Politics Of 'Chhaava': Generating Majoritarian Assertiveness

The roaring success at the box office of Vicky Kaushal starrer action drama Chhaava, a biopic of Shivaji바카라�s eldest son Sambhaji-- heir to the throne of the Maratha kingdom-- has drawn in emotional and political hysteria from Maharashtra to Delhi.바카라� 

The film바카라�s portrayal of the Maratha-Mughal conflict, Sambhaji바카라�s martyrdom to protect the Hindu faith, and his refusal to accept Islam has evoked intense reactions in cinema halls across the country, with audience members gasping in tears, and others making a spectacle with loud proclamations of Shiva Garjana바카라�in praise of Shivaji. In Nagpur, an excited fan even rode a horse into a cinema hall; while in Gujarat바카라�s Bharuch, an intoxicated man tore the cinema screen during a high-pitched climax scene; and in Delhi, a group of youth vandalised signboards of Akbar Road and Humayun Road with black paint and covered them with posters of Shivaji. 

But Chhaava바카라�s real impact is being seen off the screen in Maharashtra, where it has set off multiple triggers at the intersection of politics, caste, religion, history and nationalism.바카라� 

Adapted from Shivaji Sawant바카라�s historical 1979 Marathi novel, Chhaava (tiger바카라�s cub) narrates the dramatic account of Sambhaji바카라�s life after Shivaji바카라�s demise, and his struggles in defending the Maratha Empire against the Mughal forces. Sambhaji바카라�s unmatched bravery and remarkable military conquests against foreign rulers were overshadowed by ruthless political rivalries and betrayal from his own people, leading to his eventual arrest and brutal execution in the hands of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb.바카라� 

Expectedly, the film바카라�s narrative, which reinforces the idea of valiant Hindu kings protecting their homeland against evil Muslim enemies, has found a strong resonance with the Hindutva narrative and fuelled anti-Muslim politics. Samajwadi Party MLA and leader Abu Azmi became the first casualty of this conflict for his controversial statements praising Aurangzeb. 

Azmi was temporarily suspended from the Maharashtra assembly for his comments that Chhaava movie has distorted history by projecting Aurangzeb as a cruel and religious zealot. The ongoing budget session in the assembly turned into a political slugfest with the ruling Mahayuti alliance MLAs branding Azmi a traitor and seeking his permanent suspension as an legislator for insulting Shivaji바카라�s legacy. BJP leader and former MP Navneet Rana urged the government to remove Aurangzeb바카라�s grave from Maharashtra. Azmi's statement also triggered a national controversy, with Bihar Janata Dal (United) MLC Khalid Anwar expressing his support to the view that Aurangzeb was "a good administrator." This sparked strong condemnation from several BJP leaders, including Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. 

The BJP, eager to establish its dominance in Maharashtra as a strong political force, has latched on to Chhaava바카라�s discourse of regional pride, sidestepping its rival Uddhav Thackeray바카라�s Shiv Sena faction. BJP minister Aditi Tatkare took the lead and organised a special screening of Chhaava for the party바카라�s state legislators. The movie garnered praises from Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has made it a habit to endorse movies promoting nationalism or Hindutva ideology.바카라�바카라�바카라�바카라�바카라� 

Shivaji, revered as a deity and a symbol of Maratha identity, pride, and honour, serves as the inspiration behind Shiv Sena, which takes its name as the "army of Shivaji." Shivaji바카라�s legacy as a founder of Maratha empire and protector of Hindu dharma is irreversibly tied with Sena바카라�s regional nationalism and parochial politics. No Shiv Sena gathering is complete without paying tribute to바카라� Shivaji and raising the signature slogans of Jai Bhavani, Jai Shivaji. Before he was ousted as a CM, Uddhav Thackeray, in the last days of his government, passed the proposal renaming Aurangabad district to Sambhajinagar and Osmanabad to Dharashiv.바카라� 

While Chhaava has captivated audiences with the vivid portrayal of a major Maratha icon, the cinematic liberties in the storyline and historical inaccuracies have stirred raging controversies. In his short lifespan, Sambhaji is believed to have waged 111 battles, (losing only the battle of Banawar) against the Portuguese in Goa, the Siddis in Janjira, the Hindu king of Mysore and the Mughal empire, to consolidate and expand Maratha power. The movie바카라�s excessive focus remains on Sambhaji바카라�s conflict and capture with the Mughal Empire, while projecting him as a larger-than-life warrior. 

Vishwas Patil, former IAS officer and author of Sambhaji, Shivaji Mahasamrat: The Whirlwind and Panipat, lamented the selective depiction of events and reductive characterisation of historical figures. The portrayal of Sambhaji바카라�s stepmother Soyrabai as the villain, conspiring against him to secure the throne for her minor son Rajaram, and the absence of Sambhaji바카라�s second queen Durgabai are other significant departures from historical accounts, he pointed out. The film only shows his marriage and life with Yesubai, played by Rashmika Mandana.바카라� 

바카라�The film does not provide context and importance of characters like Soyarabai and Hambirrao Mohite in Sambhaji바카라�s life or the legacy of being Shivaji바카라�s successor.바카라� His major victories in Goa, the expansion of the Maratha empire till Karnataka, or construction of a causeway in the high seas of Raigad are legendary tales,바카라� he emphasised. 

Similar assertions by Maratha historian Indrajit Sawant on the supposed historical inaccuracies have incited caste-based tensions between Marathas and Brahmins. In a talk show, Sawant claimed that Soyarabai was wrongly made a villain, when it was Annaji Datto, chief secretary in the council of ministers, who conspired the plan to get ten-year-old Rajaram coronated and keep Sambhaji away from the throne. He also revealed that contrary to popular belief, it was not Ganoji and Kanhoji Shirke, but the Brahmin clique in the council of ministers who sabotaged Sambhaji.바카라� 

In Chhaava, the characters of Ganoji and Kanhoji, brothers of Yesubai, are depicted as guiding the Mughals to Sambhaji바카라�s hiding spot, leading to his eventual capture. Sawant stated that given the family traditions of that time, it was unlikely that Sambhaji바카라�s brothers-in-law would betray him to the Mughals. Instead, he referenced the letters of François Martin, the former French governor of Pondicherry, which mention the involvement of Brahmin clerks in betraying Sambhaji. Sawant argued that this account seems more plausible, as Brahmins harboured animosity toward Sambhaji due to his close friendship with Kavi Kalash, a Brahmin poet, who was tortured and killed alongside Sambhaji.바카라� 

Sawant바카라�s accusation against Brahmins has touched a raw nerve on the century-old caste conflict between Marathas and Brahmins which dates back to Shivaji바카라�s coronation controversy. Brahmin priests had refused to conduct Shivaji바카라�s coronation claiming he was a Shudra, from a lower caste, who could not hold the royal title of Chhatrapati. Shivaji, then laid claim to the warrior Maratha identity citing the Bhonsle family바카라�s descent to the lineages of Rajput kings of ancient India.바카라�바카라� 

Sawant received a threatening call from a Nagpur resident Prashant Koratkar, who claimed to be a Parashurami Brahmin, and close to CM Fadnavis. In response, the extremist Maratha outfit, Sambhaji Brigade came out in Sawant바카라�s support and threatened to blacken Koratkar바카라�s face and parade him on a donkey. The Kolhapur police has filed a case against Koratkar and the government has ordered a high-level inquiry to investigate the matter.바카라�바카라� 

According to Sawant, the distortion of Sambhaji바카라�s story, which was deliberately propagated by the Brahmins who wrote the accounts of Maratha history after Sambhaji died in 1689, was responsible for defaming his image. Before Chhaava, Sambhaji was prominently portrayed in Marathi popular culture as a flawed historical figure. Several theater productions and novels projected him as a drunkard and incompetent ruler, who was imprisoned by Shivaji for his addiction to women. The highly popular Rajsanyas drama, which had a long run in the state, defamed Sambhaji as a womaniser and alcoholic.바카라� 

Even as the politics around Chhaava has motivated Hindu majoritarian assertiveness, and generated fresh hatred towards Aurangzeb, there is an unanimous agreement among Maratha historians that the movie has done justice in resurrecting Sambhaji바카라�s identity as a great warrior, righteous ruler and compassionate human.바카라�