Actor Swara Bhasker on Friday (February 21) was forced to express regret after she found herself in the eye of a raging storm over her comments belittling the sacrifices made by Hindus, including Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and his intrepid son, Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj.
Perhaps realising the challenges that entail electoral politics, Bhasker, who was recently seen canvassing for her husband, Fahad Ahmad, expressed regret over her post on Chhava, a Bollywood movie depicting the heroic life of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, the son of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.
“My tweet has sparked significant discussion and, unfortunately, some misunderstandings. I have the utmost respect for the courageous legacy and contributions of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, particularly his principles of social justice and respect for women,” Bhasker tweeted in a long-winded post on X.
My tweet has generated much debate & avoidable misunderstanding. Without any doubt I respect the brave legacy and contribution of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.. especially his ideas of social justice & respect for women.
— Swara Bhasker (@ReallySwara) February 21, 2025
My limited point is that glorifying our history is great… https://t.co/YKk1QgiQRG
Prevaricating about her post that sparked social media outrage, Bhasker said, “My limited point is that glorifying our history is great but please don’t misuse the glory of the past to hide the mistakes & failures of present times. Historical understanding should always be used to unite people & not to divide and divert attention from current issues.”
“If my earlier tweet has hurt any sentiments that is regretted.. Like any other proud Indian, I am also proud of our history. Our history should unite us and give us strength to fight for a better and more inclusive future,” Bhasker concluded, tapping into leftwing tropes of “inclusion” and “unity” to discredit online criticism directed at them.
Bhasker was cut to size by social media users for her atrocious remarks denying documented atrocities meted out on Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj by Mughal tyrant Aurangzeb and his forces with her comments on Vicky Kaushal starter Chhaava, a movie that portrays the life of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s son, Sambhaji Maharaj.
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
— Swara Bhasker (@ReallySwara) February 18, 2025
“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” Bhasker had tweeted, drawing fierce criticism online, with several social media users asking the former actor to read history and acquaint herself with the bloody legacy of the Muslim invaders who held Hindus captive, took their women as slaves, tortured them over refusal to convert to Islam, usurped their places of temples and raised mosques over them to humiliate them and break their moral resolve to fight against the Islamist forces.
However, Bhasker’s latest post following online criticism reveals she hasn’t had the realisation she is pretending to have acquired from the opprobrium on social media. If anything, her convoluted post only betrays the political compulsions a budding politician’s wife undertakes to ensure her loud-mouthing on social media doesn’t hurt the electoral fortunes of her partner.
