Period dramas set around Independence struggles always pull at my heartstrings when they capture the raw fight for freedom, but Champion left me feeling oddly detached despite its promising setup. Released with a 1948 backdrop, Roshan Meka plays Michael, a bakery worker dreaming of Manchester glory, only to get tangled in illegal guns and village rebellion against Razakars. Roshan looks macho and gives his all—his effort shines through even if the arc feels uneven. Anaswara Rajan's debut has spark but dubbing throws it off; Kalyan Chakravarthy lacks punch as leader.
That Gira Gira song is a total earworm, Mickey J Meyer's one win here, and Maddie's cinematography nails the era vibe with authentic production from Swapna Cinema. But man, the characters stay surface-level—no empathy builds like in classics such as Rajanna. Second half loops flatly, war episodes lack crisp impact, editing drags everything. In my view, good on paper with sincere freedom fight intent, but execution falters hard—tighten it up and it'd hit harder. Modest try for period fans, but expectations low.
TL;DR
- Roshan Meka looks fitting and delivers sincere performance despite uneven character development.
- Anaswara Rajan makes decent Telugu debut but dubbing with Malayalam accent doesn't suit period setting.
- Nandamuri Kalyan Chakravarthy appears fine but lacks authoritative impact as village leader.
- Abhay and Racha Ravi utilize screen time effectively among supporting cast.
- Gira Gira song stands out as chartbuster feeling vibrant on screen.
- Mickey J Meyer background score decent though could carry more weight.
- Cinematography by Maddie suits 1940s era with authentic visuals.
- Production values rich reflecting sincere effort on historical setting.
- Screenplay slow uneven lacking emotional depth and audience empathy.
- Lengthy runtime with dragged scenes tests patience significantly.
