Ajay Devgn’s Chauhaan faces Kshatriya Parishad ire over ‘weaponisation of Rajput history’

Days after the makers officially announced director Neeraj Yadav’s Ajay Devgn-starrer Chauhaan with an action-packed teaser, the movie has run into a new controversy with the Kshatriya Parishad coming down heavily on the alleged “weaponisation of Rajput history and appropriation of Rajput identities”. The organisation has described that such attempts are for “electoral or ideological purposes.”

Strongly condemning the makers’ attempts to “appropriate” the Chauhan clan name for “contemporary communal politics,” the Kshatriya Parishad pointed out, “Chauhans are a historic Rajput (Kshatriya) lineage whose legacy belongs to history, not to partisan campaigns or manufactured media controversies.”

Kshatriya Parishad slams Chauhaan’s teaser

In a statement shared on social media, the organisation called it “deeply unfortunate” that the Rajput identity was yet again “being dragged into a political narrative” which, the Parishad pointed out, “Rajputs neither initiated nor sought.” The organisation added, “At a time when Rajput voices remain underrepresented in mainstream media and public discourse, invoking a Rajput clan name merely to provoke outrage, inflame caste and communal sentiments, or generate political spectacle is both irresponsible and disrespectful.”

Maintaining that such representations highlight an “ignorance of Indian history,” the organisation noted that the Indian subcontinent’s past “cannot be reduced to simplistic communal binaries.” The Kshatriya Parishad further listed examples of occasions when the Afghans and Rajputs fought alongside one another.

“Mahmud Lodi fought under the leadership of Maharana Sanga at the Battle of Khanwa; Hakim Khan Sur commanded a contingent in the army of Maharana Pratap at Haldighati; Farid Khan, who later became Sher Shah Suri, is traditionally associated with military service under Raja Raisal Shekhawat in his early career; and Maharaja Vikramaditya Tomar laid down his life fighting alongside the Lodi forces in the First Battle of Panipat,” the organisation noted.

“These episodes illustrate that medieval political alliances were shaped by statecraft, loyalty, and military strategy — not by the communal narratives being imposed upon them today,” they said, adding, “Kshatriya Parishad rejects every attempt to weaponise Rajput history or appropriate Rajput identities for electoral or ideological purposes. Historical memory must not become a tool for communal mobilisation. We call upon political actors, filmmakers, and media organisations to engage with India’s past responsibly, respecting historical complexity rather than exploiting Rajput heritage as bait for divisive political debate.”

We strongly condemn the attempt by Neeraj Yadav and Ajay Devgn’s upcoming film Chauhaan to appropriate the Chauhan clan name for contemporary communal politics.

Rajput history is not a political prop. The legacy of the Chauhans belongs to Rajput history , not to electoral… pic.twitter.com/nDRRKoikv4

— Kshatriya Parishad (@kshatriya_org) June 29, 2026

The latest controversy follows the criticisms Chauhaan’s teaser received soon after its release, due to certain dialogues and insinuations in it that many found problematic.

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Swara Bhasker tears into ‘pellet gun’ dialogue in Chauhaan teaser

While the promotional video’s depiction of the Kashmir conflict largely received criticism, many came down even more ferociously on it for the dialogue that pellet guns leave only “minimal damage.” Many, including actor Swara Bhasker, stepped forward to condemn the teaser for such remarks, which they found insensitive.

Ajay’s voiceover dialogue, “Tell the Pathans, Chauhaan is coming,” also faced massive backlash, with many alleging that the line vilified Muslims in general and was further worsened by the portrayal of Chauhaan, a Rajput, as coming to give “answers.”

Along with a news report on the adverse effects of being attacked with pellet guns, Swara wrote on social media, “Is this what you want to glorify Bollywood?! Pellet guns are not ‘limited damage,’ they are a gross human rights violation. And mainstream Kashmiris are not Pathaans. Kuch toh research kar liya karo yaar. And look up Goebbels while you are at it!” She captioned the post, “The Vivek Agnihotri-fication of Bollywood.”

Produced jointly by Jyoti Deshpande, Aanand L Rai and Himanshu Sharma under the banners of Jio Studios and Colour Yellow Productions, Chauhaan will hit the screens on October 1, 2027.

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Disclaimer: This article highlights public developments and opinions shared on social media regarding the film, which have not been independently verified and are presented for informational purposes.