Chhaava (2025)

Chhaava (2025)

Movie	:	Chhaava
Director	:	Laxman Utekar
Starring	:	Vicky Kaushal , Rashmika Mandanna , Akshaye Khanna and more
Genres	:	Action, Drama, History
Editing	:	Manish Pradhan
Rating	:	9.1/10
Release Date	:	14 February 2025

Synopsis

The story of Chhaava begins with the death of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in the 1680s. This news brings great relief to Aurangzeb, but he forgets that Sambhaji, Shivaji Maharaj's fearless son, is still alive. He strikes at Burhanpur, looting the Mughal treasury. This audacious act sparks a brutal war. What happens next? Watch the movie to find out.

Plus Points (+)

We all grow up hearing stories of valor and war, and everyone knows about Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Maharana Pratap, Maharana Kumbha, and many other historical figures. However, few people know about Sambhaji, the son of the great Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. If you’re unfamiliar with Chhaava, the word is a Marathi term that means "lion's cub."

The movie begins with a voiceover by Ajay Devgn, introducing the audience to the Maratha Empire and its war stories. He eventually focuses on Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj. The first half of the movie is a mix of drama, history, and action, with Vicky Kaushal and Rashmika Mandanna in the lead roles. The second half is a blend of action and drama, with Akshaye Khanna covering a larger portion of the screen.

The background music plays an essential role in the film. When a director needs to highlight a particular part of the movie, they rely on the music. Forgetting A. R. Rahman’s contribution would be like a comedy movie without any humor. A. R. Rahman's background score elevates many scenes, particularly in the second half, while Arijit Singh, Jonita Gandhi, and Nakul Abhyankar also shine in the music section.

Vicky Kaushal as Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj looking handsome and energetic if Chandraprakash Dwivedi, who is the director of the Samrat Prithviraj (2022) movie, cast Vicky Kaushal instead of Akshay Kumar, which is better for the film. Back to the topic, Vicky Kaushal, who popular through the movie Uri: The Surgical Strike (2019), once again has the same energy postures we saw in this movie, and his dialogue delivery is next level.

After the record-breaking success of Pushpa 2, Rashmika Mandanna now appears as the female lead actress in this movie, where she plays the role of Maharani Yesubai Bhonsale. Her performance is next level, a loyal wife who stays with her husband in the hard time. If you are a fan of Rashmika Mandanna, the first half of the Chhaava movie is only for you because the majority of the time she appears in the first half. While on the other side, Akshaye Khanna as Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb is breaking all records in the villain category. After Vicky Kaushal, the audience praised Akshaye Khanna's performance.

Minus Points (-)

The first half tests the audience's patience and feels somewhat inspired by several Hollywood movies, such as Zack Snyder’s 300 (2006). Meanwhile, the second half has scenes that are reminiscent of Bajirao Mastani (2015), directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali. The music department does a good job, but some of the dialogues are weakly written.