An epic retelling of an interesting chapter from Maratha history

Soon after Farzand and Fatteshikast, Digpal Lanjekar’s initially two flicks in the series of movies committed to the bravery of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and the Maratha military, the author-director returns with a bang in the 3rd film of the collection – Pawankhind.

The movie, which was delayed due to the pandemic, is based on a person of the most renowned incidents from Maratha record – the Battle of Pavan Khind. At the outset, the makers make it obvious that this is not a full documentation of the battle, its prelude or aftermath, but a cinematic recreation meant to showcase the bravery of the Marathas associated in this fight. So, there are cinematic liberties taken in this retelling, but the crux of the story is maintained.

The story about the Fight of Pavan Khind (previously recognised as Ghod Khind) and the bravery exhibited by Bajiprabhu Deshpande and the Bandal army of 600 against the Siddhi Masud and the soldiers of the Adilshahi Sultanate is perfectly recognised across Maharashtra. The end result – Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s productive escape from Panhalgad to Vishalgad. But, does Lanjekar thrive in recreating this crucial chapter from Marathi historical past on display screen? Definitely!

Pawankhind is a thorough cinematic practical experience that is in good shape for the major screen. The movie is ambitious in attempting to discover this tale in two and a half hours, but it mainly succeeds in developing the ideal build up and ambience that prospects to a amazing climax. From laying out the explanation and the people included in it, to the siege of Panhala by Siddhi Jauhar, the escape approach and the real struggle, Pawankhind lays out all its playing cards in front you chronologically, while inducing a dose of history, drama and even comedian relief in concerning. The film doesn’t overlook out on providing thanks credit score to the the greater part of the generals who assisted Shivaji Maharaj realise his dream of Swarajya.

As for the actors, it’s not an easy job to provide some of the most well –known names from the Marathi movie and Tv industry jointly in a multi-starrer of this scale. But the casting department and makers pull off this feat. Chinmay Mandlekar as Shivaji Maharaj, Ajay Purkar as Bajiprabhu Deshpande, Sameer Dharmadhikari as Siddhi Jauhar, Aastad Kale as Siddhi Masud, Ankit Mohan as Rayaji Bandal, Mrinal Kulkarni as Maasaheb Jijau, Akshay Waghmare as Koyaji Bandal each actor has offered his best to their roles. Even the supporting solid has some memorable performances from Kshitee Jog as Badi Begum, Harish Dudhade as Bahirji Naik, Shivraj Waichal as Harpya, Rishi Saxena as Rustam Zaman. Another notable functionality that stands out is that of Ajinkya Nanaware as Shiva Kashid, the guy who resembled Shivaji Maharaj and sacrificed himself for his king. The scenes involving Ajinkya and Chinmay are sure to carry tears to your eyes.

When Pawankhind excels in storytelling, the specialized facets, however great, could have been better. The history score overpowers dialogues in some crucial scenes, and the motion choreography in some scenes fails to make the slash. However, all said and carried out, the whole crew has performed its most effective to make this a major screen practical experience. Perhaps with a even larger funds, these things can be ironed out in the following films of Lanjekar’s sequence.

For now, Pawankhind is a fantastic watch, and at the cinemas only.