Malhar Picture Company, AA Films and Everest Entertainment’s Shivrayancha Chhava (Marathi; UA) is the story about the looting of Burhanpur by Shivaji Maharaj’s (Chinmay Mandlekar) son, Sambhaji Maharaj (Bhushan Patil).
Digpal Lanjekar has written a story about just one chapter of Sambhaji Maharaj’s glorious life story. His screenplay is dull in the first half but interesting after interval. However, the pre-interval portion is so boring that it tests the audience’s patience. Also, since the viewers don’t get to watch the other chapters of Sambhaji’s conquests and achievements, they will feel cheated. Digpal Lanjekar’s dialogues are effective.
Bhushan Patil does a fair job as Sambhaji Maharaj but he needed to be more agile and heroic. Chinmay Mandlekar is alright in a brief role as Shivaji Maharaj. Ravi Kale acts ably in the role of Bahirji Naik. Sameer Dharmadhikari lends decent support as Aurangazeb. Prasanna Ketkar makes a mark as Sarsenapati Hambirrao. Abhijeet Shwetachandra lends nice support as Jotyaji. Rahul Dev leaves a fine mark as Kakar Khan. Trupti Toradmal is so-so as Yesubai, wife of Sambhaji Maharaj. Mrinal Kulkarni is okay as Aausaheb, grandmother of Sambhaji. Vikram Gaikwad is alright as Kavi Kalash. Dnyanesh Wadekar is okay as Asad Khan. Isha Keskar does a fair job as Gojau. Dipti Lele is reasonably good as Bakula. Bipin Surve is adequate as Aurangazeb’s messenger. Bhushan Shivtare (as Yesaji Kank) and Ashutosh Wadekar (as the Marwari trader) have their moments. Others do as required.
Digpal Lanjekar’s direction is okay but he has not been able to make an impactful first half. Devdatta Manisha Baji’s music is average; the absence of hit songs is felt. Digpal Lanjekar’s lyrics are alright. Song picturisations (by Vishnu Deva and Kiran Borkar) are eye-filling. Amar Mohile has done a fine job of the background music. Priyanka Mayekar’s cinematography is nice. Babbu Khanna’s action and stunt scenes definitely afford thrill. Pratik Redij’s art direction is good. Editing (by Sagar Shinde and Vinay Shinde) could’ve been better.
On the whole, Shivrayancha Chhava is too ordinary to make a mark at the box-office.
Released on 16-2-’24 at Plaza (daily 4 shows) and other cinemas of Bombay by AA Films. Publicity: quite good. Opening: dull.