Pawankhind is a recently released Marathi film that is doing blockbuster business in cinemas. It tells the incredible story of the Battle of Pawankhind during the time of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. The film has some issues – the film drags at places and the a few action scenes are very childish; it’s shocking how it even got approved. The subtitles are full of grammatical mistakes and those who don’t understand the language will have a frustrating experience. Nevertheless, the film scores thanks to its excellent storyline and well fleshed out characters. It gives a nice tribute to all those who sacrificed their lives for the Maratha Empire and also focuses on how the benevolent Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj cared a lot for his men. The climax is exceptional. Speaking of performances, Chinmay Mandlekar is flawless in the role of the Maratha emperor. Ajay Purkar (Baji Prabhu) leaves a mark and the same goes for Ankit Mohan (Rayaji), Mrinal Kulkarni (Jijamata), Harish Dudhade (Bahirji Naik) and Ajinkya Nanaware (Shiva Kashid). Sameer Dharmadhikari is too good as the antagonist but his blackface looks very unconvincing. Songs are catchy. All in all, despite a few minuses, Pawankhind is worth a watch, especially on the big screen.
My rating – *** out of 5!