Did Vicky Kaushal’s Chhaava influence the violence in Nagpur? Fans of the actor defend film on social media
Bollywood | Entertainment The film has stirred debates about its portrayal of historical figures, with critics arguing it may have exacerbated existing societal divides, leading to violence. in Nagpur.
Vicky Kaushal and his latest film Chhaava is being blamed for the recent riots in Nagpur. Communal violence broke out in the city in Maharashtra on March 17 due to protests against Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb’s tomb. Curfew has been imposed and the alleged mastermind has been arrested. On Tuesday, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis assured the situation was being tackled. He also mentioned how the recent Bollywood blockbusterChhaava reignited people's emotions against the Mughal emperor.
Soon after several users on X shared posts blaming Laxman Utekar’s recent film Chhaava for allegedly igniting hatred against Aurangzeb.
Many took to X to criticise the film, its director and lead actor Vicky Kaushal and held them responsible for fanning hatred against the Mughal emperor and the minorities.
Vicky and the film were accused of ‘fanning hatred’ while some even stated that the actor deliberately does the film ‘with majoritarian hatred’.
However, others defended the actor and stated he was being a scapegoat for the situation.
Internet connects Nagpur violence to Chhaava
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Many took to X to defend Vicky and his performance, reasoning that it had nothing to do with the Nagpur riots.
“The outrage over #Chaava is misplaced! Vicky Kaushal’s stunning portrayal of my Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj honors art! As liberals, we mustn’t scapegoat actors for doing their job brilliantly. Let’s celebrate cinema, not censor it or blame it,” read one tweet.
Another fan wrote, “It’s truly sad to see what happened in Nagpur. Violence and unrest should never be the answer, no matter the trigger. But holding Vicky Kaushal responsible for the Nagpur violence is completely unfair and misdirected. He is an actor who portrayed a historical figure in Chhaava—a film that went through multiple approvals before release. If certain narratives in the movie have triggered strong reactions, the discussion should be around historical interpretation, public discourse, and governance, not on targeting an individual performer.”
Another user trolled the trolls and wrote, “Those blaming Vicky Kaushal for Nagpur violence are clearly operating on zero brain cells.”
One person wrote, “Vicky Kaushal and the makers of #Chhaava are being blamed for the Nagpur riots. The planners and rioters are the only ones who should be blamed.”
Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis blames Chhaava for anti-Aurangzeb sentiments amid violence
Chaava did not demonise Aurangzeb
There were some users who reasoned that the film did not demonise Aurangzeb and pointed out that Sambhaji was betrayed by his own people.
“The recent violence in Nagpur is unfairly being blamed on Vicky Kaushal’s movie Chava. It actually shows that he was BETRAYED by his close aides (jealous and greedy), not by the Mughals. The story highlights internal betrayal and division among his own people,” read a post.
Vicky Kaushal's Chhaava beats Sunny Deol's Gadar 2, becomes 10th highest-grossing film
Another added, “The way Vicky Kaushal is blamed, hated and targeted for playing a historical character, and a certain section insinuating the role led to Nagpur violence - that’s what is exactly wrong with people & mindset. Exactly that! No wonder Bollywood just focuses on poos and Poojas!”
More about Chhaava
Directed by Laxman Utekar, Chhaava is the biopic of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj- son of Shivaji Maharaj. Vicky Kaushal plays the Maratha ruler in the film, while Akshaye Khanna plays Emperor Aurangzeb. The film, which also stars Rashmika Mandanna, Divya Dutta, Ashutosh Rana, and Vineet Kumar Singh, received mixed reviews but was a massive success at the box office. The film has collected Rs 7 billion worldwide.
WION's review of Chhaava
Pragati Awasthi of WION praised Vicky Kaushal in her review of Chhaava calling him the 'soul of the film'. She also praised Akshaye Khanna who portrays the role of Aurangzeb and wrote, "Khanna's eyes did the talking, portraying the ruthlessness, brutality, and cunningness of his character loudly whenever he was on the screen." Read full review of Chhaava here