Our motherland has been captivated and ruled by the British and Islam for hundreds of years. The struggle for freedom and every life sacrificed in the cause is pride. One such story and real-life inspiration comes from Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj’s biography. Recently, this movie was bagged by Netflix and is trending at no. 1. But is it the real story? Some critics said the film is more fictional and less true to history. Let’s uncover the real story with me.
What’s the story?
The film starts with raging warfare and strong background music like “Hai Narsingh yeh Rag-rag mein, rag-rag mein le toofan!” It hypes up the audience to shout their lungs out. While saving the trapped custodians in the middle of the battle, Sambhaji falls into a trapdoor and has a one-on-one tackle with a mighty lion. He wins & protects the authority and is welcomed home by his wife, Yesubai, aka Rashmika Mandanna.
Sambhaji ascends the crown as Chhatrapati after his father’s demise. His stepmother conspires against his life to make her son the next king. The later movie continues with excellent fight sequences where Maharaj and his crew fight against the Mughal army. However, his own relations’ betrayal and an outnumbered army caused the Maharaj to get trapped in the torturous camps of Aurangzeb. How did he die? Who betrayed? Did we attain the “Swarajya”? To know these answers, catch the movie now on Netflix.
What’s real and fictional?
Some major parts of the film take liberties with the truth. For example, there is no historical evidence that Soyara Bai, the stepmother of Sambhaji Rao, sent letters to Aurangzeb to conspire and kill him on her behalf. Likewise, 70% of the second half is focused on Sambhaji Maharaj’s tortured death because he refused to convert to Islam and stood against the religious beliefs of the Mughals.
But in reality, Aurangzeb’s ruthlessness is more on taking over the crown and gaining sole political control. So it’s highly unlikely for Aurang to patiently wait and stop the war when the throne is empty. Also, it’s said that Chhatrapati has never demolished any masjid or molested any Muslim women in the cause of freedom. So, the movie is majorly true to devotion and remarkable.
So watch or skip?
Vicky Kaushal is in a swing with back-to-back large-scale movies. His prominent acting in Dunki, Sam, and Chhavva has rewritten his image as equal to pan-India heroes. Another plus point to the movie’s story is Akshaye Khanna. Although he didn’t have much talking time, his presence as Aurangzeb in the timeline is substantial. He has the final grand showdown with Chhatrapathi in the climax. So I would say a revolutionary watch.
Written by: Meghana Pinninti