Actor Suniel Shetty has once again sparked discussion around the portrayal of Indian history, this time while reflecting on the box-office failure of his 2025 film Kesari Veer. Using the moment for introspection rather than excuse, he questioned why Indian cinema repeatedly turns to figures like Akbar and Babur, while the stories of Rajputs and icons such as Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj rarely receive the same scale of attention or narrative depth.
Suniel Shetty’s remarks echoed a concern that has been voiced before in the industry. Earlier, during the promotion of Prithviraj Chauhan, Akshay Kumar had raised similar questions about how Indian history is taught and remembered. He pointed out that Emperor Prithviraj Chauhan is often mentioned in school textbooks in just two or three lines, while invaders are discussed in far greater detail. Akshay expressed surprise at how vast and inspiring Prithviraj Chauhan’s legacy is, yet how little of it is known to the younger generation.
Together, these statements have reopened a long-running debate about balance and representation in both cinema and education. Many feel that India’s own heroes, culture, and civilizational legacy deserve stronger, more nuanced storytelling—stories that go beyond footnotes and stereotypes, and instead celebrate courage, sacrifice, and indigenous leadership.
The conversation is no longer just about films succeeding or failing at the box office. It is about who gets remembered, how history is framed, and whether future generations will grow up knowing their own heroes as deeply as they know those who came as invaders.
