Actor Rahul Solapurkar resigns as BORI trustee amid controversy over remarks on Shivaji Maharaj
In a podcast recently Solapurkar said that Shivaji Maharaj, the iconic 17th century warrior king, escaped from Agra Fort by ‘bribing’ Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb’s officials, and not by concealing himself in a basket of sweets as per the popular account
Actor Rahul Solapurkar resigned as a trustee of the Pune-based Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute (BORI) on Thursday after his remarks on Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s 1666 escape from Agra triggered protests from various Maratha outfits.
BORI, a globally renowned research institute, confirmed in a statement that it had accepted Solapurkar’s resignation.
Solapurkar, known for his work in Marathi films and television, gained popularity for his portrayal of Shahu Maharaj in the series Rajarshi Shahu. In a podcast recently Solapurkar said that Shivaji Maharaj, the iconic 17th century warrior king, escaped from Agra Fort by ‘bribing’ Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb’s officials, and not by concealing himself in a basket of sweets as per the popular account.
After a video of his statement went viral on social media, Maratha outfits in the city staged a protest outside the BORI on Tuesday demanding his resignation.
Amid growing backlash, he issued an apology on Wednesday, expressing regret over the choice of words and stating that he never intended to insult Shivaji Maharaj.
“I gave an interview for a podcast about a month-and-a-half ago, where I discussed history and the way narratives evolve. Some people created controversy by isolating two sentences from the entire interview. I would never think of insulting Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj,” said Solapurkar.
His remarks also drew criticism from Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Udayanraje Bhosale, a direct descendant of Shivaji Maharaj. “People like him, regardless of their profession, should be boycotted... I strongly condemn his statement,” Bhosale said.
In response to the tensions, police were deployed at BORI and outside Solapurkar’s residence in the city as a precautionary measure.
BORI officials refused to further comment on the issue.
This is not the first time BORI has faced controversy. In January 2004, the institute was vandalised by members of a pro-Maratha outfit following the publication of American historian James Laine’s book Shivaji: A Hindu King in Islamic India. The book, based on inputs from some Indian scholars at BORI, contained references that were widely seen as offensive, leading to allegations of a Brahminical attempt to challenge Maratha history.