PremiumShivam Bhaje: The Ashwin Babu action drama clicks only in its final act
Shivam Bhaje Review: The Ashwin Babu starrer has a very unique concept and the interval bang where the actual twist related to the hero is unleashed is superb. But the rest..
Shivam Bhaje
Last Updated: 04.23 PM, Aug 01, 2024
Shivam Bhaje Story
Chandu(Ashwin Babu) is a loan recovery agent who is an atheist and leads a happy life with his family. One fine day, he gets into a tussle with a few goons and loses his eyesight. After a while, he gets an eye transplant surgery. A few days later, he starts seeing crime-related scenes and a massive conspiracy related to a company named Binary Chemicals. On the other hand, a cop played by Arbaaz Khan is also investigating this case, which has a direct connection to Chandu and his girlfriend(Digangana Suryavanshi). Why is Chandu getting these weird dreams? Who is behind this nexus? and did Chandu crack the mystery? That forms the rest of the story.
Shivam Bhaje Review
Ashwin Babu was last seen in the action drama, Hidimbha, which ended as a decent fare at the box office. He played a cannibal in the film and once again, he has chosen a unique script for Shivam Bhaje. The film, directed by Apsar, has a very interesting premise and the character that Ashwin Babu plays is quite interesting.
The concept of eye transplant surgery and the hero getting someone's eyes and dreaming about a crime setup and solving things himself is the basic backdrop of this film. The interval bang, which has been showcased in a superb manner, is one of the biggest highlights of the film. But to get to that point, director Apsar takes forever and makes things dull.
The love story between Ashwin Babu and Digangana and the songs that showcase a few conflict points derail the film in no time. The entry of Arbaaz Khan makes things interesting, but his role is not etched well throughout the film. Also, the manner in which his character is justified in the last ten minutes looks rushed.
There are a lot of interesting elements in the script that make up for solid thrills. But sadly, they have not been elevated well. As the entire first half is wasted, the audience loses interest. But things pick up from the second half as the twist related to the eye surgery is unleashed. This is quite a new point in Telugu cinema and is justified with proper examples also. One of the biggest disadvantages is that the hype related to the medical mafia is created, and the link to the hero's character is not interlinked properly.
To create more tension, the director added many subplots, which took a lot of time. But when the actual time comes for the dots to be connected, things are let down. But still, the second half has decent scenes, and the action drama is elevated by a superb background by Vikas Badisa. He is the lifeline of the film and takes the drama to the next level with his score.
Coming to the performances, Ashwin Babu does well in his role. He had a tailor-made role and excelled in it. He is amazing in all the action sequences and carries the film on his shoulders. His character is unique, and the ay he plays it is also impressive.
Digangana Suryavanshi plays the female lead, and she looks beautiful. But sadly, her role is not utilized properly. Arbaaz Khan makes a comeback to Telugu cinema after a long gap and is very good in his character. But sadly, the director could have elevated his role in a more proper manner.
Hyper Aadi's comedy clicks here and there. Brahmaji was hilarious in his role as a doctor. Murali Sharma and Tanikella Bharani were impressive in their cameos. Tusali, as the hero's mother, overacted for no reason. As said earlier, Vikas Badisa is the unsung hero of the film and his score is just amazing.
The production values of the film are decent, but the visuals by Dasaradhi Shivendra are solid and give the film a new vibe altogether. Chota K Prasad's editing is not up to the mark, as there were so many scenes that could have been chopped off to make things better. The dialogue and connection to social fantasy elements have been showcased in a decent manner.
Director Apsar's story is very good on paper and has a lot of scope to add solid thrills. If the twist related to the hero's eyes was revealed in the first half itself, things would have made a lot of sense. But that does not happen, and there is so much to take from the audience in the second half. The way things are ended with an action-packed climax and the revealtion of the entire setup is showcased make this film an okay watch.
Shivam Bhaje Verdict
On the whole, Shivam Bhaje has a very interesting point but starts on a slow note and takes forever to enter the main conflict point. But once it reaches the engaging interval bang, things change, and it makes up for an okay watch.