Valiant Revolutionary Story Undermined by Stale Jokes and Uninspiring Narration

Rating: 2/5 stars

Renowned production house Swapna Cinema, known for acclaimed films like Mahanati and Kalki 2898 AD, once again attempts to back a realistic and rooted story. The makers assemble a competent technical team, invest generously in recreating the period setting, and pay close attention to costumes and production design. However, their effort is significantly undermined by the decision to insert a conventional “hero” template into a revered and unforgettable historical massacre.

The protagonist’s character arc is fundamentally flawed. Roshan plays a young man with personal aspirations who is unwillingly pulled into a valiant struggle of villagers against the mighty Nizam regime and the brutal Razakars. This forced transition dilutes the emotional core of the film, although his father fought Britishers. Director Pradeep Advaitham fails to bring the revered Bhairanpally Sayuda Poratam revolution to life, largely due to a lacklustre screenplay that neither builds tension nor sustains emotional engagement.

Casting a young actor like Roshan in a larger-than-life revolutionary role comes with limitations. While he looks convincing as an aspiring footballer and appears physically fit, his transformation into a gun-toting revolutionary fails to leave an impact. As a result, the unpardonable massacre carried out by the Nizam and the merciless Razakars gets buried under a barrage of stale comedy and an uninspired romantic track between Roshan and Anaswara Rajan.

Barring about 20 minutes of spirited sequences showing the farmers’ preparations and their confrontation with the police—culminating in a devastating massacre—the film has little else to offer. The melodious song “Gira Gira Gingiraagirey” stands out as soothing and has become a chartbuster. The film is deeply Telangana-centric, celebrating the region’s dialect, culture, and humanity, though this strong regional flavour may limit its emotional connect with audiences elsewhere.

The hero’s character arc remains confusing and occasionally borders on selfishness. He neither fully empathises with the villagers’ suffering nor convincingly embraces their cause but joins the fight. The director seems intent on holding the protagonist at a point of moral choice for too long, which ultimately blunts the impact of the “footballer-turned-revolutionary” narrative.

Notably, the film also pays tribute to great leaders like Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and Communist icon P. Sundarayya.

Set in 1947, the film opens at a time when the Hyderabad State seeks to remain independent. Even Home Minister Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s appeals to the Nizam to join the Indian Union go in vain. Against this backdrop, Roshan’s character, an aspiring footballer desperate to reach England, faces multiple setbacks. Meanwhile, the fearless farmers of Bairanpally emerge as a thorn in the Nizam’s rule. Roshan inadvertently lands in the village and soon finds himself drawn into a life-and-death struggle.

Roshan is good-looking but needs to hone his emotional range, as the role demands multiple shades that he struggles to justify. Kalyan Chakravarthy is effective as the fearless village head who leads the resistance against the Razakars. Murali Sharma makes a strong impression in his role, while Anaswara Rajan looks pleasant but is given very little to do.

Cinematographer R. Madhi captures striking visuals, and art director Thota Tharani impresses with authentic period sets. Composer Mickey J. Meyer delivers a few memorable melodies. Director Pradeep Advaitham seems to rely heavily on the tag of a “real-life story” to keep audiences engaged, but the weak screenplay fails to sustain the required emotional momentum.