New Delhi: Vicky Kaushal’s historical drama Chhaava is roaring at the box office.
After its second weekend, Chhaava, directed by Laxman Utekar, has entered the Rs 300 crore club.
On day 12, the film minted more than Rs 4.59 crore, as per the latest updates. Now, the total collection stands at Rs 349.84 crore.
Film critic Taran Adarsh, in a post on X, noted how Chhaava has become the second film, after Allu Arjun’s Pushpa: The Rule, to collect Rs 100 crore in the second weekend.
'CHHAAVA' STORMS AHEAD – BLOCKBUSTER RUN CONTINUES… #Chhaava continues its rampage at the #Boxoffice… Weekend 2 remains phenomenal, crosses the ₹ 100 cr mark from Friday-Sunday.#Pushpa2 #Hindi was the ONLY film to collect ₹ 100 cr in its *second weekend*… Now, #Chhaava… pic.twitter.com/e5SGfgmaSc
— taran adarsh (@taran_adarsh) February 24, 2025
Critics attribute the success of the film to Vicky Kaushal’s compelling portrayal of Sambhaji, the son of the legendary Maratha Chhatrapati Shivaji.
“Vicky Kaushal delivers a remarkable portrayal… his intense physical preparation is evident on screen, adding authenticity to his performance,” said Marathi cinema critic Kalpeshraj Kubal.
For film critic Amit Bhatia, the actor was supremely convincing in the role of Sambhaji. Maharashtrians have grown up reading stories of the warrior king. Kaushal, with his portrayal, has managed to stand up to the audience’s expectations.
“Word of mouth and Instagram Reels are compelling people to watch,” he explained.
A stellar ensemble of Marathi actors is a delightful treat for audiences too, adding an authentic touch to the film, Kubal noted.
Film critic Rohit Jaswal has a different take on Chhaava’s success.
“It’s the last 30 minutes,” Jaswal said. “The climax is fantastic. The pain, the cruelty by Aurangzeb helps the audience connect emotionally with the film. That’s why Chhaava has become a massive hit all over India.”
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Support from Maharashtra
Chhaava recorded an overall occupancy of 54.63 per cent on Sunday.
Pune extended the biggest support, with an impressive 84.75 per cent theatre occupancy, followed by Chennai with 83.25 per cent, Mumbai with 75.25 per cent, Bengaluru with 56.50 per cent, and Hyderabad with 53 per cent.
These cities were the top contributors to Chhaava’s strong second Sunday performance.
Kubal isn’t surprised at Maharashtra’s tremendous support for a film telling Sambhaji’s story.
“His [Sambhaji’s] sacrifice for swarajya [self-rule] was immeasurable. He has love and pride for Maharashtra. Till now, we learned about him through books, TV shows, and some Marathi films. But now, we are watching that story on the big screen,” he explained.
While Bhatia applauds Rashmika Mandanna and Akshaye Khanna’s performance, Kubal wasn’t quite impressed with the actress.
According to him, Mandanna fails to leave a lasting impression as Maharani Yesubai.
“Scenes like the grand rajyabhishek [coronation] or the conversations between Yesubai and Sambhaji Maharaj lack the depth and gravitas they deserve,” Kubal said.
The critic further noted that the dialogue writing isn’t up to the mark in several scenes.
He said that the lead character, along with his fellow warriors, could have been given more impactful lines. According to Kubal, crucial moments in the film suffer from a lack of strong dialogue, weakening the overall impact.
“But Vicky Kaushal’s portrayal, the emotional path of history, and high production cost make up for the shortcomings,” Kubal said.
(Edited by Prasanna Bachchhav)