Chhaava

Chhaava (transl. Lion cub) is a 2025 Indian Hindi-language epic historical action film based on the life of Sambhaji, the second ruler of the Maratha Empire, who is played by Vicky Kaushal. An adaptation of the Marathi novel Chhava by Shivaji Sawant, it is directed by Laxman Utekar and produced by Dinesh Vijan under Maddock Films. The cast also includes Akshaye Khanna and Rashmika Mandanna. Pre-production began in April 2023; filming commenced in October 2023 and ended in May 2024. The film score and soundtrack album were composed by A. R. Rahman while the lyrics were written by Irshad Kamil and Kshitij Patwardhan. Chaava was released in theatres on 14 February 2025 in standard and IMAX formats. The film received mixed reviews from critics and sparked controversy due to its historical inaccuracies and religious issues. Commercially, it has earned ₹797.34 crore (US$83 million)–₹809 crore (US$84 million) to rank the third-highest-grossing Indian film of 2025, and the second highest-grossing Hindi film of 2025. When the film was taken off the screens, it was the eighth highest-grossing Hindi film in Indian film history.