Society more enraged by fictional torture than Maha Kumbh stampede: Swara slams

New Delhi: Coming down over emotionally charged reactions by the audience to the movie ‘Chhaava’ that went viral, actor Swara Bhasker slammed a "brain and soul-dead society" for being more enraged by a fictional torture scene of Hindus over the deaths in two recent stampedes.

In a post on X on Wednesday, Bhasker referenced "Chhaava", the Vicky Kaushal-starrer historical drama on the life of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, and the stampede at the Maha Kumbh and the New Delhi Railway station but did not make any specific mentions.

"A society that is more enraged at the heavily embellished partly fictionalised filmy torture of Hindus from 500 years ago than they are at the horrendous death by stampede & mismanagement + then alleged JCB bulldozer handling of corpses - is a brain & soul-dead society. #IYKYK," she wrote.

Multiple videos circulated on social media with members of the audience, while others expressed outrage over the depiction of Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb's brutal treatment of Sambhaji Maharaj and his execution. A particular video features a young fan shouting slogans at a movie theatre which screened the Vicky Kaushal starrer, overwhelmed with emotion.

At least 30 people died and 60 were injured in a stampede in Uttar Pradesh's Prayagraj on January 29, while 18 people lost their lives in a stampede at an overcrowded New Delhi Railway station on February 15.

"Chhaava", directed by Laxmikant Utekar and also starring Rashmika Mandanna, Akshaye Khanna, Ashutosh Rana, Divya Dutta, and Vineet Kumar Singh in pivotal roles, has emerged as a hit by crossing Rs 200 crore at the box office.