Chhaava is mounted on a huge scale and is replete with some smashing action and dramatic scenes. The entry scene of Vicky Kaushal is clap worthy. After this point, the film drags and some scenes don’t work, as intended, especially the ones on internal politics. The second half is much better, with the pre-climax being the best part of the film. However, the climax is too long and extremely disturbing. It goes on and on and a shorter narrative at this point might have been better. Vicky Kaushal delivers the finest performance of his career. The way he slips into the character of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj is seen to be believed. Some of the action scenes also give a déjà vu of Sunny Deol. Akshaye Khanna, too, gets into the skin of his role. He uses his silences perfectly and that’s also something to watch out for. Rashmika Mandanna plays her part with conviction but her scenes in the first half are just okay. From the supporting roles, Ashutosh Rana (Hambir Rao), Divya Dutta (Soyrabai), Vineet Kumar Singh (Kavi Kalash) and Neil Bhoopalam (Akbar) leave a huge mark. Diana Penty (Zeenat) is okay. The review will be incomplete without the mention of A R Rahman’s stunning background score. All in all, Chhaava is a one-time watch and worth watching especially for Vicky Kaushal’s performance.
My rating – *** out of 5!