- Monday, March 03, 2025
Filmmaker Laxman Utekar announced his decision after a meeting with Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray
By: India Weekly
FILMMAKER Laxman Utekar has said the “lezim” dance scene will be removed from his upcoming movie “Chhaava“, based on the life of Maratha warrior king Chhatrapati Sambhaji, after it faced objection from politicians and history enthusiasts.
The filmmaker announced his decision on Monday (27) after he discussed the issue with Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray at the latter’s residence in Mumbai.
The film’s trailer, released earlier this week, has a sequence in which Vicky Kaushal and Rashmika Mandanna, who portray Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj and Maharani Yesubai, are seen dancing with the “lezim”, a traditional musical instrument associated with Maharashtra’s cultural heritage.
Utekar told reporters, “The meeting with Raj Thackeray was to seek his advice. His knowledge of history, especially regarding Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, is extensive. He provided valuable suggestions for changes, which we will implement. As for the scene featuring Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj playing ‘lezim’, we will delete it. It was not our intention to hurt anyone’s sentiments.”
The dance scene sparked outrage with social media backlash and criticism from politicians alleging disrespect to the historical figure.
Utekar said, “We are removing the scene because it is not a significant part of the film. If people feel that the portrayal is inaccurate, we are willing to make this change. Our goal has always been to honour and showcase the greatness of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj to the world.”
“This film is a result of four years of research by our team. The aim is to educate the world about the contributions of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj as a great warrior and king. If any part of the film tarnishes this vision, we have no hesitation in addressing it,” Utekar said.
Maharashtra minister and Shiv Sena Uday Samant, who had demanded the removal of objectionable scenes, welcomed the film director’s decision and said he hoped this would bring the matter to a close.
In a post on X, he said producers and directors of the film should take immediate action in this regard and remove anything objectionable.
“It is a matter of joy that a Hindi film is being made based on the life of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, the protector of religion and freedom. Such efforts are necessary to make the world understand the history of Chhatrapati. However, many have expressed their opinions that there are some objectionable scenes in this film,” Samant said in the post.
“Our position is that this film should not be released without first showing it to experts and knowledgeable people,” he said.
The minister warned that things that harm the honour of Chhatrapati Sambhaji will not be tolerated.
“Our position is that the producers and directors of the film should take immediate action in this regard and remove anything objectionable. Further decisions will be taken after watching the film. Otherwise, it will not be allowed to be released!” he added.
Earlier on Friday (24), former Rajya Sabha MP and a descendant of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Sambhajiraje Chhatrapati had said the film must be shown to historians before its release to ensure accuracy.
The film is set to release in theatres on February 14.
