Deccan to capture Sambhaji. However, he underestimates the Maratha king’s valour and cunning, as Sambhaji and his allies relentlessly attack the Mughal army - until an act of betrayal turns the tide.

‘Chhaava’ Movie Review - A Boisterous Exploration of an Interesting Historical Figure

As the title suggests, Chhaava paints Sambhaji Maharaj as the lion’s cub, as brave as his father. This is established early in a scene where he battles a CGI lion and pries open its jaws (was this meant to symbolise his thorny relationship with his father? We may never know). The film positions him as the worthy successor to his father’s ideals of Swarajya, but like many historical biopics in contemporary Bollywood, it reduces his legacy to a single dimension: his bravery. The film forgets that Shivaji Maharaj is revered not just for his valour against Aurangzeb’s empire, but also for his skills as a ruler and administrator. Sambhaji Maharaj repeatedly shouts about Swarajya, but if you didn’t know what it meant before the film, you’ll remain none the wiser by the end.

That’s not to say the film doesn’t attempt to show an intimate side to Sambhaji Maharaj. There are scenes where he shares heartfelt conversations with his confidante and wife, Maharani Yesubai (Rashmika Mandanna, playing yet another dutiful biwi role). These moments take a strange turn when Yesubai, hearing of Sambhaji’s lack of maternal love, wishes for him to be reborn as her son in his next life (?!). There are also repeated scenes of Sambhaji imagining himself as a child in peril, guided by his father’s voice. Yet, these feel more like filler than a genuine exploration of the king’s emotional psyche.

There’s a point where Chhaava shows promise, delving into the internal strife within Sambhaji’s fold and hinting that not everything is as rosy as it seems. However, this political subplot is wrapped up in three sequences, and we’re back to the black-and-white battle between Sambhaji and Aurangzeb. The Marathas, save for a few bad eggs, are portrayed as principled, courageous warriors with secular values, while the Mughals are reduced to cruel, irredeemable despots. Subtlety is the first casualty of this war drama, dying even before the opening credits roll, narrated by Ajay Devgn.

‘Chhaava’ Movie Review - Mixed Bag of Action Sequences

As a historical war drama, Chhaava boasts ambitious action set pieces, evident from the Behurpur raid scene. You can see the effort, the building blocks, and the players in place, but the grandeur of the fight scenes is undermined by the film’s obsession with slow-motion shots and choppy editing, making it hard to follow how some feats are achieved. There’s a montage where Sambhaji and his army attack the Mughals from every angle—water, jungle, even from underground—but the execution falls short of the hyper-energy of Kaushal’s throaty roars and AR Rahman’s boisterous score. ‘Chhaava’: Music Maestro AR Rahman Describes Vicky Kaushal-Laxman Utekar’s Historical Film As More Than Just a Story, Calls It ‘Roar of a Beating Heart’.

The standout fight scene was the Panheli fort siege sequence that begins with Sambhaji Maharaj's forces and the Mughal soldiers fighting cramped inside a room, suffocating and stabbing each other, before the hero takes the battle outside the fort. Unfortunately, in trying to focus too much on Sambhaji Maharaj's relentless warrior nature, the scene just never seems to end. For a moment, I wondered what SS Rajamouli could have done with these action scenes.

Directed by Laxman Utekar (Luka Chuppi, Mimi), Chhaava delves into the brave exploits of Maratha king Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, the son of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, as he battles the tyrannical Mughal emperor Aurangzeb (played by Akshaye Khanna). The film expects you not to know much about Sambhaji Maharaj - it conveniently glosses over some controversial aspects of his life, such as his attempted defection to the Mughal side while his legendary father was still alive, and why Shivaji Maharaj wasn’t entirely keen on entrusting the Maratha empire to him.

‘Chhaava’ Movie Review - The Plot

The story begins with Aurangzeb receiving news of Shivaji Maharaj’s death, which sparks both celebration and lament (the fall of a great foe). When Aurangzeb wonders if anyone as valiant as Shivaji will challenge him, enters Sambhaji Maharaj (Vicky Kaushal), whose forces raid and destroy Behurpur, a town within the Mughal empire.

Watch the Trailer of 'Chhaava':

Enraged by this - and further provoked by the news that his rebel son Akbar (Neil Bhoopalam) is now under Sambhaji’s protection - Aurangzeb marches to the Deccan to capture Sambhaji. However, he underestimates the Maratha king’s valour and cunning, as Sambhaji and his allies relentlessly attack the Mughal army - until an act of betrayal turns the tide.

‘Chhaava’ Movie Review - A Boisterous Exploration of an Interesting Historical Figure

As the title suggests, Chhaava paints Sambhaji Maharaj as the lion’s cub, as brave as his father. This is established early in a scene where he battles a CGI lion and pries open its jaws (was this meant to symbolise his thorny relationship with his father? We may never know). The film positions him as the worthy successor to his father’s ideals of Swarajya, but like many historical biopics in contemporary Bollywood, it reduces his legacy to a single dimension: his bravery. The film forgets that Shivaji Maharaj is revered not just for his valour against Aurangzeb’s empire, but also for his skills as a ruler and administrator. Sambhaji Maharaj repeatedly shouts about Swarajya, but if you didn’t know what it meant before the film, you’ll remain none the wiser by the end.

That’s not to say the film doesn’t attempt to show an intimate side to Sambhaji Maharaj. There are scenes where he shares heartfelt conversations with his confidante and wife, Maharani Yesubai (Rashmika Mandanna, playing yet another dutiful biwi role). These moments take a strange turn when Yesubai, hearing of Sambhaji’s lack of maternal love, wishes for him to be reborn as her son in his next life (?!). There are also repeated scenes of Sambhaji imagining himself as a child in peril, guided by his father’s voice. Yet, these feel more like filler than a genuine exploration of the king’s emotional psyche.

There’s a point where Chhaava shows promise, delving into the internal strife within Sambhaji’s fold and hinting that not everything is as rosy as it seems. However, this political subplot is wrapped up in three sequences, and we’re back to the black-and-white battle between Sambhaji and Aurangzeb. The Marathas, save for a few bad eggs, are portrayed as principled, courageous warriors with secular values, while the Mughals are reduced to cruel, irredeemable despots. Subtlety is the first casualty of this war drama, dying even before the opening credits roll, narrated by Ajay Devgn.

‘Chhaava’ Movie Review - Mixed Bag of Action Sequences

As a historical war drama, Chhaava boasts ambitious action set pieces, evident from the Behurpur raid scene. You can see the effort, the building blocks, and the players in place, but the grandeur of the fight scenes is undermined by the film’s obsession with slow-motion shots and choppy editing, making it hard to follow how some feats are achieved. There’s a montage where Sambhaji and his army attack the Mughals from every angle—water, jungle, even from underground—but the execution falls short of the hyper-energy of Kaushal’s throaty roars and AR Rahman’s boisterous score. ‘Chhaava’: Music Maestro AR Rahman Describes Vicky Kaushal-Laxman Utekar’s Historical Film As More Than Just a Story, Calls It ‘Roar of a Beating Heart’.

The standout fight scene was the Panheli fort siege sequence that begins with Sambhaji Maharaj's forces and the Mughal soldiers fighting cramped inside a room, suffocating and stabbing each other, before the hero takes the battle outside the fort. Unfortunately, in trying to focus too much on Sambhaji Maharaj's relentless warrior nature, the scene just never seems to end. For a moment, I wondered what SS Rajamouli could have done with these action scenes.

The film is filled with bloodshed and violence, yet when key characters on the hero’s side fall, it’s hard to feel the emotional impact, despite the movie slowing them down and Rahman making the score get all emotional. It has quite to do with these characters never rising beyond being mere acolytes who has to look in awe up towards the king. This includes the talented Ashutosh Rana, who plays Hambirao Mohite. The only supporting male actor who gets some room to shine is Vineet Kumar Singh as the poetry-obsessed Kavi Kalash.

The pacing grinds to a halt in the overstretched third act, where Sambhaji is captured and tortured for an excruciatingly long time. The intent is to show his resilience in the face of death, defeating Aurangzeb’s cruelty (similar to Padmaavat’s jauhar scene). However, the drawn-out execution feels borrowed from Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ, stretched beyond reasonable impact, leaving the viewer eager for it to end.

‘Chhaava’ Movie Review - The Performances and The Score

As for performances, Vicky Kaushal does his best with a role that demands constant screaming and impassioned speeches, though don’t expect much in the way of voice modulation or accents. Rashmika Mandanna is serviceable, speaking slowly and carefully to mask her accent. Akshaye Khanna is nearly unrecognisable as Aurangzeb, bringing menace to an otherwise caricatured role. Diana Penty, as Aurangzeb’s daughter Zinat-un-Nissa Begum, has a scene where she remarks on Sambhaji showing no pain on his face. My inner voice snarked, "I could say the same about the expressions on yours.”

AR Rahman’s score is a definite asset, adding to the film’s boisterous energy. The background score, when not frequently interrupted by a wailing lament, outshines his songs (a recurring issue in his recent work). However, the grandeur we associate with his period drama scores feels missing here. Oddly, the sound recording for dialogues feels uneven in several scenes—perhaps due to post-censorship dubbing—which proves distracting.

‘Chhaava’ Movie Review - Final Thoughts

Chhaava is a film that tries to roar but ends up growling. It’s a missed opportunity to explore the complexities of a historical figure like Sambhaji Maharaj, opting instead to go for a propagandist spectacle that's deafening and unsubtle. While it has its moments of ambition - boasting grand action set pieces, a rousing score, and a committed performance from Vicky Kaushal - the film is ultimately weighed down by its ideological heavy-handedness, lack of nuance, and uneven direction.

(The opinions expressed in the above article are of the author and do not reflect the stand or position of LatestLY.)

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 14, 2025 02:21 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).