Review: Ustaad Bhagat Singh: Occasionally Shines But Mostly Ordinary

 

Movie: Ustaad Bhagat Singh
Rating: 2.5/5

Cast: Pawan Kalyan, Sreeleela, Rashii Khanna, Parthiban, K. S. Ravikumar, Rao Ramesh, Gautami, Kamal Kamaraju, Srinath Maganti, and others

Director: Harish Shankar

Produced By: Mythri Movie Makers

Release Date: 19-03-2026

Story:

Chadhala Marri Nalla Nagappa (Parthiban) aspires to become the Chief Minister of Telangana and plots to assassinate the current CM, Chandrasekhar Rao (K.S. Ravikumar). Meanwhile, his son goes missing during a trip to the Nallamalla forest under mysterious circumstances. The investigation points to Ustaad Bhagat Singh (Pawan Kalyan) as the man behind the disappearance. Who is he? What led to his conflict with Nagappa? What are his true intentions, and how is the Chief Minister connected to all this? The film unfolds these answers.

Performances:

Pawan Kalyan looks at ease in the titular role. He handles the lighter moments well, delivers a few punch dialogues effectively, and performs well in some emotional scenes. However, a stronger character arc or story could have helped him shine even more. Sreeleela does a regular role, but she leaves an impression, and her scenes with Pawan add a mild emotional layer. Parthiban, Rashii Khanna, K.S. Ravikumar, Rao Ramesh, Gautami, Kamal Kamaraju, and Srinath Maganti have minimal impact, as their roles lack depth.

What Works:

The film has a few entertaining moments where Pawan Kalyan’s comic timing works well. It gains some momentum after the interval. The Paatha Basti sequence provides the high, and the love track between Pawan Kalyan and Sreeleela is decent. The song “Dekhlenge Saala” adds some energy to the narrative.

What Doesn’t Work:

Several scenes that had the potential to make a strong impact fall flat due to weak execution. Like many commercial films, the hero is heavily elevated, taking on a drug cartel, punishing criminals, and delivering moral lessons, but these moments lack depth and conviction. The action sequences feel rushed and lack high stakes. Additionally, a segment inspired by the Nirbhaya incident comes across as exploitative, using disturbing visuals and dialogues merely to evoke emotion rather than handling the subject with sensitivity.

Ustaad Bhagat Singh Review and Verdict:

Harish Shankar impressively presents Pawan Kalyan in Ustaad Bhagat Singh and enthralls fans. Power Star's energy drives the film and elevates several scenes. While the second half works well for the most part, the film falters due to weak handling of the main conflict and inferior action sequences.