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Vicky Kaushal plays Sambhaji Maharaj — the eldest son of Chhatrapati Shivaji — in ‘Chhaava’. Sambhaji fought several battles, most of them against the Mughals, to protect the Maratha empire. He was tortured and executed by Aurangzeb in 1689
Vicky Kaushal’s Chhaava will hit theatres on February 14, 2025. (Photo: Instagram)
Vicky Kaushal-starrer ‘Chhaava’, which is set for release tomorrow, is based on the life of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj – a Maratha military king and the eldest son of Shivaji Maharaj, the founder of the Maratha empire.
Kaushal portrays Sambhaji Maharaj in the film. Sambhaji was the second ruler of the kingdom after his father’s death. In his short rule spanning nine years, Sambhaji gained recognition for his valour and patriotism.
Let us look at his life, the battles he fought and the legacy he has.
How Sambhaji Maharaj Acceded To The Throne
Shivaji Maharaj was a Hindu warrior whose empire encompassed the western section of Deccan plateau, joining the Eastern Ghats. They fought Muslim Mughal assaults in northern India and liberated themselves from princes in Bijapur in the southeast.
In 1674, Shivaji Maharaj declared himself Emperor and assumed the title ‘Chhatrapati’. He felt influenced by the mighty Vijayanagara Empire, which served as a bastion to Muslim invasions in South India, and Kanthirava Narasaraja Wodeyar, ruler of Mysore.
After Shivaji’s death in April 1680, Sambhaji was entangled in a bitter accession struggle with his half-brother Rajaram, who was 10 at that time. Soyrabai, Sambhaji’s stepmother and the mother of Rajaram, plotted against Sambhaji to keep him away from the throne.
But Sambhaji ultimately gained the support of Maratha commander-in-chief Hambirrao Mohite and in January 1681 was officially crowned ruler of the Marathas. Rajaram, Soyrabai, and their associates were put under house arrest.
When Sambhaji Fought The Mughals
The Mughals were the staunchest rivals of Marathas. Most of the battles fought between them were under Sambhaji’s reign. One of the first major combats was when Sambhaji attacked Burhanpur, a wealthy Mughal city in Madhya Pradesh and an important trading centre for them. He attacked the city after learning about Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb’s plans to expand in the Deccan.
In 1681, Aurangzeb’s son, Akbar, arrived in Deccan to try to unite troops against his father’s authority in Delhi. Aurangzeb marched from Delhi to Khirki (today’s Aurangabad) near Maharashtra, with a force of four to five lakh men to contain the uprising and destroy the Maratha kingdom. Akbar had sought assistance from Sambhaji Raje, who had sworn to aid him in his struggle against Aurangzeb.
However, Sambhaji Maharaj fought with his commanders in all of the engagements and wars he was involved in.
The Mughals wanted to acquire possession over the forts held by Marathas in Nashik and Baglana regions. In 1682, they attacked the Ramsej fort near Nashik. But could not take control of the fort despite months of attempts.
Other Important Battles Sambhaji Fought
Sambhaji also fought with the Abyssinian Siddi rulers who wished to acquire control over the Konkan coast. Sambhaji fought them, restricting their presence to the island of Janjira, located in the present-day Raigad district of Maharashtra.
Sambhaji also fought the Portuguese colonists in Goa in late 1683. The Portuguese colonists were weakened by the Maratha raid, and sought help from the Mughals. Sambhaji was forced to retreat from Goa in January 1684, with the arrival of the Mughal army and navy in large numbers.
In 1681, Sambhaji also attempted to take control over Mysore, then ruled by the Wodeyar king Chikkadevaraja. However, he was driven back from there.
How Sambhaji Died
Hambirrao Mohite, the Maratha commander-in-chief and one of Sambhaji’s important supporters, was killed in the Battle of Wai in 1687. While the Marathas won the battle, but Mohite’s death was a big blow to them. As a result, a large number of Maratha troops began deserting Sambhaji.
On March 11, January 1689, Sambhaji was captured by Mughal forces. He was tortured before being executed. But Sambhaji refused to surrender to the Mughals and confront death instead to defend – Deva, Desh and Dharma.
Historians’ account say that Sambhaji was asked to surrender all his forts and treasures, and finally to convert to Islam. But he refused to do so, as a result, he was given a tortuous death.
Any Controversy Around ‘Chhaava’?
Many have criticised the scene in the film where Vicky Kaushal is performing ‘lezim’ folk dance alongside Rashmika Mandanna, who plays Sambhaji’s wife Maharani Yesubai.
Chhatrapati Sambhajiraje, a descendant of Sambhaji and a former Rajya Sabha MP, has objected to the depiction of the king in the song and questioned the cinematic liberties taken by the filmmakers.
On Monday, ‘Chhaava’’s director Laxman Utekar said the scene would be deleted after a meeting with Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray. “We thought of Maharaj as a 20-year-old. It was obvious that he had played the Lezim dance. And why not? Lezim is a part of Maratha culture. It is just our traditional dance. But, if anyone is hurt by those dance moves or Lezim dance, we will remove them,” he said.
On Saturday, Maharashtra’s Minister for Industries & Marathi Language, Uday Samant, posted on X, “It is a matter of joy that a Hindi film is being made based on the life of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, the protector of religion and freedom… Our position is that this film should not be released without first showing it to experts and knowledgeable people.”
