Actor Swara Bhasker’s recent post comparing the outrage on the “partly fictionalised filmy torture of Hindus” in the movie ‘Chhaava’ to the deaths at the Mahakumbh stampede has sparked strong reactions, with many saying it “insulted the sentiments of Indians”.
Directed by Laxman Utekar and produced by Dinesh Vijan under Maddock Films, Chhaava is a historical action film based on the life of Maratha King Sambhaji, the eldest son of Shivaji Maharaj, the founder of the Maratha empire. While Vicky Kaushal plays the titular role, Rashmika Mandanna is essaying the role of Maharani Yesubai and Akshaye Khanna in the role of Aurangzeb. It is adapted from the Marathi novel Chhava by Shivaji Sawant. It is running successfully in the theatres.
The controversial post by Swara Bhasker:
In a post on X, Bhasker wrote, “A society that is more enraged at the heavily embellished partly fictionalised filmy torture of Hindus from 500 years ago than they are at the horrendous death by stampede & mismanagement + then alleged JCB bulldozer handling of corpses – is a brain & soul-dead society. #IYKYK”
A society that is more enraged at the heavily embellished partly fictionalised filmy torture of Hindus from 500 years ago than they are at the horrendous death by stampede & mismanagement + then alleged JCB bulldozer handling of corpses – is a brain & soul-dead society. #IYKYK
— Swara Bhasker (@ReallySwara) February 18, 2025
The January 29 Mahakumbh stampede Bhasker referred to had led to at least 30 deaths. UP CM Yogi Adityanath had announced an ex gratia of Rs 25 lakh for kin of the victims.
Netizens slammed Swara Bhasker:
In response, Swati Chaturvedi, a journalist, wrote: “Rethink, this tweet Swara, I am a student of history from Delhi university & nothing remotely fictional about the torture inflicted by Aurangzeb on Sambhaji Maharaj before he murdered him. Let’s not play games with our history please. One outrage does not preclude the other.”
Rethink, this tweet Swara, I am a student of history from Delhi university & nothing remotely fictional about the torture inflicted by Aurangzeb on Sambhaji Maharaj before he murdered him. Let’s not play games with our history please. One outrage does not preclude the other https://t.co/kYCrnzFWNk
— Swati Chaturvedi (@bainjal) February 19, 2025
Another Netizen Rishi Bagree wrote: “On the contrary, the movie didn’t even show the fraction of torture Chhatrapati Sambhaji Raje was subjected to…”
On the contrary, the movie didn’t even show the fraction of torture Chhatrapati Sambhaji Raje was subjected to… pic.twitter.com/OkF29FHIwZ
— Rishi Bagree (@rishibagree) February 19, 2025
Meanwhile, Bhasker had recently slammed those questioning her wardrobe choices after marriage to Fahad Ahmad. The actor sarcastically called her sartorial choices a matter of ‘national cyber debate’ and shared some other pictures to prove trolls wrong.
Bhasker had also recently said that voicing her opinions on social media cost her her career.
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