The initial part is long winding, tedious and suffocating. The CGI lions are “fika” and eats up the budget. War troops’ long shots are stock shots. Akshay Kumar does not ride the horses for real and is actually bouncing on a wooden horse. Movie warms up after 1 hour with the entry of former miss world Manushi Chillar. Manushi is a little stiff in the romantic scenes but shines with grace and dignity. But she is too skinny to be a hindi film heroine. Although she has a Deepiku hangover, she dances well and emotes adequately. I couldn’t understand why Sanjay Dutt had to pull a Dritarashtra act. Sakhshi Tanwar’s performance is powerful and impactful. But the movie is disjointed and doesnt engage with the audience like Tanhaji or even a Padmavat. Akki is adorable, fit and fetching. The supporting cast including Ashutosh Rana, Ali Fazal and Sonu Sood pack quite a punch. Music is average. The climax is more comic than tragic. Overall a movie that should appeal only to history buffs.
AninditaRoyMusings 