Amid controversy, 'Chhaava' director Laxman Utekar reveals why AR Rahman was brought on board

Director Laxman Utekar has offered insight into why he selected legendary composer A R Rahman to score the music for his historical epic Chhaava, a film that has sparked both acclaim and debate.

Utekar’s comments help contextualise Rahman’s involvement, especially after the composer’s recent remarks about the film _Chhaava_ being “divisive” and his b roader reflections on the Hindi film industry, which generated controversy and public discussion.

Rahman asked about the film’s purpose

Utekar said that when he first approached Rahman to compose the music, the composer probed deeply into the motivation behind the project. In Utekar’s telling, Rahman’s initial question was, “Why do you want to make this film?”

Talking to a web portal Mamaraazzi, Utekar shared, “We had a great time working on Mimi , my writer and I flew down to Chennai to narrate the script of Chhaava to him and hearing it, the first thing he asked me was, ’ Why do you want to make this film?’ But we made the film, and then we asked him to see the film, he saw the film, and he called me and told me it’s magical, and he started the work on music.”

Why Rahman was the right fit

Utekar went on to explain that his aim with Chhaava was to tell the story of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj with a broader reach beyond regional boundaries. He said he chose to make the film in Hindi rather than Marathi because he wanted its themes and narrative to be accessible to a wider audience, both nationally and internationally.

For this global sensibility, Utekar felt Rahman was the best choice. With a body of work that spans Indian cinema and international projects, Rahman’s musical language resonated with the director’s intent to create a score that felt both rooted and expansive.

He stated, “I did not want them to catch the flavour of Marathas, otherwise I would have made this film in Marathi. I wanted to make the film in Hindi so that the world would know about it, and I wanted a wide approach. I did not want typical Marathi dialogues or Marathi songs. Films like Gladiator and Troy have inspired me, and I wanted to make a film like that on Chhatrapti Sambhaji Maharaj and for an international approach, who better than Rahman sir.”

A soundtrack under scrutiny

Chhaava’s music has already been the subject of conversation from audiences and critics alike, partly due to Rahman’s remarks about the film’s themes. In a recent interview, Rahman described Chhaava as “a divisive film”, saying, “It is a divisive film. I think it cashed in on divisiveness, but I think the core of it is to show bravery.”