World news | "Understanding Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj is a journey called ‘Khalid Ka Shivaji’; Views of the Producer, Writer, Director, Actor, and Dialogue Writer" - English Rayat Samachar
Reading:World news | “Understanding Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj is a journey called ‘Khalid Ka Shivaji’; Views of the Producer, Writer, Director, Actor, and Dialogue Writer”
World news | “Understanding Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj is a journey called ‘Khalid Ka Shivaji’; Views of the Producer, Writer, Director, Actor, and Dialogue Writer”
We wish to speak with you, to share something important, hence this letter. Some among you may agree with us, some may not. There may be objections to our statements, but we swear upon Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, you will never be able to question our intentions.
On the 8th of August 2025, our film “Khalid Ka Shivaji” will be released. The trailer of this film was recently launched, and it has sparked a range of opinions. In light of this, we feel it is important to present our perspective to you, our beloved audience. There are four main objections being raised against our artistic work, and here are our responses:
1) “35% of Shivaji Maharaj’s army were Muslims, and 11 of his bodyguards were from the Muslim community.”
We must sincerely admit that the numbers presented in the film are not derived from historical documents. In fact, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj gave opportunities based on merit and talent, not on caste or religion. Thus, he never maintained caste- or religion-based records of his army. It is therefore impossible to provide exact figures for how many from which community served in his forces.
The numbers stated in the film may be higher or lower than the actual ones. However, to claim that there were no Muslims at all in Shivaji’s army is historically inaccurate. Several Muslim individuals, such as Siddi Hilal, Madari Mehtar, and Daulat Khan, were part of his navy or military. This reflects the socio-political conditions of the medieval era. Just as there were Muslims in Shivaji’s army, many non-Muslims also served in Mughal forces. The figures may be imprecise, but the information is not historically unfounded—evidence does exist.
2) “Shivaji built a mosque on Raigad Fort.”
Certain things need to be clarified here. First, we must ask: Was there actually a mosque on Raigad? This requires a contextual, time-sensitive understanding.
In the 1964 Kolaba Gazetteer published by the Government of India, the last paragraph on page 928 mentions a mosque on Raigad. It even includes specific measurements of the structure. Similarly, in the 1962 research-based book “Raigadachi Jeevankatha” by Shantaram Vishnu Awlaskar (published by the Maharashtra State Literature and Culture Board), a map of Raigad on page 22 marks a “Pir” structure opposite the ammunition storage, indicating a mosque.
Furthermore, in the book “Medieval India: The Epoch-Making Shivraj and the Saga of Maratha Bravery” by historian Prof. M. M. Deshmukh (Head, History Department, Nagpur University), page 51 explicitly states: “Shivaji built a mosque on Raigad for Muslims.” Though the book was initially banned by the Maharashtra government, the High Court lifted the ban after explanations and evidence were presented.
Also, if one visits Raigad, it becomes clear that even the architecture of the Raigad temple (Raigad’s Rayreshwar Temple) was constructed in a blend of Hindu-Muslim styles. This shows that Maharaj did not harbor hatred for places of worship of other religions. In fact, a contemporary historian named Khafi Khan records that during wartime, if Shivaji came across Islamic religious texts, he would respectfully hand them over to Muslim soldiers.
One important point for our dear audience to understand is that we are artists, not historians. We trust the research done by historians and use it as the basis for our dialogues.
3) “The film distorts history.”
This film is not a historical movie, nor is it based on the life of the great historical figure, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. It is entirely the story of a Muslim boy named Khalid and his journey of understanding Shivaji Maharaj. A film that is not historical cannot distort history.
The team behind this film believes that Shivaji Maharaj valued humanity above all else, stood against caste and untouchability, and gave generations a message of public welfare. Through this film, we have tried to present these qualities of Maharaj in a fictional storyline.
Had we shown Maharaj as belonging to only one region or community, that would have been distortion, for it would diminish his immense legacy. But in our view, Shivaji Maharaj is not just an individual—he is an idea, an inspiration to people around the world. He is not bound by geography or society. Hence, our film attempts to depict his universal relevance, not distort history.
4) “How can Shivaji be Khalid’s?”
The dialogue in the film says: “Shivaji Maharaj belongs to whoever understands him.” This statement reflects the sentiment that Shivaji Maharaj is not just a hero of one state, country, or continent—but a role model for the world. Every person on this planet has the right to understand and admire Shivaji Maharaj.
Therefore, Shivaji Maharaj belongs to Hindus, Muslims, Christians, Buddhists, whites, blacks, tall, short, men, and women alike. The film presents the story of how a Muslim youth relates to Shivaji Maharaj. The idea is: For anyone who believes humanity is the highest virtue, Shivaji Maharaj will be their own.
You, dear audience, are like our guiding parents. Through this film, we have tried to offer not just entertainment but also a message. We have no big studio or major institution backing us. Still, with faith in the ideologies of Bharat Ratna Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar and Kulwadibhushan Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, we are bringing this film to you.
Expressing your opinions about a film is your right, and we respect that. But we humbly request—please don’t form strong criticisms after watching just a 3-minute trailer of a 120-minute film. We are confident that you will like it after watching. And if you don’t like it after watching, then please do criticize. While you may have objections to our technique or storytelling, we firmly believe you will not question our intentions.
Keeping the sentiments of all our beloved audience in mind, and to ensure that the film is entertaining and does not hurt anyone, we have already initiated the process of removing any controversial dialogues from the film.
