Chhaava writer Rishi Virmani DEFENDS the film’s impact months after AR Rahman called it divisive: “Hard to change a mindset…”

More than a month after composer A. R. Rahman called Chhaava "divisive," writer Rishi Virmani has replied to the criticism. He said that the epic historical drama has actually created a strong connection with its audience.

In a Zoom interview, Virmani said it's not easy to believe that a film can change people's social or political views in just a few hours.

 "It's hard to believe that an entire mindset can be changed in just a couple of hours of screen time," he said. He also mentioned that he hasn't seen such a strong audience connection with a film in a long time.

Chhaava, directed by Laxman Utekar, is based on the life of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, the second ruler of the Maratha Empire.

 The film is adapted from the Marathi novel with the same name by Shivaji Sawant. The screenplay and story were written by Utekar and Virmani along with Kaustubh Savarkar, Unman Bankar, and Omkar Mahajan. Virmani also wrote the dialogues for the film.

When talking about the bigger discussion, Virmani said that audiences are able to make their own decisions, which sometimes go against what the industry expects.

 He also pointed out that box office numbers and public responses often don't match what filmmakers or critics predict.

He also said that Sambhaji's story needed to be shown on screen a long time ago.

 "I hope and pray that Chhaava and Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj make it to everyone's hearts, both nationally and internationally," he added.

Rahman, who made the music for the film, previously told BBC Asian Network that while the film was fun and focused on bravery, it also "exploited divisiveness."

 He questioned if audiences are easily affected by movies, saying that viewers have an "internal conscience" that helps them tell the difference between truth and manipulation.