EXCLUSIVE: Chhaava director Laxman Utekar on the accuracy in the film’s sets, “Each and every pillar, carving, window are exactly like Raigad Darbar” : Bollywood News

Director Laxman Utekar recently opened up about the extensive research and preparation behind his upcoming historical epic Chhaava in an exclusive interview with Bollywood Hungama. Speaking about the origins of the project, Utekar shared, "Ye film Shivaji Sawant ki book 'Chhaava' par based hai, toh humne wo book padhna shuru kiya. 2-3 baar padhke implement kiya." This deep dive into the literature helped shape the narrative and ensure historical authenticity in the film.

EXCLUSIVE: Chhaava director Laxman Utekar on the accuracy in the film’s sets, “Each and every pillar, carving, window are exactly like Raigad Darbar”

Bringing history to life
To bring the story to life, the team embarked on an extensive location-scouting process. Utekar revealed, "We visited places like Mahabaleshwar, Panchgani, Raigad Fort—jahan jahan Sambhaji Maharaj gaye the, hum wahan gae." Utekar explained, "Raigad me kuch hai nahin abhi, toh hamare jo set designer the saath, unhone zameen par jo markings the wo measure kiya and then the set was built in Film City." This meticulous attention to detail ensured that the set maintained historical accuracy.

Rebuilds Raigarh darbar
One of the most impressive feats of production was recreating the Darbar of Raigad. Utekar emphasized, "Jo darbar Film City me banaya tha uski size exact same thi as Raigad Fort. Each and every pillar, beam, carving, window was exactly like Raigad Darbar."

Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s legendary 1200kg golden throne
Utekar also spoke about the legendary throne of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. "1200 kg ke gold ka singhasan tha, toh socho Maharaj ki wealth kitni hogi. Wealth dikhane humne same area banaya, usko Ashtamukhi Singhasan bolte hai."

Also Read: EXCLUSIVE: Vicky Kaushal about intense preparation for Chhaava, “The director was very clear that you have to learn to ride a horse”