KRK's review: Panipat showcases the Maratha empire in all its glory

Panipat is the depiction of an epic battle between the Marathas and Afghan King Ahmad Shah Abdali (Sanjay Dutt). Sadashiv Rao Bhau (Arjun Kapoor) is the commander-in-chief of the Maratha army in the third battle of Panipat. He is the nephew of Nana Saheb Peshwa (Mohnish Bahl) and his wife Gopika Bai (Padmini Kolhapure).
Sadashiv defeats the Nawab in his first major battle and receives accolades from Peshwa. He also takes the Nawab's commander-in-chief, Ibrahim Khan Gardi, in his stride who then joins the Maratha army. But this move is not welcomed by the Maratha troops who do not trust Ibrahim Khan Gardi. They also doubt Sadashiv of conspiring to kill Peshwa to become the Maratha leader.
Meanwhile, the King of Delhi calls Abdali to help him defeat the Maratha army. Thus begins the battle of Panipat between Sadashiv and Abdali.   
Screenplay
A film based on history has too many details and sequences to be taken care of. Nuances in a battle, details relative to that era, and historical incidents are difficult to be shown on a single screen. But Panipat has done a fairly good job.
Dialogues
There are a lot of dialogues in Marathi and many people may not be able follow them. Otherwise the dialogues have been written well.
Music
Music is okay, but the picturisation and location is quite commendable making the songs look grand and a feast for the eyes.
Acting
Sanjay Dutt is impeccable in his portrayal of Ahmad Shah Abdali. The pride of never being defeated has been displayed wonderfully by Sanjay Dutt. Arjun Kapoor too has done a good job. Kriti Sanon has managed to look every bit a Maratha beauty and her awe-inspiring acting is an icing on the cake. Summing up, every actor has portrayed their roles very well.
Direction
Only a director with immense experience can do justice to a huge film like Panipat. And in this instance, Ashutosh Gowarikar has proved his directorial prowess by keeping the essence of that era intact and also by trying to show minute details on a big scale on the screen.
Verdict
Panipat is a historical movie. It is worth a watch as it enlightens the audience with historical facts, revealing how the Marathas ruled India though it's widely known that India was ruled by Mughals and Britishers alone. Panipat brings to the fore an unknown part of history that shows the Marathas being the rulers before Indian kings fell prey to (outsiders) due to their own internal fights.
Film: Panipat
Cast: Arjun Kapoor, Sanjay Dutt, Kriti Sanon, Mohnish Bahl, Padmini Kolhapure
Director: Ashutosh Gowarikar
Stars: 3