Over the years, we have seen many historical films which were based on inspirational leaders of the past. Similarly, director Krish who is known for making films like Vedam, Gabbar Is Back, and Kanche has come up with a script based on a fearless ruler from the 2nd century CE, Gautamiputra Satakarni. There are lots of stories about Satakarni, but Krish talks about the lionhearted side of him who wages war with his rivals at will to build an empire.

Nandamuri Balakrishna plays the title role while actresses like Shriya Saran and Hema Malini have pivotal parts to play in this film. It is a powerful script with plenty of war sequences and it is also a shorter film that engages you completely. The screenplay is racy with fights coming at regular intervals. There are few redundant scenes here and there which could have been edited out.

When it comes to historical films, casting needs to be perfect. Balakrishna’s towering screen presence comes in as a huge plus to the script and so does the way he delivers his dialogues. But we must accept that Balakrishna has certain limitations in action scenes. Especially when you play a young and dynamic warrior such as this, you need someone who is completely fit; someone who we can accept could battle out wars on his own. As informed earlier, we have enough action scenes in the film, but the problem is they are all so weakly presented. When you hear a veteran actress like Hema Malini being part of a Telugu project, it excites you, but is she the perfect foil to the role? Maybe not. Someone who is more familiar with the language would have been an ideal choice. There were lip sync issues too. Shriya Saran shares an important part in the film, and there is hardly anything to complain about her performance. No other actors make an impact.

Krish scores big time yet again as a director. All his dialogues are top notch and the way he has dealt with such a powerful script demands appreciation. There is no denying the fact that Balakrishna couldn’t have asked for a much fitting 100th film than this. Krish has infused few social messages whenever there is an opportunity. Talking about women’s equality and stuff like that adds more value to the characterization of Satakarni. Be it the camera angles or the set designs, there are some brilliant works behind this creation. On the other hand, one feels, the action scenes and CGI part were tacky.