A teaser of Akshay Kumar as Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in Mahesh Manjrekar’s next ‘Vedat Marathe Veer Daudle Saat‘ dropped on Tuesday. The team started to shoot the portions with Akshay Kumar, but the netizens are not impressed with this development.
Veteran actor Akshay Kumar, known for his versatility, does not have a good track record in historicals. His last venture in the same genre grossly underperformed at the box office.
Akshay Kumar as Chhatrapati Shivaji
Akshay Kumar is known for his discipline and for finishing a movie in a span of a few weeks. However, a major criticism that he receives is for the lack of effort put in by the actor to get under the ‘skin of the character’.
Reactions on Social Media
Disgruntled fans took to social media to share their disappointment with the decision of casting Akshay Kumar in the role of the Maratha Warrior.
Shivaji Maharaj ruled from 1674 to 1680.
Thomas Edison invented light bulb in 1880.
This is Akshay Kumar playing Shivaji. pic.twitter.com/C2O93cTsz3
— Nimo Tai 🇮🇳 (@Cryptic_Miind) December 6, 2022
Our Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj lived between 1630 to 1680.
The electric light Bulb came in about 1880 two hundred years later !
This is not even creative liberty- it's just lazy film making & terrible that there is such disregard for facts in a film as important as this one. https://t.co/avOyDzpWkL— Tehseen Poonawalla Official 🇮🇳 (@tehseenp) December 6, 2022
Samrat Prithviraj mein jo thodi si kami reh gayi thi usse ab Akshay Kumar Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj ka role play karke poori karenge 😵💫
— Sushant Mehta (@SushantNMehta) December 6, 2022
With the way things have gone with Akshay Kumar recently, I would have rather wanted the makers even consider Sharad Kelkar as Shivaji, it would have been a good choice, it's a Marathi movie afterall so no one better than him. He impressed as Shivaji in Tanhaji movie https://t.co/LptNnkXICb
— Udit (@udit_buch) December 6, 2022
Not everyone can fit the shoes of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj's Role 🫡
Sharad Kelkar looks Awesome. Also his Dialogue Delivery reflects the aura of Maharaj's Role 🔥 https://t.co/RpGvRXPAHf pic.twitter.com/qT50xOkkpf
— Nationalist Mumbaikar 🇮🇳™ | (@Ayush_Shah_25) December 6, 2022
Amidst all the brouhaha, several actors have come out to show their love and support for Akshay Kumar.
Dear @akshaykumar, looking forward to seeing you essay the role of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in the Marathi film – वेडात मराठे वीर दौड़ले सात
He is my favourite Maratha hero and I’m happy yet another film is being made saluting this great warrior. pic.twitter.com/DS1g4pzkxJ
— Ajay Devgn (@ajaydevgn) December 6, 2022
Best Wishes Akki @akshaykumar , Knowing you and your sincerity you will do full justice and shine in the role of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Ji ! #ChatrapatiShivajiMaharaj https://t.co/1318o6jKZB
— Gulshan Grover (@GulshanGroverGG) December 6, 2022
Actors who played Ch. Shivaji
From Naseeruddin Shah in ‘Bharat – Ek Khoj’ to Akshay Kumar, several actors have played the iconic character on the silver screen. Here are a few of the most iconic portrayals of Ch. Shivaji.
Naseeruddin Shah as Ch. Shivaji
Amol Kolhe reintroduced Ch. Shivaji to the current generation with his TV series on Star Pravah, named ‘Raja Shivchattrapati’. It was regarded to be one of the most successful Marathi series of its time.
MP Dr. Amol Kolhe as Ch. Shivaji
In ‘Me Shivaji Raje Bhosale Boltoy’ actor-director Mahesh Manjrekar essayed the role of Raje unconventionally.
Veteran actor Mahesh Manjrekar as Ch. Shivaji
The most favourite choices of fans for the role of Ch. Shivaji are Chinmay Mandlekar and Sharar Kelkar. While the former has worked in a series of movies on Shivaji produced in the Marathi language, the latter received acclaim for his brilliant performance in Ajay Devgn’s ‘Tanhaji – The Unsung warrior’.
Chinmay Mandlekar in ‘Veer Shivaji’
Sharad Kelkar in ‘Tanhaji’
