Neil Bhoopalam joins Vicky Kaushal-Rashmika Mandanna's 'Chhaava'
Vicky Kaushal and Rashmika Mandanna's upcoming film Chhaava has been in the news for the past few months, given its subject matter and scale. The period action film will also mark Kaushal's second collaboration with director Laxman Utekar after the success of Zara Hatke Zara Bachke and will feature Kaushal in a "beefed up" role. Now, a recent report by Pinkvilla suggests that the project has expanded its ensemble, with actor Neil Bhoopalam joining the team.
Why does this story matter?
Ever since stepping into Bollywood, Kaushal has created a niche like no other—he is the makers' first choice to infuse life into historical and patriotic characters. Some examples that fit in this category are Uri: The Surgical Strike, Sam Bahadur, and Sardar Udham. Chhaava will now expand his sparkling resume, while Bhoopalam's addition will further embellish this ensemble that reportedly also stars Akshaye Khanna and Ashutosh Rana. It will be Mandanna's fourth Hindi film after Goodbye, Mission Majnu, and Animal.
Here's the role Bhoopalam will play in the film
Chhaava will capture the story of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, the son of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, and Bhoopalam has been roped in to portray the character of a Mughal prince. Chhaava will also focus on the role of the Mughal warrior Aurangzeb. This will be the first time Bhoopalam will be seen in a historical drama, considering his usual brand of cinema usually involves narratives set in the contemporary era.
This is what Utekar revealed about film earlier
Utekar earlier told ETimes, "The [historical] drama will focus on the contributions of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj to the Maratha Empire and to Maharashtra at large." "The scripting is done and we have narrated the same to [Kaushal]. He loved it." He also added that the film's tentative schedule will stretch to about five to six months. This will be the maiden historical directorial of Utekar, who has earlier helmed films like Mimi and Luka Chuppi, among others.
Here's what Bhoopalam is famous for
Audiences would best remember Bhoopalam for his work in films such as No One Killed Jessica, NH10, Lust Stories, Shakuntala Devi, and Ungli. His last film was Netflix's queer love story Cobalt Blue (2022). Also a theater and television artist, he has an impressive repertorie on TV and OTT, as reflected through projects such as Masaba Masaba, Four More Shots Please!, Made in Heaven, and 24.
