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 scor...
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Where to watch
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Credits and facts
Movie details
- Release date
- 14 February 2025
- Runtime
- 161 minutes
- Country
- India
- Languages
- Hindi
- Genres
- Drama, Action
- Director
- Laxman Utekar
- Writers
- Rishi Virmani, Kaustubh Savarkar, Unman Bankar, Omkar Mahajan, Laxman Utekar
- Cast
- Vicky Kaushal, Rashmika Mandanna, Akshaye Khanna, Ashutosh Rana, Divya Dutta, Vineet Kumar Singh, Diana Penty, Neil Bhoopalam
- Producers
- Dinesh Vijan
- Production company
- Maddock Films
Spoiler-free synopsis
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.
For families
Research guidance
A transparent recommendation derived from an official classification record.
Positive messages
Constructive themes or examples.Potential constructive discussion around Chhaava can focus on character choices, responsibility, empathy, perseverance and the consequences of decisions. Where the Drama, Action material creates conflict, parents can use it to discuss safer alternatives, respectful communication and how people respond to pressure. These themes are editorial discussion prompts, not claims that every one appears explicitly on screen.
Negative behaviours
Conduct that may need context.Parents should be alert to behaviour commonly associated with Drama, Action, including conflict, deception, fear, risky choices or emotionally intense exchanges where applicable. Because detailed scene-level evidence is not equally available for every title in this catalogue, this section avoids claiming specific acts that were not verified. Use the certified age marker when available and preview the film for especially sensitive children.
Topics to discuss
Conversation starters after viewing.Useful family discussion questions include: What motivates the central characters? Which decisions create avoidable problems? How could conflicts be handled more responsibly? Do the film's relationships model respect and consent? How does the story portray courage, loyalty, justice or forgiveness? For older children, compare entertainment choices with real-world consequences and distinguish dramatic exaggeration from healthy behaviour.
Final recommendation
Our family-viewing take
Suggested minimum age: 16+. The overall family verdict is no. Children below that age may need stronger parental guidance, especially if Drama, Action includes tension, violence, fear, crime, romance or mature emotional themes. Teen suitability improves with context and discussion. Shared family viewing is recommended when parents want to address the strongest concerns rather than relying on genre labels alone.
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