Chakravyuh Movie Review

Chakravyuh Rating: 2.78/5
Total Reviews 16
From all reviews from the web
Director: Prakash Jha
Genre: Drama, Social
Cast & Crew: Abhay Deol, Arjun Rampal, Esha Gupta, Manoj Bajpayee, Anjali Patil, Om Puri
Duration: 2 hour 32 minutes 

Showing 16 Reviews
Chakravyuh Movie Review

Rajeev Masand didn't review Chakravyuh this week
Ratings:3.5/5  Chakravyuh Review by Taran Adarsh Site:Bollywood Hungama
The action sequences are larger than life. They seem real, but have the heart-in-the-mouth impact as well. The film has multiple music composers attempting to create melodies that suit the genre of this film. However, the soundtrack lacks the recall value once the movie concludes. Cinematography captures the beauty of the rustic terrain skillfully.On the whole, CHAKRAVYUH is an engaging drama. It chronicles a burning issue, but is entertaining concurrently, something that Prakash Jha balances beautifully in film after film. Watch it!
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Ratings:3.5/5  Review by Meena Iyer Site:Times Of India
Chakravyuh is a hard film to make and marks must be given to Jha for sticking his neck out. Staying true to the subject, he gives us an insight into uncomfortable truths unfolding in our backyard. He is one of the few filmmakers with such audacious work to his credit.Jha must also be complimented for the scale and performances he has extracted from his lead cast. The men - Manoj, Arjun and Abhay - are compelling; of the girls, Esha starts on a shrill note but improves later. Newbie Anjali Patil shines.
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Ratings:2.5/5  Review by Sukanya Verma Site:Rediff
A dramatised account of real events is effective so long it is both expressive and informative in a sensible measure. But Prakash Jha's Chakravyuh, which builds its nucleus around the Naxalite activities in East of India , employs familiar ploys and plot points to credibly work as either. In the end, Chakravyuh is nothing more than an average action flick in the garb of relevant cinema where socio-politico turmoil is nothing more than a prop and gun-toting militants in uniforms and bandanas hollering 'Lal Salaam' fill up the frames
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Ratings:----  Review by Komal Nahta Site:ETC
Prakash Jha’s direction is good but his over-emphasis on realism makes the narrative style very dry and boring. On the whole, Chakravyuh is a dull, dry and drab drama which lacks in entertainment. It may be liked by lovers of realistic cinema but that simply won’t be enough for the film to score at the box-office. Losing.
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Ratings:2.5/5  Review by Suprateek Chatterjee Site:Hindustan Times
There are films that try to tell emotionally complex stories and succeed in making an impact. Chakravyuh, unfortunately, is not one of those films.To be fair, Chakravyuh does get a few things right. The violence, though a tad excessive, is well orchestrated. Certain set-pieces, especially one that shows an entire village being razed, are executed well.Alas, all of this is undone by the film's frenetic pacing, raucous background score and puerile writing. Chakravyuh is, ultimately, a victim of typical Bollywood excesses. A little more subtlety, a little less jingoism, and it might have worked better.
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Ratings:4/5  Chakravyuh Review by Bikas Bhagat Site:Zee News
Here’s a fight which we have heard about and seen through the ages – the fight between the Capitalists and the Communists. Prakash Jha presents it in his own way; and going by illustrious line of work, it would be a big mistake on your part if you happen to give ‘Chakravyuh’ a miss.
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Ratings:3/5  Review by Malvika Rao Site:Book My Show
Some highlights include: the issue of the Naxalites looked at from a sensitive perceptive. They are portrayed as messiahs not demons with guns (baring a few violent scenes). Another noteworthy aspect of the film was 2 good performances, Manoj Bajpaee and Anjali Patil. Patil especially was brilliant. Known for highlighting socio-political issues in his films, Prakash Jha commands respect from reviewers like me for brave film making. Audiences generally want to take a break from hectic lives, and intense films like these don’t serve that purpose. Therefore, kudos for bravery Mr. Jha. 
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Ratings:-- Review by Trisha Gupta Site:Firstpost
Considering the enormously bumpy terrain it takes on, Chakravyuh is a surprisingly smooth ride. Perhaps it is sometimes too smooth –but at least its simplifications are never cringe-worthy.
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Ratings:2/5  Review by Roshni Devi Site:Koimoi
What’s Good: Abhay Deol and Anjali Patil’s performances. What’s Bad: Arjun & Esha’s acting; the screenplay. Loo break: Any time in the first half.Watch or Not?: Watch Chakravyuh for a semi-decent take on the plague of Naxalism. The story also takes a lot of time to pick up. The story only picks up after the interval when Kabir and Adil’s conversation changes to “teri” and “hamari”, but by that time you’ve already lost your patience. Chakravyuh tries to grapple with too many nexuses in the movie, but gets bogged down with the script and mediocre performances.
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Ratings:2.5/5  Review by Rumanna Ahmed Site:Yahoo
Prakash Jha picks a sensitive subject of social relevance but in his attempt to pander to popular cinema, he incorporates too many Bollywoodisms that prevent 'Charavyuh' from becoming an intense political drama. Jha spends too much time trying to make the film entertaining rather than focus on the nuances that make a coherent plot.The narrative is peppered with an unclear romantic track and has an item song thrown in just for the heck of it. Prakash Jha should understand that a bold topic is not enough, unless the execution matches the noble intentions of the plot.
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Ratings:3/5  Review by Mayank Shekhar Site:Dainik Bhaskar
This intellectual honesty is the film’s finest achievement. For most parts, the director ensures the audiences engage with a masala, action thriller – packed with the sound and fury of guns and bombs. This doesn’t force him to dumb down thought as well. The film – informative and entertaining at the same time – ends up reflecting the world we live in. These are the sort of Bollywood films that continue to document our times, and therefore survive much beyond their opening weekend
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Ratings:2/5  Review by Shubhra Gupta Site:Indian Express
It is the latest in Prakash Jha’s line of films which puts the spotlight on a burningly important issue, but which comes off less than trenchant because of mainstream considerations. How else can you do naxalism and 'mao-wadi-ism’ and idealism and pragmatism, and still expect to entice multiplex viewers? Because finally, that’s what all the good intentions and all those `isms’ come down to : packaged in a trying-to-be-palatable-to-all plot, which works intermittently in the first half, and not too well in the stretched second.
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Ratings:1/5  Review by Keyrun Rao Site:Bollywood Life
You might wonder why Esha Gupta hasn’t been mentioned in the review so far; the reason is that she is barely there in the film. But when she does appear, especially in the climax scene, you can’t help but laugh. A lot of money and hard work has gone into this well-intentioned film, but wish the writers had come up with a story that merits all the effort. Shooting Chakravyuh might have been a logistical nightmare for the makers, but watching it is a much bigger nightmare for the audience. Watch it only for Anjali Patil’s shenanigans and the unintentional comedy.
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Ratings:4/5  Chakravyuh Review by IANS Site:NDTV
"Chakravyuh" does have its unhinged moments but Jha quickly reimposes a sense of ongoing drama and impending catastrophe which keeps the audiences' heartbeats racing dangerously.The editing by Santosh Mandal could have been more austere. But the loose moments never overpower the film's strong convictions and powerful story structure. "Chakravyuh" ends with Jha's voiceover warning us of growing inequality in the Indian social structure whereby 25 families control a majority of the nation's wealth while a majority of the people live on Rs.70 per day. Would the Rs.70 wage earner be able to afford the Rs.200 required to watch this film? Would his life change? The process of social awakening that started with the cinema of V. Shantaram and B.R. Chopra has come a full circle. Now if only cinema could change mindsets.
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Ratings:3/5  Review by Anjum Shabbir Site:Bolly Spice
Chakravyuh is an absolute must for all Prakash Jha fans, unmissable for Arjun Rampal supporters and definitely one to watch for all Manoj Bajpai diehards. Given the topic it is an eye opener for the audience, who will definitely take a lesson or two away from the film. Chakravyuh may not get the ticket footfall it deserves, in the world of glossy song and dance affairs, but is a fine example of filmmaking with conviction and really is story you must experience.
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Ratings:2.5/5  Review by Mansha Rastogi Site:Now Running
On the acting front, Arjun Rampal looks the part perfectly. His chiseled body with a side parting hairdo and a moustache is apt for his role of a no nonsense cop. However, once again he falters in acting. There are scenes where his emotions appear too forced, methodic and practiced than natural. Abhay on the contrary easily plays his part. Esha Gupta doesn't have a strong role to play and doesn't even add much value to the film except for a needless kiss and some skin show. Manoj Bajpayee and Om Puri act their parts decently. Anjali Patil is impactful in her role. To sum it up, Chakravyuh gets mired by the Bollywood commercial retrains. A little more in-depth portrayal could've worked better for the film.
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