'Champion' Movie Review

Cast: Roshan Meka, Anaswara Rajan, KK Menon, Kalyan Chakravarthy, Prakash Raj, Murali Sharma, Abhay Bethiganti, Ravindra Vijay, Harshavardhan, Vennela Kishore, Kovai Sarala, Archana, Raccha Ravi, and others

Music: Mickey J Meyer

Cinematography: Madhi

Producer: Priyanka Dutt

Written and Directed by: Pradeep Advaitam

Senior actor Sreekanth’s son Roshan Meka debuted with Nirmala Convent when was a teen, and later debuted with PelliSandaD movie. He has now returned with the film “Champion” which is directed by Pradeep Advaitham of “Advaitham” short film fame. The film created buzz with teasers and trailers, and now we have to see if it lives up to the buzz.

Story:

Even though Indian became independent in 1947, many states didn’t join the one-nation idea immediately and Hyderabad is one of them. It remained a separate princely state until Operation Polo in 1948. While the people of Hyderabad state wanted to become part of India, the Nizam refused. During this short period, people suffered under the cruelty of Nizam’s army, the private militia Razakars. One village, named Bhairapalle however stood strong, no matter how hard Razakars crushed their fight.

Into this tense situation comes Michael Williams (Roshan), a football player, who arrives at Bairanpally due to some circumstances. While Michael dreams of going to England to play football, he must complete a mission to get there. What’s his mission and why did he come to Bhairanpally and join the fight of the village against the Razakars form the rest of the story.

Analysis:

Bhairanpally holds a special place in the history of Telangana Armed Struggle, as the name itself gives goosebumps and pride moments to many. The village stood inspiration for thousands after it stood against Nizam’s tyranny, and played a key role in the road to freedom. Director Pradeep Advaitham tried honestly to bring this story to the silver screen with ‘Champion’, while the producers also supported him by providing ample financial support without cutting corners. Still, mixing a real historical incident with a fictional footballer character didn’t fully impress. Roshan has performed well, but the character didn’t blend with the story. Though the narrative feels different and sincere, the emotional connection is missing, leaving a mixed bag of impressions. Champion is a worthy watch for those who want to watch different films.

To increase drama, naturally, fictional characters will be added to historical incidents by filmmakers. However, those characters should fit naturally into the real story, and that’s where Champion falters. Individually, both the football track and the Bhairanpally track work fine, but together, they don’t mix well. When the hero is going there to take fight on behalf of the villagers, there should be a strong emotional connection, and that bond is missing here. If this emotional layer had been stronger, Champion would have worked out well. Still, the team deserves praise for bringing out a vintage film that makes us travel 80 years back.

What deserves to be appreciated in Champion is that the film is sans any commercial elements or elevation. Song and action scenes are placed naturally within the story. Though the pace of the film until the story reaches Bhairanpally is slow, the football-related scenes are handled well. Once the village track begins, the film becomes more engaging. The song Gira Gira Gingarely will stand out for a long time, and the Sallagundale song is also impressive. Interval block gives effectiveness and a strong high point to the film.

However, the second half doesn’t maintain the same energy as the story becomes predictable and lacks emotional depth, weakening the impact. The hero never feels fully connected to Bhairanpally’s struggle, and during the climax, when villagers are bravely fighting the Razakars, the hero is totally absent from the sequence. Even though his ultimate sacrifice is significant, it doesn’t create much emotion because Michael is never part of the story. Though no scene feels wasted in the film, the film neither wins nor loses.

Performances:

Roshan stands out tall and proves that there is something special about him in every scene. While he acts with comfort, and works hard to fit into the role of Michael still there’s still some teeny-feel in his looks. He handled dance and fight sequences confidently. At a certain point, it feels like he’s carrying too much responsibility, but then, it proves that he will have a promising future.

Anaswara Rajan does a commendable job as the leading lady, with her expressions natural and her dances very well. She shines in the Gira Gira song, making her presence felt. Kalyan Chakravarthy returns to the screen after years, but does not leave an expected impact with his dubbing feeling off. He never comes across as someone from Bhairanpally.

KK Menon, who played Razvi, hasn’t got the scope to show his acting mettle. Prakash Raj appears briefly as Vallabhai Patel, and makes a strong impression in this short role. The likes of Harshavardhan, Abhay Bethiganti, and Rachcha Ravi leave a good impression. Murali Sharma, Ravindra Vijay, Vennela Kishore, and Kovai Sarala all do justice to their characters within their limited screen time.

Technicians:

On the technical front, Champion is backed strongly. Firstly, Mickey J Meyer gives one of his best works with both songs and background score as well. While Girra Girra and Sallangundale stand out, the background score adds a lot of strength to key scenes and lifts the overall tone of the film. Cinematographer Madhi did an impressive job, capturing the visuals beautifully. The frames look rich and well composed. The art direction deserves appreciation for recreating the period setting effectively, and Swapna Cinemas (producer) deserves praise for backing this costly project with a relatively new hero.

Writer and director Pradeep Advaitham clearly made this film with passion and dedication. His love for cinema and his technical brilliance are visible throughout the film. He made an honest attempt to narrate an important story, but the emotional depth doesn’t come through strongly in the second half. A tighter screenplay would have made the film impactful.

Finally: Champion, Well played, but the match is drawn!

Rating - 2.5/5