Chhaava Success Stumbles: Rs 100 Crore Defamation Row as Vicky Kaushal’s Film Smashes Box Office Records

The historical drama Chhaava is facing controversy after descendants of Maratha warriors Ganoji and Kanhoji Shirke accused the film of misrepresenting their ancestors. They claim the movie wrongly portrays them as betraying Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj by supporting Mughal emperor Aurangzeb. The Shirke family has threatened to file a ₹100 crore defamation case against the filmmakers.

On February 20, the family sent a legal notice to director Laxman Utekar, demanding changes to the film to avoid historical misrepresentation. In response, Utekar personally reached out to Bhushan Shirke, one of the descendants, to address their concerns.

According to a report by Pudhari, Utekar apologized and explained that he had taken steps to avoid directly linking the characters to the Shirke lineage. He clarified, "We have only used the names Ganoji and Kanhoji in Chhaava, without mentioning their surname or village. Our intention was never to hurt the sentiments of the Shirke family. I sincerely apologize if the film caused any distress."

Despite his apology, the Shirke family insists on changes and has warned of statewide protests if their concerns are not addressed. They have demanded that the filmmakers modify any scenes that could misrepresent their ancestors.

Meanwhile, Chhaava continues to attract audiences. The film features Rashmika Mandanna as Yesubai Bhosale, Vineet Kumar Singh as Kavi Kalash, and Akshaye Khanna as Aurangzeb.