Key Points
Gained 25 kg for authentic portrayal of historical character
Learned horse riding and sword fighting for role
Spent four years completing the film project
Worked closely with director Laxman Utekar
The movie is directed by Laxman Utekar.
Produced under the banner of Maddock Films, 'Chhaava' is a period drama that portrays the legendary story of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, played by Vicky Kaushal. The film is set to depict the courageous Maratha ruler's legendary reign, beginning with his coronation in 1681.
During the film promotion in Jaipur, Vicky spoke to the media about how he prepared for the role. "A biopic needs a lot of preparation work not only for an actor but for the entire team. Working on a historical subject is really challenging because of the huge budget, and creating a different era on screen. We have tried to make it as realistic as possible," he said.
"As an actor, the preparation is not only physical but also mental. There was action training, bodybuilding training and also doing research on the history as it was important to understand that period," he added.
The film also stars Rashmika Mandanna and Akshaye Khanna.
Vicky recalled how during the shooting of 'Zara Hatke Zara Bachke', director Utekar told him about the film, "He told me this will be our other film. I have read about Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj in history books so I got very excited about the project. But I need to do more research to know the finer details. I never played the character of a fighter before and there was an emotional connection as I am from Mumbai. Moreover, I never did a historical film.."
Zara Hatke Zara Bachke is a 2023 film starring Vicky Kaushal and Sara Ali Khan. The film was directed by Laxman Utekar.
'Chhaava' is touted to be a "stirring tale of the courageous warrior whose coronation in 1681 marked the beginning of a legendary reign."
He continued, "Laxman sir showed me a sketch and I said 'he look like a lion'. He said 'I want a lion'. I needed time so we took seven months in which I gained 25 kg, learned horse riding, and sword fighting and then when he was satisfied finally we started the shooting. So, overall it took four years to complete this film."
The movie is slated for release in theatres on February 14.
