A scene from ‘Chhatrapati’
Sometimes, while cleaning out cupboards, we come across old photographs or documents that remind us of our flaws and leave us with an uneasy feeling. Watching Chhatrapati leaves with the same feeling about Spices The fare we once ate without burning our palates.
Remake of Telugu hit starring Prabhas, Chhatrapati SS Helps us put into perspective the cinematic contraption that the team of Rajamouli and V.Vijayendra Prasad devised long ago bahubali happened.
In the film industry, once a filmmaker starts ruling the box office, producers also rip out his old works and try to resell it to gullible audiences. so, even then ChhatrapatiThe Hindi dub of which is easily available on the internet, the makers have roped in director VV Vinayak to remake the 2005 film in 2023. The time lag is visible on the screen and the product looks old. Curiously, with no re-imagining in play, the remake feels like a dubbed version.
Chhatrapati
Director: VV Vinayak
Story: V. Vijayendra Prasad
Cast: Sai Srinivas Bellamkonda, Nushrat Bharucha, Bhagyashree, Sharad Kelkar, Karan Singh Chhabra
A Nirupa Roy-like mother, a selfless brother doting on his sly step-brother, the pain of migrants….there is much in the original that could generate a melodic eruption, but the innocuous treatment of the subject leaves us dry. There’s a lot of noise and fury and the violence gets gruesome, but the action choreography lacks the emotional hook to keep us invested.
Not focusing on biceps and sobbing faces, the camera keeps searching for cleavage. It is the kind of film where every emotion is an ‘item’ and the loops of action, dialogue and song sequences are predictable.
Telugu actor Bellamkonda Sai Srinivas lacks the charismatic screen presence of Prabhas, making us forget the gaps in the screen writing and root for Shiva’s rise against the odds. He growls nicely but that’s about it. impudent Nusrat Bharucha Three songs and maybe two and a half scenes have been taken. Similarly, Sharad Kelkar as the villain deserves more space and scenes to chew. Bhagyashree barely aces this role as the helpless mother and haunts us with her inability to see clearly.
Check it out only if you want to go back in time and find the trash we left behind.
Chhatrapati is currently running in theaters