Samrat Prithviraj Movie Review: They say never judge a book by its cover. By the same token, a reviewer walks into the dark hall without judging a film based on its trailer alone. Akshay Kumar starrer Samrat Prithviraj might not have impressed one and all with its trailer, but the film, one hopes against the hope, could turn out to be a dramatically different affair. Unfortunately, that can’t be said of director Dr Chandraprakash Dwivedi’s period drama revolving around the legendary Rajput king. This film has all the ingredients to sell as hot cakes at the ticket windows - patriotism, epic battles, history, romance, valour, and the victory of the human spirit. Sadly, nothing seems to work to give you that much-needed theatrical experience the plot promises.Samrat Prithviraj: Akshay Kumar Schooled on Twitter After Claiming History Textbooks in Schools Only Taught About 'Invaders' and Not 'Maharajas

Dwivedi (known for helming Chanakya the popular television series and the acclaimed film Pinjra) has been insisting on the extensive research he has done for his period drama. He has maintained that even before attempting to portray the legendary king he spent months checking every single fact multiple times. Watching this film unfold on the big screen, one admires the painstaking efforts that have gone into making the endeavor. In what looks like a desperate attempt though, Dwivedi strings history, patriotism and grandeur in an unthinkable fashion to serve us a rather cold treat marred by unskillful direction and sloppy writing.

Watch the Trailer:

The film opens on an adventurous note with Prithviraj fighting with a raging, untamed lion (the sequence lacks both the bite and the roar mind you!) and the drama concludes on a rather interestingly designed climax. In between, there are long lulls that draw yawns with the predictability of the plot. Prithviraj Chauhan is fighting many battles on various fronts. His nemesis is within his borders and beyond too. Muhammad Ghori (the spectacularly miscast Manav Vij) is all set to invade while Prithviraj is desperate to fight Jaychand (Ashutosh Rana) to win the love of his life Sanyogita (Manushi Chhillar). In between, the highly misplaced Kaka Kanha (Sanjay Dutt) and Prithviraj’s confidante (Sonu Sood) are gloriously wasted.

The film scores on its originality in places and the scale on which it is mounted shows the courage and the sincerity of the makers. Quite interestingly, the director uses the subtext and the connotation of the word Dharma (not limited to religion alone but one’s intrinsic nature and how one strives to protect it in the trying circumstances) to slot his protagonist and antagonist into absolute black and white boxes. It's as if the maker is blatantly disregarding the various accounts of the history and its debatable accuracy to create a dramatic distinction between the heroic maharajas and the villainy invaders. Akshay Kumar Recalls Being Nervous Interviewing PM Modi Read @ANI Story | - Latest Tweet by ANI Digital

Akshay Kumar breaths every single moment of the glorious life of Samrat Prithviraj with the conviction of courage. Former Miss World turned actor Manushi Chhillar brings gravitas to the plot with admirable subtlety and the proverbial thehraav. The film portrays the 'Nari Shakti' not just in terms of beauty and magnificence but also in terms of valour and integrity, Chhillar embodies those values and discipline with remarkable ease for someone who is making her debut. And yet the two fail to sizzle or even charm together thanks to the way in which they are projected on the screen.

Final Thoughts

All in all, much like the history lessons most of us have suffered in school, Samrat Prithviraj is a thanda, yawn-inducing ‘period’ where the teacher refuses to inspire any semblance of curiosity, engagement or interest. Akshay Kumar tries hard to stand tall and princely only to wage a cold war!

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 03, 2022 03:53 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).