“Panipat” Review: Atmospheric & Compelling, “Panipat” Touches The Right Chord

Panipat, starring Arjun Kapoor, Kriti Sanon and Sanjay Dutt in central characters, is yet another historical drama coming from the house of renowned filmmaker Ashutosh Gowariker. In the past, the visionary director has delivered compelling period dramas such as Lagaan (2001) and Jodhaa Akbar (2008), so every time he comes up with a new movie in the similar genre, expectations of the audience skyrocket. Though his last historical Mohenjo-Daro (2016), did not work at the box-office, fans’ faith in Ashutosh Gowariker as a filmmaker has not dipped a bit. They always look forward to his movies. Will his new film Panipat meet the high expectations of the audience? Let’s find out.

Story: Panipat is based on the third battle of Panipat fought between Maratha Empire and invading Afghan army of Ahmad Shah Abdali on 14^th January, 1761. Abdali (Sanjay Dutt) finds support by three Indian allies—the Rohillas Najib-ud-daulah, Afghans of the Doab region, and Shuja-ud-Daula-the Nawab of Awadh to carry out the battle. The Maratha army led by Sadashivrao Bhau (Arjun Kapoor) is determined to chase them off at any cost. But will it be an easy task for the Maratha warrior? To know this and much more, watch Panipat in cinemas near you.

Critical Analysis: With Panipat, filmmaker Ashutosh Gowariker is back on track. His last two films – Khelein Hum Jee Jaan Se (2010) and Mohenjo-Daro – failed to leave any impact on the audience. But Panipat has every ingredient that Ashutosh Gowariker’s films are known to have in abundance. From lavish sets to elaborate song and dance routines to jaw-dropping war sequences to a richly colourful canvas, you will find everything in Panipat to keep you invested in the narrative.

Coming to performances, Arjun Kapoor surprises with his powerful act. He performs the character of Sadashiv Rao Bhau so subtly and brilliantly that you cannot stop rooting for him. He is a revelation in this film. This is the first time in his entire career when the actor has taken up a historical film, and he does complete justice to it. People who thought that he cannot pull off a period character should definitely go and watch him do wonders in Panipat.

Sanjay Dutt as Ahmad Shah Abdali is menacing and impact. The character suits him to the tee. It is going to be a character the actor will be remembered for, along with several other iconic characters that he has played in his career. Kriti Sanon is impressive too. Despite the presence of so many actors in the film, she manages to arrest your attention with her poised performance. Just like Arjun Kapoor, she is also exploring the period world for the first time in her career and leaves no stone unturned at nailing it.

Talking about some negative aspects of the film, with a runtime of 173 minutes, Panipat is intolerably long. The editor needed to be a little sharper with his scissors. Not everyone, especially the youngsters, are used to watching such long films.

Final Verdict: Embellished with powerful performances, taut writing, deft direction and breathtaking cinematography, Panipat is a film that is worth every single penny of yours. Do not miss this story of Marathas’ valour at any cost. I am going with 3.5 stars.

Movie Credits:
Banner: Ashutosh Gowariker Productions, Vision World Films
Director: Ashutosh Gowariker
Cast: Arjun Kapoor, Kriti Sanon, Sanjay Dutt
Runtime: 173 Minutes
STARBIZ Rating: 3.5 Stars

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