Movie Name : Hari Hara Veera Mallu
Release Date : July 24, 2025
Cast : Pawan Kalyan, Bobby Deol, Nidhhi Agerwal, Nargis Fakhri, Nora Fatehi etc.
Director : Jyothi Krishna, Krish Jagarlamudi
Music Director : M. M. Keeravani
Telugumopo.com Rating : 2.5/5
Story:
Against the background of India in the 16th century, when the Mughal Empire was fastening its hold on the country, the tale runs during a time of profound agitation. Emperor Aurangzeb is on a rampage—absolutely committed to establishing the supremacy of Islam through a ruthless campaign of conquering Hindu kingdoms one-by-one, followed by forced religious conversion. His campaign is moving from the north to the south, leaving behind an atmosphere of terror and rebellion.
In the middle of all this is Veera Mallu (Pawan Kalyan)—a brazen outlaw stealing from the rich and redistributing to the poor while simultaneously becoming a folk hero to the oppressed. However, during one of his robberies he was caught by the Nawab’s Golconda Sultanate army. As punishment appears imminent, the Nawab has other plans for him.
What is this hidden mission? How is it related to Aurangzeb’s kingdom? Who is Veera Mallu, actually? What is the reality of his past, and what is the final objective that fuels his revolt?
Did he complete the Nawab’s order? And more importantly, did he accomplish his own journey? The answers are revealed in an action-packed story of bravery, sacrifice, and defiance—on the big screen of the silver screen.
Review:
Pawan Kalyan, whose portrayal of Veera Mallu—a somewhat Robin Hood-esque insurgent who has been transformed into a moral warrior—grounds the film ahead. Being a larger than life figure in real life, Pawan delivers dignity and heroism, especially in the action sequences involving adrenaline charged, high-octane adventure, and emotional confrontation.
Pawan Kalyan merits this film with his performance; everyone else fails to leave a permanent impression. Nidhhi Agerwal, in the role of Panchami, is struggling outright to be part of the historical canvas, and she is off-beat with respect to the period angle of the film.. She doesn’t have much of a chemistry with Pawan. Bobby Deol impresses with a good act as Aurangzeb, oozing with evil intentions and suave authority. Industry veterans Sathyaraj and Sachin Khedekar provide their expertise to character roles but don’t get much opportunity to impress.
The story begins on a promising note—depicting Aurangzeb’s merciless conquest of the Indian subcontinent and Veera Mallu’s fight back by means of suave robberies that benefit the poor. A significant turn of events occurs when Veera Mallu is arrested by the Nawab of Golconda but, rather than being punished, is given a confidential assignment: to steal the legendary Koh-i-Noor diamond from the Mughal palace. This promising premise might have led to a compelling and suspenseful drama, but the uneven script prevents it. The script stumbles in providing emotional resonance and forward motion, making a number of scenes disjointed or hurried.
The pre-interval block is certainly one of the film’s best sequences, particularly a slickly choreographed action scene in which Veera Mallu and his men ambushed enemy troops. This ratchets up the pace and creates high expectations. The story after the interval, however, falters. Veera Mallu’s mission in Delhi is labored and aimless, and the spiritual element to his personality remains unexploited, so his evolution into a “protector of dharma” comes across as half-baked.
Visually, the movie is patchy. Even with the services of acclaimed cinematographers Gnanashekar and Manoj Paramahamsa, the visual effects are a letdown. Scenes of crumbling landscapes and divine interventions are not polished, losing the majesty one would normally expect from a period action drama. There are some moments here and there, such as a raging rebellion in the second half, that temporarily fan the flames of the movie’s intensity—but moments like those are too few and too scattered.
As the movie hurtles toward its conclusion, viewers are left expecting gratifying resolution: Does Veera Mallu find success on his mission? Is Aurangzeb defeated? What happens to the Koh-i-Noor? Alas, the film concludes with a jarring and visually disorienting sequence that leaves many of the story threads loose and definitively promises another installment. This failure of closure detracts from the movie’s emotional impact.
Technically, Hari Hara Veera Mallu has a decent background score by M.M. Keeravani, which lends the crucial moments weight. The songs, though, don’t make an impression. Sai Madhav Burra’s dialogues are meaningful at places, but not powerful enough to take the film to a higher level. Direction is also a major shortcoming—Krish’s initial vision appears watered down after Jyothi Krishna took the reins, leading to tone inconsistencies and narrative lacunae. The undue delays in production and the creative changes are obviously evident in the final product.
Hari Hara Veera Mallu relies on the inimitable Pawan Kalyans star power. Although it has few standalone brilliant moments and some engaging scenes, it is let down by the plodding screenplay, average performances, and bland VFX. It may be a one-time watch for Pawan fans and historical-fiction lovers, but the extravagance it delivered is only half achieved.
