Champion Review: Roshan Meka's film has grand visuals, but emotions fall short

Champion Story

Champion is set in the years following India’s Independence. Michael (Roshan Meka) is a talented footballer whose life takes a major turn when he receives an offer from a Manchester football club to play in London. Determined to seize this rare opportunity, Michael agrees to secretly transport weapons. During his journey, he passes through Bhairanpally, a village bravely resisting the Razakars. Witnessing the villagers’ suffering and courage deeply impacts him, forcing Michael to rethink his ambitions and ultimately choose to stand up for his land and people.

Champion Review

Champion has been written and directed by Pradeep Advaitam on a massive budget of ₹43 crore. But is the film worth all the money? The answer is yes, but mainly when it comes to the visuals. 

Champion struggles with pacing, and the emotional storytelling fails to make a strong impact. The lengthy runtime, slow narration, and convenient narrative choices are also disappointing.

When it comes to the story, the way the sports drama is blended with a war backdrop works fairly well. If the film had been only a sports drama, the result might have been weaker. However, the makers add elements of love, patriotism, and emotional depth, which help keep the audience engaged.

Champion is backed by the makers of Mahanati, Kalki 2898 AD, and Sita Ramam. They are masters of period dramas and lavishly invest in visuals. The production values, cinematography, and overall visuals are gripping, creating a cinematic experience that transports you into the story.

However, the film falters in its emotional core. One of the biggest drawbacks is the lack of emotional engagement. Except for a few scenes, the emotional struggles of the main characters are not portrayed effectively. 

While the pain of the hero and the suffering of his people are visible, they fail to evoke strong sympathy. Additionally, the main lead, Roshan Meka, feels slightly too young to convincingly portray such a responsible and mature character.

Another disappointing aspect is the VFX, which lacks depth and polish. On the performance front, Roshan Meka does well for the most part. His action sequences, screen presence, and dialogue delivery are commendable, but the story sometimes weighs him down. 

Anaswara Rajan makes a striking debut and delivers her role with grace. She has an endearing screen presence, delivers her lines with ease, and shares good chemistry with the lead.

Music by Mickey J Meyer is one of the film’s highlights. The songs blend seamlessly into the narrative, while the background score enhances key moments. The dialogues are decent, but the unique screenplay style doesn’t always complement the story, leaving the narrative uneven at times.

Overall, Champion has a few great moments, but the film drags in several places. The depth in the proceedings is missing, and the subject feels too heavy for the main leads and supporting cast to carry effectively. While the scale, visuals, and music impress, the film struggles to make a lasting emotional impact, making it an average watch despite its grandeur.

Champion Verdict

On the whole, Champion scores high on visuals and technical finesse but struggles to connect emotionally. The slow pace, lengthy runtime, and weak VFX dilute the impact. Watch it for the grandeur, not for a deeply moving narrative.

Also Read: Champion: Cast, plot, budget, OTT platform, and runtime, all you need to know about Roshan Meka's new film