Following the success of his Hindi-dubbed films on the digital platforms, Sreenivas Bellamkonda makes his Bollywood debut with the remake of the Telugu smash hit ‘Chatrapathi’ (2005). The Hindi adaptation, also titled ‘Chatrapathi’, is directed by V V Vinayak and co-stars Nushrratt Bharuccha in the female lead.
Shiva (Sreenivas Bellamkonda) lives with his mother (Bhagyashree) and brother Ashok (Karan Singh Chhabra) in Pakistan. Ashok dislikes Shiva since he is not his biological brother. While being evacuated from Pakistan, Ashok separates Shiva and his mother. Shiva arrives in Gujrat as a refugee and is compelled to engage in criminal activities, due to which he transforms into an angry individual. In addition, Shiva’s search for his mother never ends. During this time, one of the boys in the refugee camp is attacked, prompting Shiva to revolt. He becomes the savior of the oppressed. As a result, people start referring to him as Chatrapathi. Will Shiva ever be able meet his mother? What difficulties did Ashok cause in the life of Shiva? Watch this film to find out.
Sreenivas Bellamkonda is fantastic as Chatrapathi. The actor pours his heart and soul into the Hindi version, which is sure to impress mainstream audiences. His dialogue delivery and performance has vastly improved in comparison with his previous releases. The actor also shines in action sequences. Overall, Sreenivas makes an impressive debut in Hindi cinema.
Nushrratt Bharuccha has nothing to offer with and is a big let down, while Karan Singh Chhabra impresses to some extent. Sharad Kelkar’s performance is average and Bhagyashree is loud and over the top.
‘Chatrapathi’ primarily focuses on action, due to which the film’s emotional quotient suffers. The characters get introduced too quickly, giving no room for the viewer to process the developments. Everything in the film appears manufactured, whether it’s the mother’s pain, the hero’s connection with his fellow mate, or the refugees’ hardship.
Director V V Vinayak’s direction has a Southern flavour attached to it and he does his job well but the screenplay by Mahadev is a big culprit. The makers chose a great subject to remake but the writer has simply copy-pasted the story of the original instead of adapting it as per the changing times.
Overall Chatrapathi is a one-time watch and should be watched only for the promising Hindi debut and performance of Sreenivas Bellamkonda.
Rating: 2.5/5
