Chhota Bheem And The Curse of Damyaan Review: Anupam Kher's Film Is Vibrant But Visually & Narratively Flawed

Title: Chhota Bheem And The Curse of Damyaan

Director:  Rajiv Chilaka

Cast: Yagya Bhasin, Anupam Kher, Aashriya Mishra, Kabir Sajid, Daivik Dawar, Divyam Dawar, Makrand Deshpande, Navneet Dhillon, Kaur  

Where to watch: In theatres

Rating: **1/2

This film directed by Rajiv Chilaka, is a live-action adaptation of the beloved 2012 animated film of the same name. The movie plunges audiences into a world of fantasy, bravery, and magic, featuring the iconic character Chhota Bheem and his friends in an epic adventure. 

The plot follows the residents of Dholakpur, led by the courageous Bheem, who are deceived by Takshika (Navneet Dhillon Kaur) and Skandi (Makrand Deshpande), minions of the demon Damyaan. They convince Raja Indra Verma (Sanjay Bhisnoi) to release the cursed demon, who was trapped by Guru Shambu (Anupam Kher) a thousand years ago in his quest for immortality. Realizing their mistake, Bheem and his friends—Raju, Chutki, Jaggu, Kalia, Dholu, and Bholu—embark on a time-travel journey to Sonapur to prevent the evil Damyaan from becoming immortal and turning his opponents into snakes. 

The narrative treads familiar ground with its themes of time travel and the battle against a demonic villain. While the film attempts to create a thrilling experience with numerous action sequences, the execution often falls short. Bheem's encounters with various creatures like the tiger, giant spider, and scorpion, and tiger lack the finesse needed to sustain interest. While integrating well into the live-action scenes, the special effects could have been more polished to enhance the overall experience. 

The film feels overly long and convoluted at a runtime of 2 hours and 25 minutes. The pacing suffers as a result, with the story occasionally losing momentum amidst the myriad of action scenes. Despite these shortcomings, the young cast delivers earnest performances that keep the audience engaged. Aishwarya Mishra as Chutki and Advik Jaiswal as Raju stand out with their charm and cuteness, while Divyam Dawar and Daivik Dawar as Dholu and Bholu provide delightful comic relief. Kabir Sajid as Kalia and Yagya Bhasin as Bheem complement each other well, bringing their characters to life with relatable traits.

The older actors, including Anupam Kher, deliver stereotypical performances that add little depth to the story. 

The film features two songs that blend seamlessly into the narrative, although they do not significantly advance the plot.

Visually, the film is vibrant and exciting. Each frame bursts with colour. Technically, the film is well-crafted, with high production values evident in every scene, but there are moments when the CGI does not smoothly integrate into the live-action sequences marring the viewing experience. 

However, the film's biggest drawback lies in its writing. The narrative feels substandard. The story could have benefited from a tighter script that focused more on character development and less on repetitive dialogues.

Overall, the film offers a mixed bag. It succeeds in delivering a vibrant but visually and narratively flawed fantasy adventure.