Vicky Kaushal on ‘Chhaava,’ and Completing 10 Years In The Movies | Anupama Chopra | THR Talks

In this exclusive interview with The Hollywood Reporter India, actor Vicky Kaushal opens up about his ambitious role in “Chhaava”, in which he portrays Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj. Speaking with Anupama Chopra, Vicky discusses the intense physical and emotional demands of the biopic, from mastering sword fighting to embodying the lion-like spirit of his character. He reflects on 10 years of stardom post-Masan, his evolving approach to playing real-life heroes, and his upcoming collaborations such as Love & War with Sanjay Leela Bhansali and Mahavatar with Amar Kaushik. In this candid conversation, Vicky talks about overcoming fears, the responsibility of portraying historical icons, and how he continues to challenge himself to bring new dimensions to Indian cinema. 00:00 Introduction & 10 years of Vicky Kaushal 02:58 The "DNA transplant” approach for “Chhaava” 05:54 Prepping physically and mentally for the role 07:52 Studying lions for ferocity & confidence 09:31 Balancing vulnerability with a regal presence 10:51 Inspiration from music for the role 12:12 Memorizing lines and learning pronunciation 13:15 Hitting “autopilot” after the first action sequence 14:39 Subtlety vs. loudness 16:19 Playing patriots in 3 biopics and the art of portraying patriotism 18:48 Cleaning the slate before new films 20:04 On missing "Deepak" from "Masaan" 20:55 Roadblocks while acting 22:59 Fear of water while filming “Masaan” 25:20 Galloping on a horse for the first time 27:50 On Laxman Utekar informing about "Chhaava" 28:56 Filming the emotional climax of "Chhaava" 30:53 Vicky's father, Sham Kaushal's, happiness 32:17 Upcoming projects and plans: “Love & War” & “Mahavatar” 35:50 On Laxman Utekar's journey 37:24 Audience Q&A: dream roles and craft insights 50:48 Closing remarks #VickyKaushal #Chhaava #THRTalks