Indian director Laxman Utekar has revealed that historical action film Chaava is set to release on February 14 this month, the film hero Vicky Kaushal is hopeful that Chaava will be a turning points in his career.
According to a report by Indian media on Tuesday, Vicky Kaushal is playing Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, while Rashmika Mandanna is portraying Maharani Yesubai, and Akshaye Khanna is taking on the role of Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb, portrayed as a negative character, as one can expect from Indian movies.
Praysing Akshaye as one of Bollywood’s finest actors today, Laxman recently shared with Bollywood Hungama saying “The way he plays Aurangzeb will leave you frightened,” emphasizing Akshaye’s ability to convey emotions through his eyes despite minimal dialogue, while Akshaye Khanna is known for being selective about his roles.
The interviewer asked how Laxman convinced Akshaye Khanna to join Chhaava. The director revealed that a visit to Akshaye’s Alibaug home was all it took, saying “He’s a wonderful person. He takes on few projects, but whatever he does, he gives it his all,” Vicky elaborated on his experience working with Akshaye, explaining that much of the film revolves around Aurangzeb’s relentless nine-year pursuit of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj.
“There are a few moments where we share the screen, but the tension builds as they seek each other out, making their eventual face-off highly anticipated,” he noted. Vicky praised Akshaye’s nuanced performance, describing how his calculated cunningness blends seamlessly with the powerful presence of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj.
On the other hand, Vicky and Akshaye did not meet each other before filming their intense scenes in Chaava. Laxman revealed, “The first time they saw each other was on the day of their scene together, and only in character.”
Vicky added that they avoided personal interactions throughout the shoot. “We didn’t exchange greetings or small talk. He was Aurangzeb, and I was Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj—we went straight into filming. The nature of our scenes didn’t allow for casual conversations beforehand,” he explained.
