Swara Bhasker Slammed For Calling Sambhaji’s Torture Scene A Fictionalised Story From Chhaava; ‘Just Coz U Are Married To Muslim’

Mumbai: Actress Swara Bhasker has found herself at the center of yet another controversy after her recent remarks on Chhaava, a historical action film based on the life of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, the eldest son of Shivaji Maharaj. The film, which stars Vicky Kaushal, Rashmika Mandanna, and Akshaye Khanna, has been well received by audiences, particularly for its depiction of the brutal torture and execution of Sambhaji at the hands of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb.

However, Bhasker’s post on social media platform X (formerly Twitter) has sparked outrage, with many accusing her of insulting Indian history and downplaying the atrocities committed against Sambhaji Maharaj.

In her post, Bhasker criticized what she saw as disproportionate outrage over the on-screen portrayal of Hindu suffering while allegedly ignoring real-life tragedies like the Mahakumbh stampede. She 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”

 

Her remarks, particularly the use of the phrase “partly fictionalised filmy torture”, did not sit well with many, who saw it as belittling the historical suffering of Sambhaji Maharaj and his ultimate sacrifice.

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

Directed by Laxman Utekar and produced by Dinesh Vijan under Maddock Films, Chhaava is an adaptation of the Marathi novel Chhava by Shivaji Sawant. The film portrays the last days of Sambhaji Maharaj, who was captured by Aurangzeb’s forces and subjected to horrific torture. Historians widely document that Sambhaji was offered a chance to surrender, convert to Islam, and be spared. However, he refused and was tortured before being executed in 1689.

Many have pointed out that the film’s depiction of his brutal treatment under the Mughals is historically accurate, rather than a mere cinematic exaggeration. Critics argue that Bhasker’s attempt to equate outrage over the film’s content with apathy towards a modern-day tragedy is misleading and offensive.

The actress’s comments led to an immediate backlash from several journalists, historians, and legal experts. Many pointed out that Sambhaji Maharaj’s torture is a well-documented historical fact, not a “partly fictionalized” story.

Veteran journalist Swati Chaturvedi, a history graduate from Delhi University, urged Bhasker to reconsider her statement, “Rethink this tweet, Swara. I am a student of history from Delhi University, and there is 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.”

Senior lawyer Jai Anant Dehadrai condemned Bhasker’s remarks, calling them deeply offensive, “‘Fictionalised filmy torture of Hindus’?! How dare you seek to make light of the supreme sacrifice made by Sambhaji Maharaj – who was brutally tortured and murdered by the wicked Mughal coward Aurangzeb! Swara Bhasker, your deeply offensive and hurtful statement, that too on the birth anniversary of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, is obviously aimed at deliberately insulting the sentiments of millions of Indians and to create strife between religious groups. You, madam, ought to be prosecuted for this criminal offence to the fullest extent permissible under the law.”

“Fictionalised filmy torture of Hindus”?

How dare you seek to make light of the supreme sacrifice made by Sambhaji Maharaj - who was brutally tortured and murdered by the wicked Mughal coward Aurangzeb

Swara Bhaskar - your deeply offensive and hurtful statement, that too on… httpst.coZj58gkeIrk  Jai Anant Dehadrai jaiadehadrai February 19 2025

Another user slammed, " The controversy took an even more heated turn when some social media users accused Bhasker of **being biased due to her marriage to a Muslim man". 

 

Swara, just because you are married to a muslim man, you don’t have the right to belittle sacrifices of great hindu men. This may sound heavily below the belt but your tweet about our Chhaava is outrageous. Stop being so enticed by political Islam that you forget your forefathers httpstcoQbNq6iVGnB Sanya Talwar LegalTalwar February 19 2025

Indeed Swara was not prepared for this.