Chhaava: 5 crucial reasons to watch out for Rashmika Mandanna's portrayal of Maratha queen Yesubai

Chhaava is one of the most-anticipated historical action movies of 2025. Directed by Laxman Utekar, the film stars Vicky Kaushal as Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, Rashmika Mandanna as Maharani Yesubai, and Akshaye Khanna as Aurangzeb. Apart from Vicky and Akshaye's roles, Rashmika's portrayal of Maratha queen Yesubai is equally significant. Here's why...

5 reasons why you should focus on Rashmika Mandanna's Yesubai

Rashmika Mandanna plays historical figure for first time

In an ANI interview, Rashmika discussed the challenges she faced in portraying Yesubai, a significant figure in Maratha history. The actress revealed that portraying a real historical figure was a first for her. "This is the first time I am doing a character that already existed in history," she said.

Also Read: Chhaava: Release date, cast, plot, runtime, and more about Vicky Kaushal's historical action movie

'I wasn't creating a character,' says Rashmika Mandanna

The actress also said it was an incredible opportunity for her, as she has never done a biopic before. It was something entirely new to her. "Every time I did films before, I created a character, but for the first time, I wasn't creating a character--she is Yesubai. There's nothing of Rashmika in her," she said.

Excellence guidance from Laxman Utekar

"I didn't know how the Maharani would walk or talk or act. We've read about them, but we've never seen them," she said. Talking about seeking guidance from director Laxman Utekar, she said that she kept experimenting with her portrayal to ensure that it reflected the essence of the historical figure.

"Laxman Sir took care of all of that, and luckily, I got the opportunity to work with him. I got to play a beautiful, graceful, and strong character, and today, I'm really proud of it," she added.

Deliver lines in Hindi

She also added that as Hindi is not her first language, she found it challenging to deliver her lines but also mentioned that she worked hard to overcome this challenge. 

Dealing with heavy jewelries and clothes

Speaking about her transformation, Rashmika said that she had to wear a saree from scratch every day, as she didn't have a pre-draped saree. She mentioned that it was hectic because in the middle of the day.

"If you needed to use the restroom, you had to remove everything (she laughed). The jewellery was heavy, too, but we wanted to keep it as authentic as possible, so we used real gold jewellery. It was all heavy, but at the same time, that's what brought the character to life," she said. 

Meanwhile, Laxman Utekar's historical action film, Chhaava, will be released on Valentine's Day, February 14. The cast also features Ashutosh Rana as Hambirrao Mohite, Diana Penty as Aurangzeb's daughter, Zinat-un-Nissa Begum, Divya Dutta as Soyarabai Bhosale, Vineet Kumar, Santosh Juvekar, Neil Bhoopaam, and Pradeep Rawat. Chhaava is produced by Dinesh Vijan's Maddock Films.

ALSO READ: Vicky Kaushal's Chhaava will not feature Sambhaji Maharaj's Lezim dance, confirms director Laxman Utekar