Chinmay Mandlekar To Not Portray Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj On Shivraj Ashtak: Reports

Famed Marathi actor Chinmay Mandlekar has gained new heights ever since he started playing Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in the highly acclaimed Shivraj Ashtak film series. The 8-part film series documents different episodes of the great Maratha warrior’s lives through 8 different films. Till now, 6 films have been made and Chinmay Mandlekar has played Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in all of them.

However, there is sad news for the actor’s fans. Chinmay may not return to the character in the remaining two films of the franchise and the actor has labelled incessant trolling as the reason for his not returning to the role.

The actor has been trolled for some time for naming his son Jehangir. Jehangir was the fourth Mughal emperor and a son of Akbar and incidentally, Shivaji Maharaj spent most of his life in conflict with the Mughal Sultanate. Because of this, it has not gone down well with some people that an actor who immortalises Shivaji Maharaj on screen would name their son after a Mughal emperor.

Chinmay Mandlekar has now reacted to the trolling and said that the trolling has affected the entire family emotionally and mentally. In a video released on Instagram he said, “Repeatedly, I’ve found myself having to explain my choice to name my son Jehangir. Our family has faced relentless criticism and negativity due to his name, causing us significant distress. The comments we’ve endured have often been offensive, inappropriate, and filled with hate. While I’ve been fortunate to receive admiration and accolades for portraying Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, both in Maharashtra and beyond, I now feel compelled to respectfully announce that I will no longer accept roles portraying him.”

Chinmay’s video is gaining significant traction on social media, quickly becoming viral. His fans are rallying behind him, urging him not to make such a decision. Various actors have also shown solidarity with Chinmay. Actress Mrunmayi Deshpande shared the video and expressed her exasperation with the situation, asking, “How much more?” Meanwhile, Gautami Deshpande questioned the treatment of artists, stating, “Should an artist face such treatment? If people are going to make them an easy target, they don’t deserve anything good… it’s extremely disheartening… we stand by you, Chinmay Dada.”