Divya Delhi:  In 1674, Maratha monarch Chhatrapati Shivaji founded the Hindawi Swarajya, which Sambhaji succeeded. After his father's death in 1680, he became king at 24. The 1979 Shivaji Sawant book. Sawant's iconic work Mrityunjay was based on Mahabharata character Karna. The literature and movie call Sambhaji ‘Chhaava’—lion’s cub. The lavishly staged film begins with the newly crowned Sambhaji's 1680 invasion on Burhanpur, the Mughal Empire's crown jewel, its sacking, and its unashamed message of defiance and conquering to Aurangzeb.That year, Mughal emperor Aurangzeb marched to the Deccan to quell the Maratha insurrection and capture Golconda and Bijapur, emboldened by Shivaji's death and enraged by Sambhaji's audacity. He lived at Aurangabad (now Sambhaji Nagar), his new headquarters, for 27 years. From the beginning, the viewer meets Sambhaji's wife, Yesubai, played by Rashmika Mandanna with spirited charm; Aurangzeb, played to perfection by Akshaye Khanna; Ashutosh Rana as the Maratha general Hambirao Mohite; Diana Penty as his cold-blooded daughter; and  Dutta as Soyarabai, Sambhaji's scheming mother-in-law. Action scenes are the film's highlight. The many well-choreographed scenes keep viewers interested. The story jumps between Sambhaji, Soyarabai, and Aurangzeb without pause. Some scenes in the second half, especially those showing Marathas guerrilla tactics, may have been cut. A.R. Rahman's monotonous high-pitched melody disappoints. No song or tune is unforgettable. The dialogues needed more zest too. One wished Ashutosh Rana had said more. Ganoji and Kanhoji Shirke betrayed Sambhaji after his commander Hambirao Mohite died in 1687. He was taken at Sangameshwar in February 1689 following a midnight-to-early-morning struggle. He was blinded with hot irons, had his nails taken out, had limbs cut off, and was beheaded while a prisoner. Some say Aurangzeb ordered Sambhaji's corpse to be filled with hay and paraded as a trophy for the beneficent emperor and a warning to upstarts. From the beginning, the viewer meets Sambhaji's wife, Yesubai, played by Rashmika Mandanna with spirited charm; Aurangzeb, played to perfection by Akshaye Khanna; Ashutosh Rana as the Maratha general Hambirao Mohite; Diana Penty as his cold-blooded daughter; and Divya Dutta as Soyarabai, Sambhaji's scheming mother-in-law. Action scenes are the film's highlight. The many well-choreographed scenes keep viewers interested. The story jumps between Sambhaji, Soyarabai, and Aurangzeb without pause. Some scenes in the second half, especially those showing Marathas guerrilla tactics, may have been cut. A.R. Rahman's monotonous high-pitched melody disappoints. No song or tune is unforgettable. The dialogues needed more zest too. One wished Ashutosh Rana had said more. Ganoji and Kanhoji Shirke betrayed Sambhaji after his commander Hambirao Mohite died in 1687. He was taken at Sangameshwar in February 1689 following a midnight-to-early-morning struggle. He was blinded with hot irons, had his nails taken out, had limbs cut off, and was beheaded while a prisoner. Some say Aurangzeb ordered Sambhaji's corpse to be filled with hay and paraded as a trophy for the beneficent emperor and a warning to upstarts.But Aurangzeb failed to defeat the Marathas. He died frustrated in Ahilyanagar (previously Ahmednagar) in 1707 at 88 after failing to subdue the Marathas. Mughal empire began final decline after emperor's death. Within a few decades, Mughal monarchs became regional satraps with writ only to Mehrauli. The British gained unchallenged suzerainty over India after three major wars against the Marathas starting in 1775. This movie's ending is neither surprising nor shocking. Fantasy and fiction cannot ignore historical fact. Betrayal, capture, torture, and death await Sambhaji. His brother-in-law Ganoji Shirke betrayed him. As in the past, insiders brought down Indian monarchs, a trend that continues today. Lion cub Chhaava is Vicky Kaushal. You see only Sambhaji the warrior, not Vicky Kaushal the actor, as he plays it. Akshaye Khanna's portrayal of Aurangzeb may be his best. Ashutosh Rana excels as Maratha general Hambirao Mohite, while Vineet Kumar Singh as Kavi Kalash, Sambhaji's comrade and bard, is a pleasant surprise. Both are captured and executed.Chhaava might have been trimmed by 20 minutes and needed a stronger, possibly alternative composer. Critics shouldn't lump Chhaava under bleak historical realism and blame it for failure. It should be judged by its goals, not yours. Chhaava triumphs by being faithful to its genre, painting a big picture, and using bravery as its main color.