Panipat Movie Review: Revisit India's Glorious Past

Ashutosh Gowariker, who is known for making epic historical dramas, is back with another great saga, Panipat and the director leaves you in awe of his craft with his latest release.

The film revolves around the third battle of Panipat, where the brave Maratha warriors fought against the Durrani Empire. How Sadashivrao Bhau and his troops bravely fought the dreaded Ahmed Shah Abdali and his ferocious army forms the rest of the plot.

Ashutosh leaves an impact with the very first scene, where you see the Marathas conquering the Nizam of Hyderabad. His direction is excellent and every scene has been shot beautifully.

Sapna Hai Sach Hai song from panipat

 The magnificent sets will leave you awestruck and the mammoth scale of the film is intimidating. History has definitely been distorted but the makers have given a disclaimer regarding it right at the beginning.

panipat

Arjun Kapoor has played Sadashivrao and though initially he looks unconvincing, his character slowly grows on you. He has maintained one expression throughout the film and it won’t be wrong to say he is the weakest link of the film.

Sanjay Dutt is terrific as Ahmed Shah Abdali and totally owns the fierce character. I wish he had a bigger role as he infuses new life into the narrative everytime he comes on screen. Kriti Sanon is fantastic as Parvati Bai and her expressions are bang on. Sadly, we can’t say the same about her chemistry with Arjun. Zeenat Amaan, Mohnish Behl, Padmini Kohlapuri and Kunal Kapoor have lent able support to the movie.

The film has done full justice to the Maratha ‘aan, baan and shaan’ and it salutes their valour and grit. Costumes, jewellery, sets and locations are stunning and the cinematography is top notch. However, CGI and VFX could have been better.

The first half is very engaging but the second half is quite stretched. This film could have done with better editing. Panipat takes you back into India’s glorious past and makes you feel proud of our history.

The songs are good and the background score too is thrilling. Overall it’s an interesting watch, with its length and its lead actor being its bane.