Mahesh Manjrekar Says Vicky Kaushal Was Not The Reason For Chhava`s Success
Updated on: 29 April, 2025 04:07 PM IST |Shweta Shah
Mahesh Manjrekar on Chhava collecting 800 crore
Mahesh Manjrekar, one of the leading actor-filmmakers who has given us some amazing stories across the Hindi and Marathi industries, changed the narrative on many things, including his strong opinions on today`s cinema.
With Bollywood going through a major slump after back-to-back flops, it was Vicky Kaushal`s Chhava that brought the industry back to life. While many actors and filmmakers praised him for his incredible performance, Mahesh Manjrekar thinks people did not see the movie for Vicky.
Instead, he credited Maharashtra`s audience for Chhava`s massive success, and not Vicky. For the uninitiated, Chhava was based on the brave and glorious life of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj.
Mahesh Manjrekar on Vicky Kaushal`s contribution in Chhava
One of the mega-blockbusters of 2025, Chhava went on to collect 600 crore in India, thus becoming the second film to do so. In a recent interaction with Mirchi Marathi, the Wanted actor opened up about his thoughts on the movie`s success and Kaushal`s contribution.
He said, “Vicky Kaushal is a very fine actor. His film Chhaava collected Rs 800 crore. But Vicky Kaushal can never say that people came to see 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.”
Also Read: 5 Actors Who Portrayed Shivaji Maharaj on Screen
“So my Maharashtra has saved the Hindi film industry; remember this. Today, Chhaava is doing well, and 80 per cent of its credit goes to Maharashtra. In fact, 90 per cent of the credit goes to Pune, and the rest goes to other parts of Maharashtra. Maharashtra can save the industry,” Mahesh further added.
Mahesh Manjrekar has been busy promoting his recent Marathi release, Devmanus, which saw a theatrical release on April 25. The film also stars Renuka Shahane and Subodh Bhave in prominent roles.
More about Chhava
The Vicky Kaushal-Rashmika Mandanna starrer went on to become the second-ever Bollywood film to collect over 600 crore in India. After Pushpa 2 and Stree 2, Chhava has become one of the highest-grossers of the year.
The movie takes you through the courageous life of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, his contribution to the Maratha Empire, and his sacrifice to save the same from Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb.
While Chhava was a monstrous success, Vicky`s last two films – Bad Newz and Sam Bahadur – were commercial disappointments.
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