Special Correspondent
Pune: The Shirke family, descendants of historical figures Ganojiraje Shirke and Kahnojiraje Shirke, has issued a strong ultimatum to the makers of Chhaava, demanding the removal of allegedly objectionable content. They have warned of legal action in every district across the state and have also threatened widespread protests if their concerns are not addressed.
At the center of the controversy are depictions of Ganojiraje Shirke, the brother of Yesubai—wife of Sambhaji Maharaj, and his relative Kahnojiraje Shirke. The family claims that the film has distorted historical facts, misrepresenting their ancestors, and they insist on an apology from the filmmakers along with the removal of the contentious scenes.
Deepak Raje Shirke, a descendant of Ganojiraje Shirke, has strongly criticized the movie, stating, “Yesubai’s dialogues in Chhaava unjustly vilify Ganojiraje and Kahnojiraje Shirke, portraying them as traitors and tarnishing the reputation of our entire clan. These scenes must be removed immediately.”
He further argued that, historically, the Shirke and Bhosale families, including Sambhaji Maharaj, shared an amicable relationship—contrary to the way they are depicted in the film.
“Films should educate people about real history, not distort it. Unfortunately, the makers of Chhaava and the Censor Board have misused this principle. The director has deliberately altered facts, added fictional elements, misplaced music, and wrongly depicted the Shirkes as traitors through Yesubai’s dialogues. This seems like a deliberate attempt to misrepresent history,” Shirke added.
The family has demanded that the filmmakers remove all scenes portraying the Shirke family in a negative light and issue a public apology. “If they fail to comply, we will file defamation FIRs in every district where the Shirke community resides,” Shirke warned.
