After taking a four-year break, Roshan Meka comes back to the big screen with Champion, the movie that tells the story of war in the past, and it is directed by Pradeep Advaitham, who is a newbie to the field. Swapna Cinema is the production company behind this movie, and it also gives the opportunity to Malayalam actress Anaswara Rajan to make her Telugu debut. The story of Champion is set in a not very common combination of football and freedom struggle and takes place in post-Independence India, and thus the movie arrives in theaters with constant expectations.

Story
The film follows Michael C. Williams (Roshan Meka), a gifted footballer representing the Secunderabad Blues. When a Manchester-based club offers him the chance to play in London, Michael agrees to transport arms to secure the opportunity. His voyage surprises him with a sudden direction to Bhairanpally, a community that is fighting against the Razakars and their followers. At first, Michael thought of his own aspirations only, but seeing the villagers’ suffering made him reconsider his decisions. The story is about a person who, being firm in his intention to abandon his homeland, finally decides to bear arms for it.

Performances and Highlights
Roshan Meka gives one of his more adult performances, realistically representing a tough and resolute hero. His charisma and the way he speaks support the movie very well. Anaswara Rajan gives a self-assured first performance in Telugu and, although her role is small, her impact is powerful. Their low-key love story is natural and emotionally deep.

The film’s core strength lies in its novel concept of merging football with a war drama. The sport is woven naturally into the storyline, adding freshness to the period setting. War sequences, particularly the interval and pre-climax portions, are staged well and enhanced by solid production values. The narrative is propped up in demeanor by Nandamuri Kalyan Chakravarthy and Rachcha Ravi.

Shortcomings
The treatment of history in the film may be a matter of personal opinion. The producers remain true to the facts but the use of a made-up character among the historical ones might not be liked by the knowledgeable spectators. Besides, the use of computer-generated imagery in certain battles appears to be less impressive, which might have a minor impact on the audience’s total involvement in the story.

Indicating that the film is at no time devoid of feelings, the suffering and hardship shown could have been more powerful. There are a number of supportive characters, such as Naresh, Laxman Meesala, Vennela Kishore, and Ravindra Vijay, whose performances are still not up to the mark.

Technical Merits
Pradeep Advaitham, the director, presents his skills through a well-planned narrative and a daring idea, even though he could have gone the extra mile by putting in more emotional connection. The music composed by Mickey J. Meyer not only supports the tale but also the songs are properly placed. The era is reflected effectively through the camera work by R. Madhi while the cutting by Kotagiri Venkateswara Rao maintains the speed throughout. The production design does an excellent job in depicting the time.

Verdict
In general, Champion is a genuine and attractive effort to tie together sports and history. The combination of Roshan Meka and Anaswara Rajan’s excellent acting with the technical team’s good work, even though the film takes liberties with history and sometimes lacks in emotion, has made it a pleasant and theatrical experience.