Mahesh Manjrekar slams Vicky Kaushal for Chhaava Success, Says ''Maharashtra saved Bollywood''

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Veteran director Mahesh Manjrekar has created controversy with his recent comments about the success of Vicky Kaushal's movie Chhaava. The historical drama, which is inspired by the life of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, has been a huge box office success, raking in ₹800 crore globally. But Manjrekar feels that the film's success is not just because of Kaushal's acting, but because the character holds great historical importance and Maharashtra's people.

Manjrekar's Statement on Vicky Kaushal

During an interview with Mirchi Marathi, Manjrekar approved of Kaushal's talent but made it clear that the success of the film was propelled by people relating to Sambhaji Maharaj. He said, "Vicky Kaushal is a very good actor. His movie Chhaava earned ₹800 crore. But Vicky Kaushal can never say that people have come to watch him.". Because then they would have come to see the previous five films as well. The audience came to see your character. His previous five films did not work.”

Maharashtra’s Role in Chhaava's Success

Manjrekar went on to praise Maharashtra's viewership for making the movie an unqualified success, and declared that the state had played an important role in rescuing Bollywood. He had this to say, "So my Maharashtra has saved the Hindi film industry, remember this. Today, Chhaava is doing well, and 80 percent of its credit goes to Maharashtra. In fact, 90 percent of the credit goes to Pune, and the rest goes to other areas of Maharashtra. Maharashtra can save the industry."

The Influence of Chhaava on Bollywood

Directed by Laxman Utekar, Chhaava not only became a box office hit but also saw renewed interest in historical dramas. The movie stars Rashmika Mandanna as Yesubai Bhonsale, with Akshaye Khanna, Ashutosh Rana, and Divya Dutta. Though Kaushal's performance was widely acclaimed, Manjrekar's statements have raised arguments about whether historical stories or star power influence box office hits.