Witness A Lion’s Legacy In Dinesh Vijan’s “Chhaava”!

“Haathi, Ghore, Tope, Talwaaren, Fauj To Teri Saari Hain

Par Zanjeer Me Jakda Raja Mera, Ab Bhi Sabpe Bhaari Hain!”

When the lion dies, his cub roars to keep his legacy alive! “Chhaava“, translated as “The Lion’s Cub”, is based on the legacy of the great Maratha ruler Chhatrapati Shivaji’s son, Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj. It details his conquest and the wars he waged against the evil Mughal emperor Aurangzeb and his reign of terror and inhumanity in India.

Adapted from the biographical novel “Chhava” by Shivaji Sawant, produced by Dinesh Vijan, and co-written and directed by Laxman Utekar, Chhaava is a Hindi language historical biographical action-drama that features Vicky Kaushal as the titular protagonist, Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, the second ruler of the Maratha Empire. The film also features Akshaye Khanna as the lead antagonist, the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb. Released on Valentine’s Day 2025, Chhaava roars across theaters worldwide.

Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Ko Sher Kehte Hain…Aur Sher Ke Bacche Ko “Chhaava”!

Maddock Films Presents: Chhaava (2025) Official Trailer:

The Good:

Resonating historical significance with high-intensity action, Chhaava brings the Deccan Lion’s story to life. I am surprised at how such a great historical figure like Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj could be omitted from the History books in Indian Schools. As a matter of fact, we were taught about Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, the great founder and ruler of the Maratha Empire, but were never taught about his son Sambhaji Maharaj as children.

Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj’s contributions are immense in Indian History. He was a major driving force in uprooting the ruthless Mughal emperor Aurangzeb whose brutality and tyranny had crossed every limit during his reign in India. After the death of Shivaji, who had inflicted great pain on the tyrant Aurangzeb, Sambhaji emerged as a tragic hero and defeated Aurangzeb’s army in several battles.

Sambhaji’s efforts in the destruction of the Mughal Empire were drastic. On his quest to track down Sambhaji, Aurangzeb lost lakhs of soldiers and resources, and his army power was reduced to almost half. Due to the constant attacks of the Marathas, the Mughal Empire suffered heavy losses and after the death of Sambhaji, within three decades, the Empire was wiped out and the Marathas took over.

Experience The Marathas’ Fight For Swaraj in Chhaava!

However, the story of Sambhaji Maharaj was tragic. He was the ultimate warrior who took on the Mughals like an angry lion in many ferocious battles. The war scenes in Chhaava are extremely raw and intense with terrible bloodbaths. The starting scene where Vicky Kaushal as Sambhaji Maharaj makes his entry and demolishes the Mughal administrative center of Burhanpur will blow your mind away. I bet after seeing the fierce war scenes, you will either not be able to take your eyes off the screens or may fall off your chair gazing continuously.

Some of the fight scenes involved Vicky Kaushal as Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj fighting like a lion and destroying multiple Mughal soldiers with raw body power and gory sword fights. There was also a lion fight scene where the CGI-generated lion looked ultra-ferocious and hellish. Sambhaji could be seen tearing apart its jaw during the fight. I don’t know how far all these are true, but the screenplay of Chhaava has been adapted from the biographical novel “Chhava” by author Shivaji Sawant which is based on the life of this ultimate Maratha warrior.

Vicky Kaushal In And As Chhaava a.k.a Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj!

Vicky Kaushal’s performance was ultra-loud and ultra-violent in Chhaava. He is the kind of actor who steps into the shoes of whichever character he plays. When you will see him in Chhaava, for once you won’t feel that you are watching Vicky Kaushal. You will feel as if you are watching Sambhaji Maharaj himself. Such is the impact of his performance. Akshaye Khanna as the aged Mughal emperor Aurangzeb had to undergo a tremendous makeover and he was completely unrecognizable. One has to point out that this is actually Akshaye Khanna else no one would ever know that the person playing Aurangzeb in Chhaava is actually him.

Rashmika Mandanna as Sambhaji’s queen Yesubai, and Diana Penty as Aurangzeb’s daughter lived up to their respective characters. The contributions of the supporting cast like Ashutosh Rana, Pradeep Rawat, and Divya Dutta were considerable.

Some of the dialogues in Chhaava are so impactful with righteousness and bravado that you wouldn’t deny cheering for them. The editing of the movie was superb. This entire historical action drama was adjusted within 2 hours and 40 minutes with barely any loose moments.

The film, even if predictable and half-baked, has tried to show all the incidences that might have actually happened during Sambhaji Maharaj’s time. I have to say, the scene placements were to the point, and they can get the audience excited and thrilled about what’s coming up next.

The cinematography in Chhaava has an original and retro essence making it a visual spectacle as if you are really watching a live historical event.

The Romantic Track “Jaane Tu” from Chhaava: Presenting Vicky Kaushal as Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj and Rashmika Mandanna as his queen Yesubai

The Bad:

The songs and background music by A.R. Rahman were not up to the mark. Filmmakers need to understand that A.R. Rahman’s music is getting outdated to be used in Hindi cinema. The audiences demand something better and more vibrant.

The saddest part about this epic historical action drama was the climax. It was slow and hurting as Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj was betrayed by his own brother-in-laws who revealed his hideout to Aurangzeb’s army. He was captured and brutally tortured to death by Aurangzeb, and everything was shown in the end. He was tied to chains growling at Aurangzeb like a fierce beast, following which several days of torture endured. His fingernails were uprooted, his eyeballs were burst using hot iron rods, and his tongue was pulled out after which he died.

At one point during the climax, I wondered, was this movie made to show the legacy of Sambhaji Maharaj or to insult him? However, as per historical records, this was the reality. He suffered a brutal torturous death at the hands of Aurangzeb after defeating his army in multiple battles. To make things better, the filmmakers had one appropriate strategy. In the execution scene, the plight of Vicky Kaushal as Sambhaji was made to appear like the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. In that way, this murderous torture inflicted upon him by the ruthless barbarian Aurangzeb was watchable. Otherwise, if you go by historical records, the real torture that this great but unfortunate warrior suffered at the hands of the tyrant Aurangzeb was much more cruel and barbaric.

The Track “Aaya Re Toofan” — Here Comes The Storm: Introducing Vicky Kaushal as The Lion of The Deccan, Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj!

The Verdict:

Now, allow me to come to the most controversial topic. Why are the Mughals shown as villains and Marathas as heroes in Chhaava? Does Chhaava have anti-Islamic sentiments?

The answer is, no, it does not! The Marathas might be fighting against the Mughals but their war was not with any particular religion. Their rebellion was with tyranny and oppression which were prevalent in India during the Mughal rule. We need to understand this basic fact. They were not bothered whether that oppression was carried out by any Hindu or Muslim. They were just against that oppression.

Aurangzeb was indeed a great and powerful Mughal emperor but he was a tyrant as well. He had crossed every limit of brutality when it came to his subjects. He was the type of barbarian who had killed his own elder brother and father to achieve the throne. On the other hand, the Marathas under Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and his son Sambhaji Maharaj were fighting for Swaraj. Swaraj means “self-rule”, where every citizen will have the right to self-governance. In Swaraj, every citizen; Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, or Christian, has the right to live a life of independence.

Behind The Scenes: Vicky Kaushal Training For The Action Sequences in Chhaava

Aurangzeb, as an emperor, wanted to rule India by oppressing every citizen. He considered himself above everybody and could go up to any extent to harm his subjects for his own well-being. In fact, Aurangzeb was not a part of India, but he considered himself to be above India! Whereas Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj was thoughtful and generous towards his subjects and was fighting for their upliftment in society. For him, every religion was equal. He was fighting for the welfare of India as a whole, irrespective of caste or religion. That’s the reason Sambhaji Maharaj is the hero and Aurangzeb, the villain.

I hope all my Muslim brothers will understand this basic fact, and watch Chhaava to get a hint of India’s vast history and the immense contribution of the brave and fierce Maratha king Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj who waged wars to oppose the reign of ruthlessness and tyranny in India.

Watch The Lion Roar: Chhaava — Running At Your Nearest Theaters!