Chhava Movie Review: Hit Or Miss
Storyline
Laxman Utekar`s directorial is based on the life of Maratha warrior Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj. It narrates the brave story of the Marathas vs. the Mughals.
Chhava cast
Vicky Kaushal essays the role of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj. The film also stars Akshaye Khanna as Aurangzeb and Rashmika Mandanna as Yesubai.
Chhava movie review: What worked
While the movie`s first half is rather stretched and takes longer to reach the point, things get interesting after Akshaye Khanna`s entry as Aurangzeb.
While Vicky truly submitted him to step into Sambhaji`s shoes, it is Khanna`s performance as the menacing Mughal emperor that held the show.
Chhava movie review: What did not work?
What`s missing throughout the first half is the connection. While Vicky comes with full aggression as the Maratha warrior, emotions still don`t hit you hard.
Women of Chhava
While women played a pivotal role in Chhava, their screen time was rather limited. Rashmika Mandanna as Yesubai emotes well, but her accent is hit-and-miss.
Diana Penty as Zeenat needed a bit more ruthlessness. Divya Dutta`s Soyrabai gets meaty but has very low screen time. Her negative role deserved more attention.
Conclusion
Overall, Chhava has been a dynamic tribute to the bravery and sacrifice of Sambhaji Maharaj. However, the bad editing and superherofication are drawbacks.