Ashwin Babu was last seen in Hidimba, which had a decent premise. He has now teamed up with a new director named Apsar for an action drama titled Shivam Bhaje. The trailer has caught the attention of many, and the film has been released today. Vikas Badisa has composed the music for this film which has been produced by Mahendra Reddy. Digangana Suryavanshi is the female lead. Read our detailed review here.
Story
Chandu(Ashwin Babu) is a loan recovery agent who loses his eye in a brawl. His eyes are transplanted, and ever since this happens, he starts to see a mafia setup and a series of murders. All these have a connection to his girlfriend(Digangana Suryavanshi) and a major pharma company. What is the back story, and how did Chandu unravel this in his own way is the basic story of the film.
What about on-screen performances?
Ashwin Babu is seen in an action-packed role once again and he is good. The way he played the role of a man who sees the world through someone’s eyes has been showcased well by the young actor. He was very good in all the action parts, and his dialogue delivery has also improved a lot.
Diganagna Suryavanshi is neat in her role. She looks beautiful and shares a solid chemistry with the hero. Her role is also connected well to the story, and she does well. Tulasi, in the role of the hero’s mother, is getting routine.
Arbaaz Khan made a comeback to Telugu cinema, and he looks handsome. His role is one of the highlights, and Arbaaz does well in his character. Hyper Aadi is decent with his comedy and creates a few laughs here and there.
Murali Sharma and Tanikella Bharani are good in their cameos. Temper Vamsi was good in a fight, and the rest of the cast, like Kireeti, were adequate in their respective roles.
What about off-screen talents?
Apsar has directed this film and his concept is very good on paper. But sadly, his execution is not up to the mark. The setup and the casting are very good, but to create more drama, he added so many subplots which bore the audience.
As he used up so much runtime in the first half when things mattered in the second half, he is left with less time, and that is the reason he had no choice but to rush the film in a hurry. The first half is a big bore as there was no need to showcase the love story in such a detailed manner.
The songs are also a huge hindrance. The character of Arbaaz Khan is also not handled well and the way the dots are also connected does not make sense. There was so much scope for the director to add so many thrills, but he failed to do so.
The eye transplant surgery and the way it is done lacks basic seriousness. There are so many build-up scenes in the film which were not needed at all. The terrorist angle looks outright silly. The background score by Vikas Badisa is the lifeline of the film and is superb.
The production values and art direction were okay. The editing was pathetic, and the screenplay lacked the basic punch in the narrative. It is only in the second half that things become interesting, but by then, it is too late for the audience to enjoy the film. In a way, one can say that Shivam Bhaje is a wasted opportunity.
What’s Hot?
- Storyline
- BGM
- Ashwin Babu’s role
- Interval twist
What’s Not?
- Boring narrative
- Lack of proper screenplay
- Dragged scenes
- Hurried climax
Verdict:
Overall, Shivam Bhaje had a superb scope to be a solid thriller. But that does not happen as the build-up is slow, and when things matter the most, they are hurried, making the film a boring watch.
Telugubulletin.com Rating: 2.25/5