Chhaava (2025)

Unforgettable - But Not Perfect - Chhaava review by griggs

I went into Chhaava knowing nothing about the history behind it, but I was pleasantly surprised—it’s a gripping, visually spectacular film. Clearly aiming for the same rousing energy as RRR, it doesn’t quite reach those heights. However, Vicky Kaushal delivers a commanding performance that wouldn’t feel out of place in an S.S. Rajamouli epic.

That said, the film has its issues. The pacing jumps forward in time with little warning, and if you miss the tiny on-screen text (easy when reading subtitles), you might get lost. A.R. Rahman’s score is grand but occasionally overwhelms the dialogue. And while the film insists it’s about freedom, not religion, there’s a clear nationalist undercurrent that feels in step with Modi-era politics.

One thing that truly shocked me was the sheer level of graphic violence. The battle scenes are unrelenting—swords slice through torsos, spears impale soldiers with sickening crunches, and arrows puncture throats in gruesome detail. Blood spurts in great arcs, and bodies pile up in the mud, some hacked apart or trampled underfoot. A ruthless execution scene lingers on the agony of a man being tortured—his tongue severed, his fingernail ripped off, and his back shredded with deep, bleeding wounds. The BBFC rating this a 15 feels surprisingly lenient, given how unflinching the film depicts carnage.

Despite these flaws, Chhaava is a thrilling watch—packed with action, drama, and spectacle. It may not be perfect, but it’s certainly unforgettable.