Champion, starring Roshan Meka and Anaswara Rajan in the lead roles, was released in theaters on December 25, 2025, on the occasion of Christmas. After the theatrical release, the film is now available for streaming on OTT platform Netflix.
If you are planning to watch the movie online, here is the Pinkvilla review for you.
plot
The story of Champion is set in 1948 and is based on Michael Williams, an aspiring football player from Secunderabad in Hyderabad state, which was then ruled by the Nizams.
Working in a bakery, Michael’s only ambition is to travel to England and become a successful football star. When he finally gets the opportunity to be a part of the Manchester Football Club in London, his father’s past becomes an obstacle that prevents him from entering the country.
Desperate to reach England, Michael agrees to deliver an illegal cargo of guns for a flight pilot. During this journey, he reaches a village called Bairanpalli, where the villagers are actively fighting against the rule of the Nizams and Razakars. What happens to the villagers after Michael joins the conflict, and whether he ultimately achieves his dream, forms the crux of the film.
Good
Champion works as a viewing experience primarily because of its potential. On paper, the script sounds effective, moving the story along at a reasonable pace, with each progressive sequence offering something entertaining to watch. Set in the 1940s and centered on a young man with a passionate dreamer, the story works well and keeps the audience rooting for his success.
Although the characters lack a lot of depth, from a writing perspective the film is good, even if other aspects prove disappointing.
Moving on to the technical aspects, Mickey J. Meyer impresses with his compositions, delivering a soundtrack that fits well into the narrative. Furthermore, the scenes effectively emphasize the pastoral nature of the village, displaying some well-refined imagery.
bad
While Champion is a great venture on paper, the film fails to live up to that promise on screen. The execution is the biggest failing, as it struggles to maintain the audience’s attention throughout the story.
Furthermore, actors Roshan Meka and Anaswara Rajan try their best to portray their characters effectively. However, the lack of depth in each character, including the protagonist, does not serve the story well.
Additionally, the editing is poor, the film moves like an endless loop and fails to keep the audience engaged. The editing doesn’t hold anything impressive, which dulls the overall experience.
Display
While the character writing lacks depth, Roshan Meka does his best by relying on his natural charm and charisma. On the other hand, Anaswara Rajan also gives her best, even dubbing for herself in Telugu, as this is her first venture in the industry.
However, his character, especially being from a Telugu village of the 1940s, seems artificial. His dialect contains remnants of a Malayalam accent, which appears to be offensive to the character.
Watch the trailer of Champion:
Decision
Champion is an impressive story and has the potential to be an entertaining watch. However, weak execution and lack of a concise story makes the film not memorable.
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the official policy or position of Pinkvilla. Any statements made in this article are not intended to defame, harm, or discredit any person or entity.
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