Roshan Meka, son of actor Srikanth, tests his luck with Champion, a sports drama set in the pre-Independence era. Directed by Pradeep Advaitam, the film was released on December 25, 2025. Read our review to find out if the film has any juice in it or not.
Plot:
The film is about Michael C Williams (Roshan Meka), a young footballer from Secunderabad who dreams of playing football in England. His journey unfolds during a tense political period under Nizam rule. Family secrets, political unrest, and rebellion against the Nizam play a key role in shaping his path. Characters played by Anaswara Rajan and Murali Sharma add emotional and dramatic depth to the story of how Michael delivers justice to his people.
What about on-screen performances:
Roshan Meka delivers a confident and honest performance. He looks natural as a footballer and handles emotional scenes well.
Anaswara Rajan does well in a limited role. She has a solid screen presence in the film and mouths her Telugu dialogues well. Her chemistry with Roshan is also good
Senior actors like Prakash Raj and Murali Sharma add strength, though a few characters feel underused. More depth in their characters would have made a world of difference.
One of the biggest drawbacks of the film is the supporting cast. Not one of them makes a difference in the setup that fails to create an impact.
What about off-screen talents?
Pradeep Advaitam’s idea of mixing football with history feels fresh. The war and football scenes are well shot.
Madhie’s cinematography and Mickey J Meyer’s background score elevate many moments. Editing could have been tighter, as the film feels long in parts. Production values are rich and impressive.
The film stumbles in its treatment of historical events. Using real names while placing a fictional hero within actual incidents may not sit well with viewers who know the true history and the hardships of that time.
Visual effects turn out to be a letdown. For a film mounted on a big scale, the CG, especially in the war portions, looks weak and breaks the immersion.
Emotional depth is uneven. While there are moments meant to move the audience, the pain and struggle are not conveyed with the intensity the subject demands.
Many supporting roles are wasted. Characters played by Naresh, Laxman Meesala, Vennela Kishore, and Ravindra Vijay do not get enough screen space or importance to make a strong impact.
What’s Good:
Production values
Roshan Meka’s performance
What’s Bad:
Lack of depth in emotions
Dull screenplay
Slow pace
Uneven narrative
Verdict:
Overall, Champion is a very brave film with the likes of Roshan Meka. It has the scale, but the way in which the emotional undercurrent is handled is not that great. Roshan Meka needs to wait some more time to score a hit in his career.
TeluguBulletin.com Rating 2/5