Telling the story of Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj carries a huge burden, not only because it is an important historical event, but deeply emotional, especially for Maharashtra. Raja Shivaji, directed by and starring Riteish Deshmukh, does such a great job of carrying that burden and presents it with a tremendous amount of sincerity. While it does not always create cinematic excitement, it makes up for in intent, and that intent is hard to dismiss.
The story: history told with devotion, not urgency
At its most fundamental, it is a film that details the life of Shivaji, from when he was a child under the tutelage of his mother until he became an extraordinarily strong warrior king who changed the concept of Swarajya in India. It is a story about bravery, commitment, and using rebellion to overthrow people who were tyrants and tyrannical.
The way that the film is told seems like historical chapters – structured, respectful, and comprehensive. However, that is where it falls down the most. The events carry a weighty power but the way they are told often feels like the writer went through “checklist” duty rather than putting the emotional part of the story first with engaging writing. It creates admiration but not always an emotional connection to your audience.
Direction: ambitious, heartfelt… but uneven
While Riteish Deshmukh’s directional attempts, at times feel very “ambitious” and are also very “heartfelt”… they are also often uneven.
It is an extremely ambitious task to put together such a large film and to try to find a good balance between “spectacle” and the “sensitive” nature of the film, but overall, he did well to maintain the dignity of the project.
The pacing of the film is also very uneven. You will have a few long drawn-out scenes that seem to go on forever, yet have many emotional high points and impactful moments towards the end, yet then you will also have long-slower paced scenes that feel like they drag-on a lot due to how highly regarded those scenes are supposed to be.
Performances: sincerity leads, but cameos steal moments
- Riteish Deshmukh does a terrific job portraying Shivaji Maharaj. He is sincere and authentic in that he portrays the character with restraint and authority. It works, even if it doesn’t always electrify.
- Sanjay Dutt is charismatic and authoritative, especially when revealing his antagonist side. He adds weight to the story’s conflict.
- Abhishek Bachchan contributes to the story’s depth by playing a secondary character who makes an impact, even with little screen time.
- Vidya Balan’s presence is important in providing an emotional aspect to the story, and preventing the film from being too decorative or superficial.
- And then there’s Salman Khan, who appears in a brief but notable cameo. His star power somehow makes his presence felt throughout the movie.
Cinematography & visuals: scale with occasional cracks
Filmed by Santosh Sivan, the movie’s visual elements are intended to create an epic spectacle through the utilization of breathtaking locales, bold lighting effects, and enormous battles.
However, there is a lack of uniform quality in the visual aesthetic of this film. Certain sections are quite beautiful, while others, due to their reliance on special effects, have the appearance of being old, thus ruining the continuation of your involvement. It feels like the visual effects and choreography of violent activities are ill-matched with the film’s vision.
Music & background score: the film’s strongest ally
The film includes an outstanding musical score provided by Ajay-Atul. The music transforms emotions in the form of song and provides substance to scenes through its score.
There’s a clear understanding here of how sound can shape legacy storytelling, and it works beautifully in patches.
Raja Shivaji is a film made with reverence, you can see the research, the respect, and the emotional investment in every frame. Unfortunately, the film fails in terms of having any real momentum (which is what all great films usually have).
There are many instances where the director shows off what he can do creatively; the performances are strong; the musical score is powerful; however, the film just never measures up as an epic/huge/edge of your seat type.
You leave with a great deal of respect for the film, but not much of an overwhelming feeling.
This is a sincere, artistically ambitious tribute that emotionally pulls on the right strings; however, it does not technically exhibit a significant impact.
Rating: 3 out 5 stars
