Chhaava, a film that had really intrigued me from its announcement. Finally, I took some time off last Friday to watch it. Was it worth it? Was it as good as its box office collection indicated? Let me spill my thoughts on Chhaava to you in this not-so-much-review.
But before I delve deeper, let me warn you, my dear friend. I still haven’t mastered the art of talking about a film without involving spoilers. So please stop reading if you haven’t watched the film and yet plan to do so. From here on, there may be spoilers that might ruin your experience.
So let’s get back….
The Casting
The Leads of Chhaava
I don’t know why, but I believe this is the second film of Vicky Kaushal that I’m writing about on this site (which is honestly once in a blue moon. I’m still working on my consistency). The first one was Bad Newz. Anyway, let’s talk about his performance in Chhaava.
I appreciate Vicky for his efforts. The way he carries out the fight sequences and all is commendable. But there’s something in his act that makes it stand out. I mean, in an odd way. Like a colloquial and contemporary one rather than the intended historical royal one. Especially the scene when he addresses his soldiers after the victory at Burhanpur. It sounded exactly like Major Vihaan from Uri giving a pep talk to his troops before the surgical strike. The similarity was astounding. I wish he had put in more work on his diction and accent.
Coming to Rashmika Mandanna as Yesubai. I believe I saw an article during the time of the film’s release where the makers defended their decision to cast her. Emphasising that they selected her due to her expressive eyes. Well, that’s true, she does have gorgeous eyes, but that’s about it. She tried, but like Vicky, it felt like she was cosplaying rather than embodying the aura of a Marathi Queen. The chemistry between the leads, just like Rashmika’s dialogue delivery, was just meh.
The Supporting Cast
The stand-out performers for me were Divya Dutta, Akshaye Khanna, Ashutosh Rana, and Vineet Kumar Singh. Though their screen presence was limited, they just elevated the scene whenever they came in. Especially Vineet Kumar Singh as Kavi Kalash. He rightly deserves all the praise and applause he has been receiving from the audience and critics alike for his portrayal since the time of the film’s release. In fact, his and Vicky’s combination scenes were among the best the film had to offer.
I feel we, as the audience, failed to encourage and appreciate such talents as the above-mentioned group of artists. The respect and admiration they received now were long overdue.
I know even Diana Penty was part of the film. I genuinely feel bad for her – first, Azaad and now Chhaava. She’s never been given a substantial role to make her impact felt.
Music and Score of Chhaava
To say, in a nutshell, that I was disappointed would be an understatement. I can’t believe this is the same A. R Rahman, who gave us gems like Jodhaa Akbar, Ghajini, etc. For historical films like Chhaava, the music and BGM almost act as another character or even backbone at times. It adds another layer to the storytelling. The songs sounded just too modern, especially the track of Jaane Tu. Toofan was the only one worth remembering in the whole soundtrack. The BGM, too, was ineffective. It didn’t evoke any sense of emotion in me. Somewhere, it reminded me of a less attractive version of the BGMS of Jodhaa Akbar and even Mohenjo Daro. In conclusion, the word dissatisfaction would describe my feelings for the film’s music adequately.
Story, Direction, and the Rest…
Let’s start with the rest. I mean the production. Chhaava is supposed to be Maddock’s most expensive project to date. Now, that may be true. It might be due to the Bhansali effect, but after watching films like Bajirao Mastani, Padmaavat, and even the comparatively dated Jodhaa Akbar. Chhaava, in contrast, lacks the visual grandeur that these movies possess. The lavish palaces feel like limiting sets, along with Bad CGI, which makes them look less appealing.
Now, focusing on writing and direction, Chhaava is said to be an adaptation of a 1979 novel of the same name written by Shivaji Sawant. I don’t know much about that since I haven’t read the book, and Marathi is an alien language to me. One thing I would like to say is that I wish we had Ajay Devgn‘s voice-over throughout. No, not like the spoon-feeding audience kind, but at least on some parts to establish the timeline. The narrative, at times, felt incoherent, lacking a stable framework.
Things That Didn’t Work for Me in Chhaava
Now please don’t come at me. These are just my personal takes –
- The casting, specifically the leads. I’m not saying that they haven’t tried, but clearly, both of them were misfits. I wish the makers had chosen actors from Marathi backgrounds. People who know, live, and embody the culture.
- The film is supposed to showcase Marathi culture and pride. Yet the dialogues, even a flop film like Panipat, had more elements of the Marathi language than Chhaava.
- The scene that showcases Aurangzeb as he wishes he had a son like Sambhaji. I mean, of course you’re allowed to make creative liberties, but I felt this was just too much. It’s just too filmy for my taste.
Last Thoughts on Chhaava
Chhaava overall, for me, was a mixed bag. I liked it for introducing me to the comparatively lesser-known yet legendary figure of Sambhaji. I know many historians have called it out for being an inaccurate depiction, especially the part of the evil stepmother and the backstabbing brothers-in-law. Also, I don’t subscribe to the whole Hindu Muslim narrative framework, just not for me. Even the Marathas were known for their cruelty. Do you have doubts? Just read about their exploits in Karnataka and Bengal.
In conclusion, Chhaava turned out to be a one-time-watching wonder for me. You can watch it for the stellar performances of the supporting cast. Also, for knowing some part of our history, though not accurate, it’s actually a start.