Pawan Kalyan Is Back… But Is Ustaad Bhagat Singh Worth the Hype or Just Fan Service?

Movie Name: Ustaad Bhagat Singh

Release Date: Mar 19, 2026
Starring: Pawan Kalyan, Sreeleela, Raashii Khanna, Parthiban, Rao Ramesh, KS Ravikumar, and others
Director: Harish Shankar S
Producers: Naveen Yerneni, Ravi Shankar Yalamanchili
Music Director: Devi Sri Prasad and Thaman
Cinematographer: Ayanaka Bose
Editor: Karthika Srinivas

Related Links: Trailer

After a long 14-year gap, Pawan Kalyan and Harish Shankar reunite for Ustaad Bhagat Singh, a cop action drama that arrived in theatres today with solid buzz. Does it live up to expectations? Let’s break it down.

Story:

Chadhala Marri Nalla Nagappa (Parthiban), a man with big political ambitions, is determined to become the Chief Minister of Telangana. As part of his ruthless plan, he plots to assassinate the current CM Chandrasekhar Rao (KS Ravikumar).

At the same time, his son heads into the Nallamalla forest for a break—but suddenly goes missing. As the investigation unfolds, all fingers point toward Ustaad Bhagat Singh (Pawan Kalyan).

But who exactly is Bhagat Singh? What caused the clash between him and Nagappa? And what’s really driving his actions? The film slowly reveals the answers behind these questions.

Plus Points:

The biggest highlight is obviously the reunion of Pawan Kalyan and Harish Shankar. Expectations were sky-high, especially with fans eager to see Pawan back in full mass mode—including dance numbers after a long time.

Pawan Kalyan delivers exactly what his fans expect. He looks comfortable in action scenes, and his screen presence carries several moments. His dialogue delivery works well, though the comedy doesn’t always hit the mark.

Parthiban gives a calm and controlled performance. While his role isn’t written with great depth, he still manages to leave an impression. His face-off scenes with Pawan Kalyan are quite engaging.

One of the major fan moments is the recreated “Ee Manase” song from Tholi Prema, which works purely as nostalgic fan service. The Mahankali fight sequence stands out as a major high point, showcasing Pawan Kalyan in a powerful avatar.

Sreeleela looks great on screen and performs well in a few scenes. The second half has some entertaining stretches, especially with action and dialogue-heavy moments designed for fans.

Minus Points:

The film sticks closely to familiar commercial formulas, making the storyline quite predictable. There’s very little freshness, and it follows a safe, routine path. Director Harish Shankar focuses more on elevating the star than building a strong narrative, which affects the overall impact.

The supporting cast doesn’t get enough room to shine. Actors like Rao Ramesh, Gowtami, and Raashii Khanna are underused. In particular, Raashii Khanna’s role feels unnecessary and lacks proper closure, making her track forgettable.

The first half is one of the film’s weak spots. With average writing and comedy that rarely works, it feels slow and uneven. Things pick up slightly only in the later portions.

Thaman’s music is another letdown. Both the songs and background score feel repetitive and similar to his previous work, reducing their effectiveness.

The film also lacks emotional depth. Sreeleela’s character could have been written better, while KS Ravikumar does a neat job within the limits of his role.

Technical Aspects:

Harish Shankar had the potential to deliver a stronger film but settles for a predictable approach. A tighter and more engaging script could have made a big difference.

Ayanaka Bose’s cinematography is decent and gets the job done. Thaman’s music is average and suffers from repetition. Karthika Srinivas’ editing could have been sharper, especially in the first half. Production values are decent overall.

Verdict:

Overall, Ustaad Bhagat Singh is a typical commercial action drama that offers a few moments for fans to cheer. Pawan Kalyan’s screen presence and some action sequences work in its favor.

However, a predictable story, weak first half, and underdeveloped characters pull it down. It’s a treat mainly for fans, but for general audiences, it ends up being just another routine mass entertainer.