FILM · 2025 · INDIA
Chhaava
24 archived facts 5 topics 1 source Last reviewed Oct 2026
All facts (24)
- #001
Director Laxman Utekar insisted on preserving historical fidelity in the depiction of the torture of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj as described in the biographical source material. This commitment required Vicky Kaushal to undergo a full-body prosthetic transformation that took four and a half hours daily. A team of eight makeup artists worked simultaneously while Kaushal remained standing to ensure sensitivity on his chest, back, arms and legs. The production prioritized practical effects over digital enhancement, using physical supports for the sequences involving salt and wounds. For the execution scenes, physical preparation included the creation of a special prosthetic tongue; technicians took a live mold of Kaushal's mouth to develop a prosthetic sheath that would sit over his real tongue, allowing a realistic depiction of the mutilation. During these sessions Kaushal maintained a strict mental routine, using a personal playlist to stay in character. Despite suffering a functional arm injury during earlier productions of action scenes, he completed the demanding application process and the subsequent shoot without interruption.
- #002
Vicky Kaushal gained 25 kilograms to play Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, raising his weight from 80 kg to 105 kg. Because of the actor's naturally high metabolism, the transformation specifically required a high-calorie diet and rigorous bodybuilding for about six to seven months. In addition to the weight gain, Kaushal underwent extensive training in horse riding, sword fighting and spear fighting to perform the film's action scenes.
- #003
Akshaye Khanna and Vicky Kaushal appear together for the first time in this film. To sustain the historical enmity between their characters, Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb and Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, the actors deliberately avoided personal interaction during production. Director Laxman Utekar stated that the pair did not meet or greet each other on camera until the day they shot the high-stakes confrontation scene. Kaushal later confirmed that they avoided social pleasantries such as "hello" or "good morning" to preserve the organic tension required for their on-screen rivalry.
- #004
Production designer Subrata Chakraborty made extensive site visits to Raigarh Fort to ensure the architectural precision of the royal court set. Every dimension of the coronation area was measured and replicated on a sound stage to facilitate filming Sambhaji Maharaj's rise as Chhatrapati. This meticulous reconstruction also allowed the production team to maintain historical accuracy while meeting the lighting and camera requirements for the large-scale sequence.
- #005
The opening narration is provided by Ajay Devgn. This points to a thematic connection with his role as the Maratha warrior Tanaji Malusare in Tanhaji: The Unsung Warrior (2020). Both films recount the Maratha Empire's military conflicts against Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb.
- #006
Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant announced on 19 February 2025 that the film was tax-exempt in the state, timed to coincide with the 395th birth anniversary of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. Madhya Pradesh granted the film tax-exempt status the same day. Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis praised the historical portrayal and stated that the film avoided distorting history. Responding to public calls for a tax exemption in Maharashtra, Fadnavis explained that the state had already abolished its entertainment tax in 2017 following the implementation of the Goods and Services Tax (GST). He decided to explore additional promotional measures to ensure the production reached a wider audience.
- #007
Akshaye Khanna and Ashutosh Rana appear together in this film for the first time in 22 years. Their last on-screen pairing was in the ensemble war epic LOC: Kargil (2003), in which Khanna played Lieutenant Balwan Singh Panghal and Rana played Grenadier Yogender Singh Yadav.
- #008
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised the production during the 98th Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Sahitya Sammelan. While the event is traditionally held in various locations across Maharashtra, this particular session took place at Vigyan Bhavan in Delhi. The Prime Minister noted the film's significant cultural impact and credited Shivaji Sawant's Marathi novel with effectively conveying the historical value of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj to a contemporary audience.
- #009
Chhaava (2025) became Vicky Kaushal's highest-grossing opening day, earning a net of 33.10 crore in Indian box office revenue on its premiere date of 14 February 2025. This performance far surpassed the previous record holder, Bad Newz (2024), which opened with 8.62 crore, as well as the initial collections of the groundbreaking war drama Uri: The Surgical Strike (2019), which opened with 8.20 crore.
- #010
Historical records of the execution of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj and his advisor Kavi Kalash describe a prolonged process involving torture and flaying before beheading. Contemporary records from the Mughal court and Maratha chronicles indicate that these events took place over several weeks in early 1689. While the 2025 film Chhaava recounts Sambhaji's capture and defiance, the production team chose to stylize the final execution sequence. This creative decision focuses on the characters' political and spiritual resilience rather than providing a graphic, literal reenactment of the documented physical torture.
- #011
Vicky Kaushal experienced a significant emotional reaction while filming the coronation scene. In an interview about the historical epic, the actor stated that the atmosphere of the set and the perceived purity as he approached the throne moved him to tears. Director Laxman Utekar chose to keep this intimate reaction in the final edit, showing the hero walking toward the seat of power with visible tears.
- #012
Vicky Kaushal and the supporting actors underwent an intensive seven-month preparation period before principal photography began. Kaushal completed rigorous training in horse riding, swordsmanship and hand-to-hand combat to accurately portray Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj. The actor also followed a dedicated weight-training regimen to increase his muscle mass and physical bulk, aligning his physique with historical descriptions of the character.
- #013
Vicky Kaushal suffered a serious back injury while filming the Burhanpur battle scene. The accident occurred when his horse reared and threw him onto his back, causing temporary physical numbness. Despite the impact, Kaushal returned to the set after a short recovery period on the instruction of director Laxman Utekar. He completed the remaining high-intensity fight scenes while undergoing physiotherapy concurrently to manage the injury throughout the production schedule.
- #014
Akshaye Khanna undergoes an extensive physical transformation to play Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb. This role marks the first time in his career that he has used prosthetic makeup to alter a character's appearance.
- #015
Sambhaji Maharaj, the central figure of the 2025 historical epic Chhaava, was born on 14 May 1657 at Purandar Fort. He was the eldest son of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and his first wife, Saibai. Historical records confirm that his birth took place during a period of intense geopolitical change in the Deccan region. His mother died when he was only two years old, which led to his upbringing under the direct supervision of his grandmother, Rajmata Jijabai.
- #016
Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb was initially envisioned for Anil Kapoor during the pre-production stage of Chhaava (2025). The production team formally approached Kapoor in late 2023, but he declined the role due to scheduling conflicts with multiple simultaneous projects. Director Laxman Utekar later cast Akshaye Khanna after a script narration in which Utekar performed the dialogue to demonstrate the character's psychological depth. Khanna accepted the role on the condition that he could interpret the emperor with a sense of "silent menace" and restraint; he famously rejected the director's initial request to deliver certain lines with aggressive shouting.
- #017
Vicky Kaushal consumed an excess of 6,000 calories a day to achieve the physical build required for the role of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj. This dietary regimen focused on clean eating to facilitate significant muscle mass gain throughout the production schedule. Kaushal described the consistency and volume of this nutritional requirement as the most challenging aspect of his preparation, surpassing the physical demands of the action scenes and fight training.
- #018
Chhaava set a new standard for Indian historical cinema when it was released on 14 February 2025. The film recorded a net collection of 33.10 crore on its opening day in India, surpassing a Bollywood historical drama record held by Padmaavat (2018). It also set a new record for the highest opening day earnings on Valentine's Day, beating the previous record held by Gully Boy (2019).
- #019
Rashmika Mandanna faced criticism on social media for her portrayal of Yesubai, with some commentators arguing that the role required a Maharashtrian actress. Divya Dutta, who also appeared in the film, publicly defended Mandanna's performance and work ethic. Dutta described the actress as a dedicated professional and specifically praised her visual portrayal in the film, even though the two actresses did not share any scenes during production.
- #020
Neelkanti Patekar returns to the screen with Chhaava (2025), her first acting role in roughly nine years; her previous credit was the Marathi film Bernie (2016). In this historical epic she plays Dharau, the wet nurse of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and an important mother figure to Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj (played by Vicky Kaushal). A National Award-winning actress, Patekar had largely stepped away from the film industry to focus on her personal life and family before director Laxman Utekar cast her in the role.
- #021
Director Laxman Utekar voluntarily removed a scene in which Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj (Vicky Kaushal) and Maharani Yesubai (Rashmika Mandanna) perform the traditional Lezim dance. The scene, which the teaser depicted as the Maratha king joining a dance during a Holi celebration, drew serious backlash from historians and political figures, including Raj Thackeray and descendants of the royal family. Critics argued the portrayal was historically inaccurate, suggesting a Maratha ruler would not take part in such public dances.
- #022
Vicky Kaushal gained about 25 kilograms of body mass to play the Maratha ruler Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj. Over a six-month preparation period, the actor raised his weight from 80 kilograms to 105 kilograms. The transformation was supervised by well-known trainers Kris Gethin and Tejas Lalwani, focusing on functional strength and hypertrophy to match historical accounts of Maharaj's physical prowess. Kaushal followed a caloric-surplus diet of 4,000 to 6,000 calories a day split across six meals, while also training eight hours a day in horse riding, sword fighting and spear fighting. Despite suffering a serious neck injury during an action scene, Kaushal continued with a modified training regimen to maintain the intensity the production schedule required.
- #023
The film was initially scheduled to release in cinemas on 6 December 2024. That date would have set up a high-profile box office clash with Pushpa 2: The Rule (2024), which was set to release a day earlier, on 5 December. Both films feature Rashmika Mandanna as the female lead. To let each project have a solo release and maximise commercial potential, the producers moved the release to 14 February 2025. The new date was chosen strategically to align with the 19 February birth anniversary of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, the father of the film's central figure, Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj.
- #024
Rashmika Mandanna suffered a serious leg injury during training ahead of the promotional campaign for Chhaava (2025). Despite the severity of the injury, she attended several press events and public appearances while visibly limping. Her commitment to the film's marketing schedule led to widespread media coverage of her physical recovery in the run-up to the release.
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