Vicky Kaushal on physical transformation for Chhaava: Went from 80 to 105 kilos

Vicky Kaushal shared how he gained 25 kg for his role as Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj in Chhaava. The actor spoke about doing an action-packed film after Uri: The Surgical Strike.

In Short

• Vicky Kaushal gained 25 kg for his role in Chhaava
• The actor confessed training hard for his character, Sambhaji Maharaj
• Chhaava will release in theatres on February 14

After his role in the action film Uri: The Surgical Strike, Vicky Kaushal is elated to be a part of Chhaava. The period drama features Vicky playing the role of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj. During his recent media interaction at Chhaava trailer launch, the actor shared his preparation behind playing the iconic character.

Vicky Kaushal confessed that he wanted to do an action film for a very long time. He shared how he had gained 25 kgs for his role in the upcoming drama. While talking about the same, he said, “The last action film I did was Uri: The Surgical Strike. Since then, I have been yearning for an opportunity to do action again. I didn’t know they’d put me on a horse and have me wield a sword. But everything was new. I didn’t know horse riding, so I trained for it, along with sword fighting and spear combat—everything involved proper training for 6-7 months. Then there was the weight gain—I went from 80 kilos to 105 kilos.”

Adding, he said how he trained hard for his role. “Other than this, I had to do a lot of action training, practicing action sequences for months. Action choreographer Parvez Sir and his team supported us immensely. The entire action sequence you saw in the teaser was shot under the scorching sun with a crowd of 2,000 people, including around 500 stuntmen. It was during the month of Ramadan, and many stuntmen were fasting, performing stunts without eating or drinking, all to showcase the glory of Shambhaji Maharaj.”

Chhaava is set to release in theatres on February 14.

The film narrates the valour of Sambhaji Maharaj, son of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, and shows him carrying the strength of four great natural elements that make the world - earth, fire, water and air.

The period drama also features Ashutosh Rana, Divya Dutta, Neil Bhoopalam, Santosh Juvekar, and Pradeep Rawat in key roles. AR Rahman has composed the music for the film. Chhava is bankrolled by Maddock Films.

(With inputs from Anita Britto)