Maratha king has a new adversary

Vicky Kaushal

When telling the life story of a warrior king, his adversaries are as crucial to the narrative as the protagonist. So, as Vicky Kaushal steps into the shoes of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj for Chhaava, Akshaye Khanna portrays the role of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb. Now, the latest addition to the cast is Neil Bhoopalam. The actor, who was recently seen in the second season of Made in Heaven and Masaba Masaba, has been roped in to play a Mughal warrior in Laxman Utekar's directorial venture.

Sources tell us that the actor commenced shooting for the period drama earlier this month. Over the next few days, he will apparently shoot a crucial action sequence in Mumbai. A source reveals, "The biopic delves into the life of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, who ascended to the throne in 1681 after the demise of his father, Shivaji Maharaj. Through the film, the director wants to shed light on how Sambhaji showed exceptional talent in politics and warfare during his reign in the 17th century. As the king, he led numerous battles against the Siddis of Janjira, the Portuguese and the Mughal Empire, and strongly refused to surrender to Aurangzeb's oppressive methods. Neil portrays a Mughal warrior, who plays a key role in Aurangzeb's life. He has some important action sequences." The biopic has been adapted from a book on Sambhaji penned by Dr Jaysingrao Pawar. Utekar's historical drama also stars Anil Kapoor and Rashmika Mandanna.