# Chhaava

Chhaava (Marathi: transl. Tiger cub) is a 2025 Indian Hindi-language historical action film based on the life of Sambhaji Maharaj, the second ruler of the Maratha Empire, who is played by Vicky Kaushal. An adaptation of the Marathi novel Chhava by Shivaji Sawant, it is directed by Laxman Utekar and produced by Dinesh Vijan under Maddock Films. The cast also includes Rashmika Mandanna and Akshaye Khanna.
Pre-production began in April 2023; filming commenced in October 2023 and ended in May 2024. The film score and soundtrack album are composed by A. R. Rahman while the lyrics are written by Irshad Kamil and Kshitij Patwardhan.
Chaava was released in theatres on 14 February 2025 in standard and IMAX formats. The film received mixed reviews from critics, and drew controversy for its historical inaccuracies. Commercially, it has earned ₹752.81 crore (US$86 million) to rank as the tenth highest-grossing film of 2025, the highest-grossing Indian film of 2025, and the highest-grossing Hindi film of 2025. It also ranks as the eighth highest-grossing Hindi films of all time and the thirteenth highest-grossing Indian film of all time.

## Plot

The news of the death of Shivaji reaches the court of the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb. His advisers anticipate the collapse of the Maratha resistance, while Aurangzeb, though acknowledging the loss of a formidable enemy, orders a celebration. However, leadership has already passed to Sambhaji, Shivaji's son. Burhanpur, a key Mughal administrative and commercial center, faces a sudden Maratha attack. The defenders, led by Khan Zamaan and unprepared, are overwhelmed by the onslaught. In the midst of battle, Sambhaji falls into a secret chamber when he steps on a trapdoor where he faces a lion which repeatedly attacks him. Overpowering the beast by splitting open its jaws with his bare hands, he gets out of the chamber and is shown to win a duel with Khan Zamaan. The Marathas then seize the Mughal treasury, directly challenging imperial authority.
As reports arrive in Delhi, Aurangzeb realizes that the Maratha resistance remains intact. He initiates a vast military campaign to crush them. Meanwhile, Sambhaji is warmly welcomed home by his wife, Yesubai, while factional intrigue grows within the Maratha court, with conspirators attempting to install Rajaram, Sambhaji's step-brother, as ruler. Aurangzeb's forces advance, and the atrocities committed under his command - torture, enslavement, mass murders, rape and so on - are briefly shown. Diplomatic negotiations unfold as Mughal prince Mirza Akbar seeks Sambhaji's assistance in rebelling against Aurangzeb. While skeptical, Sambhaji uncovers covert communications between his stepmother, Soyarabai, and the prince - a conspiracy to overthrow him is revealed, and the traitors are then executed beneath an elephant's crushing weight. Recognizing the superior numbers of the Mughal army, Sambhaji employs guerrilla tactics. The Deccan's challenging terrain proves disastrous for the Mughals, causing them heavy losses.
Aurangzeb, having vowed to remain uncrowned until Sambhaji is defeated, faces increasing difficulty. His daughter, Zinat-un-Nissa, attempts to capture her estranged brother Mirza Akbar, but the Marathas foil the ambush. Internal dissent weakens Sambhaji's ranks as jagirdars (feudal lords) defect to the Mughals, prompting him to convene a royal council. Meanwhile, his disgruntled brothers-in-law betray his location, leading to a Mughal ambush. As many warriors fall, key Maratha leaders Santaji Ghorpade and Dhanaji Jadhav are smuggled out to continue the resistance, while an outnumbered Sambhaji fights until his capture. Taken before Aurangzeb, he refuses to submit. His loyal advisor, Kavi Kalash, is executed soon after. Sambhaji is brutally tortured - wounds are inflicted on him and salt is rubbed into it, his finger nails are pulled out, his eyes are pierced with hot iron rods, his tongue is pulled out and parts of his body are cut off one after the other - but he does not renounce his ideals. Aurangzeb, facing mounting revolts, offers him a chance to surrender. Sambhaji remains defiant, declaring that the struggle for Swaraj ('self-governance') has spread across the empire.
After the execution of Sambhaji, Yesubai crowns Rajaram as the next Chhatrapati, ensuring the resistance continues. A textual epilogue mentions the eventual triumph of the Maratha Empire, as the Mughal Empire collapses within three decades, leading to the establishment of Indian Swaraj (self rule).

## Cast

* Vicky Kaushal as Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj
* Rashmika Mandanna as Yesubai Bhonsale
* Akshaye Khanna as Aurangzeb
* Diana Penty as Zinat-un-Nissa Begum
* Neil Bhoopalam as Prince Muhammad Akbar
* Ashutosh Rana as Hambirrao Mohite
* Divya Dutta as Soyarabai
* Varun Buddhadev as Chhatrapati Rajaram Maharaj
* Sanchita Ugale as Tarabai
* Vineet Kumar Singh as Kavi Kalash
* Santosh Juvekar as Rayaji Malge
* Alok Nath as Somaji
* Pradeep Rawat as Yesaji Kank
* Kiran Karmarkar as Annaji Datto Sachiv
* Balaji Manohar as Mhaloji
* Anil George as Muqarrab Khan
* Neelkante Patekar as Dharau
* Sarang Sathaye as Ganoji Shirke
* Suvrat Joshi as Kanhoji Shirke
* Ankit Anil Sharma as Santaji Ghorpade
* Ashish Pathode as Antaji Mankeshwar Gandhe
* Shubhankar Ekbote as Dhanaji Jadhav
* Siraj Mustafa as Bahadur Khan
* Shivraj Walvekar as Bahirji Naik
* Manoj Kolhatkar as Balaji Avaji Chitnis
* Astad Kale as Surya
* Danish Pandor as Ikhlas Khan
* Rohit Pathak as Kakkad Khan
* Sanjeev Jaiswal as Jhaalad
* Sukhwinder Singh Grewal as Khan Zamaan
* Lavi Pajni as Shaubuddin Firozjang
* Trishan Singh as Shehzaada Ajjam
* Ruffy Khan as Shehzaada Muazzam
* Rakesh Theraja as Sarja Khan
* Akshay Anand Kohli as Rahulla Khan
* Ajay Devgn as the narrator in the opening sequence (voiceover)

## Production
### Development and pre-production

   Everyone knows about Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, but no one knows about Chatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj. He had such great courage and was a great warrior, but sadly no one knows about it. During the pandemic when I read about Sambhaji Maharaj, I realised he is such a big character, and why are we not talking about his life? That's when I started writing and the idea of Chhaava came to me.
In 2021, Laxman Utekar told Dinesh Vijan that he wanted to make a film with Vicky Kaushal and Rashmika Mandanna. In December 2022, it was reported that Utekar was working on a historical biopic, based on the Marathi novel Chhava by Shivaji Sawant. After completing script in January 2023, pre-production for the film began in April, and principal photography starting in October.
Utekar and his team spent a year researching the 17th-century Maratha era, travelling to historical towns like Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar, Ratnagiri, Pune, Nashik, and Paithan. Sheetal Sharma served as costume designer, sourcing authentic Paithani sarees and restored 500-year-old borders for Rashmika Mandanna's character, Yesubai. To ensure authenticity, he visited Paithan and Narayanpeth to acquire Paithani and Narayanpeth sarees. Additional accessories were gathered from Kolhapur, Sawantwadi, and Ratnagiri. Sharma also mentioned that Vicky Kaushal's outfit in the first action sequence of the film weighed approximately 17–18 kg. Subrata Chakraborty and Amit Ray recreated jewellery and the sword Bhavani, drawing references from museums in London. Vicky Kaushal's portrayal of Sambhaji was based on historical busts and statues to ensure accuracy. A. R. Rahman was roped in to compose the score.
The film was officially announced on 3 October 2023, when Maddock Films revealed its upcoming slate of theatrical releases, including the release date for Chhaava.

### Casting and filming

Laxman Utekar discussed his upcoming film with Vicky Kaushal during the shoot of Zara Hatke Zara Bachke (2023). In January 2023, Utekar confirmed that Kaushal would portray Sambhaji, marking their second collaboration following Zara Hatke Zara Bachke. Kaushal would be reportedly receiving a ₹10 crore (US$1.1 million) remuneration. Utekar mentioned that Kaushal would undergo four months of training in sword fighting, horse riding, and that shooting would begin once they were satisfied with his preparation. Vaibhav Vishant served as casting director. In August 2023, it was reported that Marathi actor Santosh Juvekar would play a pivotal role in the film. He was originally cast as Ganoji Shirke, but later, director Laxman Utekar met with him in his office and offered him the role of Rayaji Malge instead. During the same month, Juvekar and Kaushal underwent horse riding training in the Mumbai suburbs. During trailer launch, Kaushal revealed that he was trained in sword, stick, and spear fighting for 6–7 months. He also gained 25 kg weight for the role. During shooting in Raigad a set was constructed for the scene depicting Chhatrapati Sambhaji's ascension to the throne, featuring an eight-sided throne.
By October 2023, it was reported that Kaushal had started his preparations for the film alongside co-star Rashmika Mandanna. Mandanna would be reportedly receiving ₹4 crore (US$460,000) remuneration. The same month, Ashutosh Rana and Divya Dutta join cast as Hambirrao Mohite and Soyarabai, respectively. Rana would be reportedly receiving ₹80 lakh (US$92,000) remuneration. Dutta later discussed her portrayal in an interview with Mid-Day in December 2024. On 4 December 2023, Pradeep Rawat joined the film's cast. Mandanna wrapped up her portion of filming in January 2024, while Kaushal resumed filming in Wai on 9 March 2024, continuing until 6 April 2024. On 23 April 2024, Santosh Juvekar completed his portions.
Earlier in the production process, the team had approached Anil Kapoor for the role of Aurangzeb, but in October 2023, Akshaye Khanna joined the cast in the role instead. He would be reportedly receiving ₹2 crore (US$230,000) for his remuneration. Diana Penty joined the film in the role of Zinat-un-Nissa Begum. Principal photography for the film wrapped in May 2024. Initially, Utekar had approached Marathi actor Ashok Shinde for a negative role, but Shinde declined the offer due to a scheduling conflict with his existing contract with Zee, as he revealed in a November 2024 interview with ItsMajja.

### Post-production

After filming concluded in May 2024, the movie entered post-production. The visual effects were handled by Assemblage Entertainment and ReDefine. Gary Brown and Simon Frame from Assemblage and Somesh Samit Ghosh from ReDefine served as the VFX supervisors for the film. On 11 February 2025, Pinkvilla reported that Ajay Devgn was hired to provide a voiceover for the film, completing his dubbing in the final week.
On 1 February 2025, the film was granted a U/A 16+ certification by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), with a runtime of 161 minutes and 50 seconds. The CBFC required certain modifications, including the replacement of dialogues in the first half and the removal of a scene featuring Maratha warriors in sarees. Additionally, the CBFC requested the inclusion of an audio-text disclaimer, mentioning the book the film is adapted from and clarifying that it does not aim to defame anyone or distort historical facts. Following backlash from certain Maharashtrian political figures for featuring a scene in the trailer in which Chatrapati Sambhaji and his wife perform lezim dance, Utekar decided to delete the sequence from the film.

## Music

The music of the film is composed by A. R. Rahman while the lyrics are written by Irshad Kamil and Kshitij Patwardhan. The first single titled "Jaane Tu" was released on 31 January 2025. The second single titled "Aaya Re Toofan" was released on 6 February 2025. The album launch event was held on 13 February 2025.

## Marketing

The teaser of the film was showcased before the preview shows of Stree 2, and was later released on social media on 19 August 2024, coinciding Raksha Bandhan. The film's trailer was released on 22 January 2025.

## Release
### Theatrical

Initially set to release on 6 December 2024, the film was later postponed to 14 February 2025. The film was simultaneously released in Russia. The film has been declared tax-free in Madhya Pradesh and Goa. The Telugu language dubbed version of the film was released on 7 March 2025.

### Home media

The film's digital streaming rights were acquired by Netflix. It is set to release on Friday, 11 April 2025.

### Distribution

The film was distributed by Pen Marudhar in India and Yash Raj Films internationally. The Telugu version was distributed by Geetha Arts in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.

## Reception
### Box office

As of 16 March 2025, Chhaava has grossed ₹663.97 crore (US$76 million) domestically and ₹88.84 crore (US$10 million) overseas for a worldwide gross of ₹752.81 crore (US$86 million).
Chhaava had a strong opening day, particularly in the state of Maharashtra, grossing ₹33.10 crore (US$3.8 million) in India. The film collected ₹157 crore (US$18 million) worldwide in its opening weekend, making it Laxman Utekar's highest-grossing film, surpassing his previous film Luka Chuppi, which earned ₹128.6 crore (US$15 million). It grossed US$2.2 million in its opening weekend in the US. On 19 February 2025, the film earned ₹33 crore (US$3.8 million) and become the ninth fastest Hindi film to reach ₹200 crore club and also setting a record for the highest collection on a first Wednesday. In its first week, the film earned ₹225 crore (US$26 million) in India and ₹310.50 crore (US$36 million) globally. By the second Saturday, it earned ₹44.10 crore (US$5.0 million). The film entered the ₹300 crore club in domestic market in its second weekend and crossed ₹400 crore (US$46 million) globally.
In its second week, the film collected ₹180.25 crore (US$21 million). On 1 March 2025, the film entered in ₹400 crore club in domestic market. The film earned ₹84.05 crore (US$9.6 million) in the third week and ₹55.95 crore (US$6.4 million) in the fourth week. The film entered in ₹500 crore club in fourth week. The Telugu version opened with ₹2.5 crore (US$290,000). On March 11, 2025, the film's collection reached ₹516.8 crore (US$59 million), making it the sixth highest-grossing Hindi film, surpassing the Hindi total of ₹510.99 crore (US$58 million) achieved by Baahubali 2: The Conclusion. In the first week, the Telugu version grossed ₹11.8 crore (US$1.4 million), and by the second weekend, it earned ₹2.15 crore (US$250,000). By the second Monday, the total collection had reached ₹14.25 crore (US$1.6 million).
Chhaava has become the highest-grossing film in Maharashtra, surpassing Pushpa 2: The Rule, which earned ₹250 crore (US$29 million).

### Critical response

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 36% of 11 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 6.2/10.
Prasanna Zore of Rediff gave the film 4 out of 5, writing "Chhaava deserves 2 stars for the historically half-baked film that it is, but 4 stars just for its attempt on making a film on Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj". Zee News gave 4 stars out of 5 stars and wrote "Chhaava is much more than just an action-packed period drama; it's a film that resonates with its historical significance while maintaining its emotional core." Pooja Biraia Jaiswal of The Week rated 3.5 stars out of 5 stars and wrote "The film showcases regality and grandeur, adrenaline-pumping action sequences and punchy dialogues, but interestingly, it does all of that and more, while ensuring it doesn't lose track of the plot and the narrative that runs beautifully across all its frames."
Nishad Thaivalappil of News18 gave 3.5 out of 5 rating and the reviewer highlights Vicky Kaushal's outstanding portrayal of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj and praises the film for effectively capturing his legacy. Kusumika Das of Times Now awarded 3.5 stars out of 5 stars and wrote "While Utekar’s storytelling could have been tighter, his attempt is commendable. Most notably, Chhaava unveils a fierce, unrelenting Vicky Kaushal in a historical saga." Renuka Vyavahare of The Times of India have 3.5 stars out of 5 stars and wrote "Chhaava’s excellence lies in its gripping second half and a terrific climax." Devesh Sharma of Filmfare rated 3.5 stars out of 5 stars and noted that Chhaava succeeds in delivering a high-intensity action film, anchored by Vicky Kaushal's powerhouse performance. However, he pointed out that the film doesn't fully delve into the complexities of Sambhaji's character, leaving much of his multifaceted legacy unexplored.
Shubhra Gupta of The Indian Express, gave 2.5 out of 5 rating and wrote "Vicky Kaushal is fully committed in Laxman Utekar’s ultra-loud, ultra-violent, and exhausting film". Saibal Chatterjee of NDTV gave 2.5 stars out of 5 and said that "The film, has far greater depth than the top-heavy treatment that it deploys India order to pay tribute to Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj". Pratikshya Mishra of The Quint gave it 2.5 stars and commented that "Unlike its protagonist, who often runs into battle like a man possessed even when the odds seem stacked against him, the film simply wasn’t brave enough to take that leap." Tushar Joshi of India Today wrote, "Chhaava doesn't aim to be exceptionally different, but it masters the art of navigating the mainstream waters without completely drowning in the cacophony of its own voice."
Rahul Desai of The Hollywood Reporter India observe that "Chhaava is neither romanticised nor pulpy. It’s just scared. So scared that only gods and demons can afford to exist. So scared that it’s blinded by its own reflection." Anuj Kumar of The Hindu said that "Struggling to choose between history and the current nationalist sentiment, Laxman Utekar’s unsurprising narrative finds its voice in the final. Nandini Ramnath of Scroll.in said in her review that "Laxman Utekar takes us through every bit of this ordeal – it’s what Chhaava has been building up to. The Christ-like imagery is apposite, given the all-round love for medieval punishment. But the film’s lack of feeling is vivid too, with shouty speechifying mistaken for heartfelt passion and sumptuous visuals confused for grandeur."

## Controversies
### Historical Inaccuracies

Dinesh Vijan was threatened with a ₹100 crore (approximately US$12 million) lawsuit for allegedly depicting historical inaccuracies and misrepresentation. The Shirke family, claiming to represent the descendants of historical figures portrayed in the film, raised objections, alleging that their ancestors were wrongly depicted as traitors. Director Laxman Utekar responded to the controversy by apologizing for any unintentional distress caused and clarified that the film does not explicitly name the families or villages of the concerned historical figures. A historian, Indrajit Sawant, claimed that he faced threats and caste-based abuse for challenging the film's historical accuracy, alleging that it distorts history by wrongly portraying Soyarabai Bhosale as one of the antagonists instead of Annaji Datto, the Sachiv for Shivaji Maharaj. Sawant cited contemporary accounts suggesting Brahmin clerks betrayed Sambhaji to the Mughals, leading to his capture.

### Religious Prejudice and Hostility

On it's release, Chhaava reignited the wave of hate and hostility against Muslims across the India, and is one of the few movies to do so after The Kashmir Files and The Kerala Story. Several politicians like Abu Azmi and Asaduddin Owaisi criticized the movie and praised Aurangzeb, which led to backlash among Hindus and Bharatiya Janata Party leaders. Right wing groups like Vishva Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal condemned the glorification and threatened to demolish the tomb of Aurangzeb, currently located in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (formerly known as Aurangabad), as they claimed it as a reminder of “centuries of oppression, atrocities, and slavery” of Hindus during his rule, although they maintained peaceful protests. The incident subsequently led to riots across Nagpur on 17 March 2025 and several law enforcement officers were injured in the clash, with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis urging for calm and condemning any glorification of Aurangzeb.