Vicky Kaushal is a ‘biopic man.’ What draws him to the genre? “It is a love story,” he says simply.
After critically applaud- ed performances in Shaheed Udham and Sam Bahadur, Vicky is now all set to reprise the life and times of Maratha warrior Sambhaji Maharaj in Chhaava.
“I tend to get drawn toward real heroes. As an artiste, I feel happy narrat- ing the stories of charac- ters from the pages of our history, who are unsung or not as celebrated as they should be,” he adds.
One of the most anticipated films of 2025, Chhaava is an adaptation of Shivaji Sawant’s Marathi novel of the same name. “Having grown up in Mumbai, we are all aware of the legacy of Chatrapathi Shivaji Maharaj, but not everyone is aware of the valour and sacrifice of his son Sambhaji Maharaj. He not only carried forward his father’s legacy but was one of the pivots in the downfall of the Mughal Empire. In the West, they need to imagine super- heroes, but our country is a treasure trove of real-life superheroes,” the actor asserts.
Calling it his most chal- lenging role to date, Vicky not only gained 25 kgs to play the part but also went through intense training sessions to master sword fighting and horse riding.
“I have done biopics before, and it is a lot of responsibility to play these characters with con- viction. However, with Chhaava there was also a lot of sentiment attached, which does not allow one to take it lightly. The phys- icality apart, I had to por- tray the essence of this very intense man who had many layers to his person- ality,” says Vicky.
GRATITUDE TO WIFE, KATRINA
Vicky is also grateful to his wife Katrina for her support through one the most physically gruelling and mentally challenging roles. “Katrina being from the same industry, is aware that when one is part of an intense project like this, one needs some space. She was very kind, sweet and patient with me. I usually never carry my characters home. I usually calm myself once I leave the set, but one tends to think about what one could have done different- ly, and what one should do, it is part of our life.”
‘CAN’T TAKE SUCCESS TO HEAD’
After a decade in the industry since his debut in Neeraj Ghyawan’s Maasan in 2015, Vicky Kaushal doesn’t take success light- ly. “There are way more talented and hardworking people than me, but I’m truly thankful for the jour- ney I have had. One can earn the tags of ‘star’ and ‘superstar,’ but you can never own them. You can- not take success to your heart or into your head. You have to keep evolv- ing”, he comments.
