Shivam Bhaje - Ineffective for the Most Parts

 

Movie: Shivam Bhaje
Rating: 2.25/5

Cast:  Ashwin Babu, Digangana Suryavanshi, Arbaaz Khan, Murali Sharma, Hyper Aadhi and others. 

Director: Abdul Apsar Hussain
Produced By: Mahehwara Reddy Mooli

Release Date: August 1, 2024

Story:

The neighboring forces of China and Pakistan initiate a significant plot to carry out large-scale attacks in India. Simultaneously, a string of murders involving employees of a chemical factory is taking place in Hyderabad. Amidst these events, Chandu (Ashwin) is pursuing a romantic relationship with Sailaja. An unforeseen accident occurs when everything appears to be going smoothly in his life. Following the accident, Chandu begins to have peculiar visions and hears voices. How will these two unrelated storylines intersect? The movie's fundamental plot unravels the mystery and concludes everything.

Performances:

Ashwin diligently fulfills his role, delivering a commendable performance in the post-operative scenes. The film features satisfactory action, and Ashwin excels in these sequences, as demonstrated in his previous film. Digangana Suryawanshi plays a conventional female lead character. While her character is essential to the storyline, it lacks any thrilling elements in terms of performance. Arbaz Khan makes a comeback in a Telugu film after a considerable hiatus. However, his role lacks substance. Murali Sharma and Tanikella Bharani are seen in brief roles and perform appropriately. Hyper Aadi provides a few laughs, but his comedy appears out of place in some scenes. Brahmaji irritates in an insignificant role. 

What worked for the film:

Apsar's directorial Shivam Bhaje is an action thriller that stands out with its unique blend of various sub-genres, ranging from a serial killer storyline to bio-war terrorism. The film kicks off on a captivating note and offers intriguing elements until the initial moments. Though the middle portion tends to follow a predictable path as it focuses on the typical hero-heroine romance and comedy, the central point of what is transpiring in the laboratory and its ties to China somehow maintains the tension The connection between the murders and the lab manages to sustain interest, despite the lack of any groundbreaking developments. The real momentum of the plot picks up only towards the interval when the protagonist is unwittingly drawn into the main storyline. But the above mentioned parts act as a lead to the main storyline and nothing more. The main attraction of the movie lies in the unexpected twist unveiled during the interval and further elaborated on afterward. Without this central element of deception, the rest of the movie lacks any engaging appeal.

What did not work for the film:

The Love Track between Chandu and Sailaja is handled very routinely. If properly executed, this track could have done wonders for the film, being the core emotion for the hero. However, the director ignores the importance of the heroine's character in the movie even though she has a link to the main events. The sequences that follow after a key revelation post-interval seem hurried as they quickly go through the different cliches and tropes of the genre. The final plot twist at the conclusion feels very artificial and unnatural. It doesn't have the impact it should. The divine angle in the climax does not provide any effect as it was handled ordinarily until then.

Shivam Bhaje Review and Verdict:

Shivam Bhaje presents a promising idea and contains several gripping moments, potentially making it an engaging watch. However, it transforms into a formulaic action drama that cannot maintain effectiveness.