Chhaava

In the film’s climax Sambhaji, now crowned Chhatrapati, is betrayed by his own relatives — the Shirke brothers sell his battle plans to the Mughal army. When Aurangzeb’s forces finally surround the hidden Maratha camp, Sambhaji’s loyal poet‑warrior Kavi Kalash urges him to flee, but the king refuses to abandon his people. The ensuing fight is brutal; most of Sambhaji’s warriors fall, and both he and Kalash are captured alive.

Taken before Aurangzeb, the emperor orders relentless torture, seeking a plea for death. Sambhaji mocks his captor, refusing even the slightest concession. He endures the pulling of his nails, blinding, and finally the cutting out of his tongue, yet his only words are prayers to his clan goddess, Jagadamba. Even in agony, he demands a poetic duel with Kalash, showing that his spirit remains unbroken.

Aurangzeb then proposes that Sambhaji renounce his faith and join the Mughal fold. The king’s answer is a contemptuous insult, prompting the emperor to have Sambhaji’s tongue torn out. In his final breath, Sambhaji envisions his mother Saibai descending from the heavens to guide him onward. The film cuts to the news that his younger brother Rajaram has been crowned, while Aurangzeb, enraged and humbled by Sambhaji’s defiance, murders the messenger who brings the word.

The movie ends on Sambhaji’s dying moment, his eyes fixed on the vision of his mother and the promise of Swarajya—the spirit of freedom he embodied. His martyrdom becomes the rallying cry for the Marathas; the narrative suggests that while the Mughal Empire eventually collapses under the strain of its southern campaigns, Sambhaji’s sacrifice fuels the rise of his successors—Rajaram, Shahu and Tarabai—who expand the Maratha Empire far beyond his death.

Last Updated: October 13, 2025 at 19:15