Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Plot: The story of how Maratha Mawlas with Chhatrapati Shivaji Raje as their leader planted the seed of Swarajya in the Mughal ruled empire.

Review: Har Har Mahadev (watch trailer), the first ever Marathi film dubbed in 5 regional languages also making it a Pan India release is nothing short of a complete entertainer. Written and Directed by Abhijeet Deshpande, the film is definitely different in its approach towards retelling the legend of Pawankhind.

The legend starts in the voice of Raj Thackeray (as the evergreen Sahyadri) introducing us to an earnest Shivaji trying to convince Mawlas into joining his force and leading the dream of Swarajya. But Bajiprabhu Deshpande, a dauntless Mawla, doesn’t agree to Raje’s ideologies until the atrocities befall in his own house. Then starts the raging tactical warfare of taking down the mighty forces of Mughals.

The background music could be loud at times but the heart thumping songs make up for it. Especially the Baji Baji song. The dialogues are really on point. The screenplay drags a bit and some action scenes seem straight out of the 90’s. The first half of the film is a slow-paced buildup to an intense climax. The second half really saves the film and rather amps up the ante. The emotions hit the right notes when dealing with grief and death. A few flashbacks could have been avoided. The VFX is minimal. Action also is minimal up until the climax.

Subodh Bhave barely manages to pull off the role of a heavy personality like Shivaji Maharaj. But Sharad Kelkar is the real deal here. He just hits it out of the park yet again. His eyes work wonders for the film. Other supporting cast does a fair job.

The approach of telling the backstories in a detailed manner and thankfully, profoundly putting forward the idea of Swarajya to a normal audience was much needed after a series of baseless films of the same kind.

All in all HAR HAR MAHADEV is a complete entertainer made with a thought of putting forward the idea of Swarajya to the larger audience, Pan India.  Marathi cinema has really brightened its charms with this Pan India. Go with your families, this firecracker won’t disappoint.

Book tickets here- BookMyShow