Vicky Kaushal is riding high on the success of Chhaava, a historical drama that’s galloping towards the ₹400 crore mark in India. But when he recently took the stage at a Marathi Language Gaurav Day event in Mumbai, it wasn’t his acting that stole the show—it was his unexpected poetry recital.
Now, one might think that a celebrated Bollywood actor reciting poetry in Marathi would be a heartwarming cultural moment, but legendary singer Asha Bhosle had a slightly different reaction.
As Vicky later recounted on Instagram, she gave him a look that could be best described as deep skepticism and asked, “Are you going to recite poetry too?”
Vicky, being a man of conviction (or possibly misplaced confidence), nodded enthusiastically.
“In Marathi?” Asha Bhosle pressed, as if double-checking for a punchline.
“Yes.”
At this point, the legendary singer, who has seen it all in the music industry, could only respond with a bemused “Tauba Tauba.”
Kaushal, however, was unfazed. He went on to express his deep connection with Maharashtra, the state where he was born, raised, and now works—a sentiment he shared with the audience at Shivaji Park, a location steeped in political and cultural history.
“For a non-Marathi person like me, this is an honor,” he said, before proceeding with his poetic performance.
In his social media post, Vicky also thanked Raj Thackeray for inviting him to be part of the event, calling it a privilege to share the stage with other talented personalities.
Meanwhile, Chhaava, based on Shivaji Sawant’s acclaimed Marathi novel, continues its reign at the box office. The film sees Kaushal portraying Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, with Akshaye Khanna as Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb, and a supporting cast that includes Rashmika Mandanna, Divya Dutta, and Diana Penty.
And because no successful Bollywood film is truly complete until it expands its empire, Chhaava is now set to conquer the Telugu market as well. Maddock Films has announced its Telugu release on March 7, with distribution handled by Geetha Arts.
So, while Vicky Kaushal’s poetic skills may have surprised Asha Bhosle, his box office success seems to be speaking a language everyone understands.
(Video Courtesy: Rajshri Marathi)
