Swara Bhasker gets roasted! Netizens slam her 'Insensitive' post on Chhaava

Bollywood actor Swara Bhasker has once again found herself at the center of controversy after her recent post comparing the outrage over the depiction of Hindu torture in the film ‘Chhaava’ to the reaction following the Mahakumbh stampede. Her remarks have sparked a heated debate, with many accusing her of insulting historical facts and hurting public sentiments.

Swara’s Controversial Post
In her post on X (formerly Twitter), Swara criticized the public reaction, stating:

“A society that is more enraged at the heavily embellished partly fictionalised filmy torture of Hindus from 500 years ago than they are at the horrendous death by stampede & mismanagement + then alleged JCB bulldozer handling of corpses – is a brain & soul-dead society.”

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Her comments were made in reference to the January 29 Mahakumbh stampede, which led to the tragic deaths of at least 30 people. She questioned why there was greater outrage over a film scene than a real-life tragedy.

Strong Reactions from Historians and Legal Experts
Swara’s remarks did not sit well with many historians and legal professionals.

Swati Chaturvedi, a journalist and history student from Delhi University, responded:

“Nothing remotely fictional about the torture inflicted by Aurangzeb on Sambhaji Maharaj before he murdered him. Let’s not play games with our history. One outrage does not preclude the other.”

Supreme Court advocate Jai Anant Dehradai called Swara’s statement “deeply offensive” and demanded legal action against her: “How dare you make light of the supreme sacrifice made by Sambhaji Maharaj? Your statement, especially on the birth anniversary of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, is an attempt to insult millions of Indians and create religious strife. You should be prosecuted.”

The Film ‘Chhaava’ and Its Success
Directed by Laxman Utekar, ‘Chhaava’ stars Vicky Kaushal as Sambhaji Maharaj, Rashmika Mandanna as Maharani Yesubai, and Akshaye Khanna as Aurangzeb. The film is based on Shivaji Sawant’s novel ‘Chhava’ and portrays the brutal torture and execution of Sambhaji Maharaj by Mughal forces.

Historians widely acknowledge the extreme brutality faced by Sambhaji at the hands of Aurangzeb, making Swara’s use of the term “fictionalised filmy torture” highly contentious.