After watching ‘Chhaava’ film, villagers reach MP’s Asirgarh Fort to dig for Mughal-era gold
Burhanpur: A bizarre treasure hunt unfolded near Asirgarh Fort in Madhya Pradesh’s Burhanpur on Friday night, when a large crowd of villagers, inspired by the Bollywood film Chhaava, began digging the site in search of hidden Mughal-era gold.
The villagers, fueled by the Vicky Kaushal-starrer movie’s storyline and long-standing folklore, gathered near the fort with flashlights and metal detectors and began digging fields in hopes of finding treasures. The digging continued from 7:00 PM until 3:00 AM, when local police intervened.
A video of the incident is going viral on social media, showing a group of villagers digging up the soil near Asirgarh Fort in search of gold and silver they believe, as shown in the film, Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb looted from the Marathas and hid there.
Kakvi captioned the video, which has garnered over 3 lakh views, “After watching Bollywood film Chhaava, villagers near Asirgarh Fort in Burhanpur (MP) launched a gold hunt after the dawn. With flashlights and metal detectors, they’ve been digging fields, chasing rumors of Mughal-era treasure! The gold diggers ran away when police arrived.”
Social media reactions ranged from amusement to disbelief, with many pointing out how the lines between reality and fiction are blurred. Many noted that as long as cinema continues in the country, people will continue getting fooled. Meanwhile, one user joked, “Men end up as ‘Gold Diggers,” while another humorously added, “Next time, they might go looking for UFOs after watching an alien movie.”
Reports indicated that at least 100 holes were dug in the area. When the police arrived, the villagers quickly abandoned their digging tools and fled. Authorities have since issued warnings against unauthorised excavation at the protected archaeological site.
After watching bollywood film #Chhava, villagers near Asirgarh Fort in Burhanpur, (MP) launched a gold hunt after the dawn.
— काश/if Kakvi (@KashifKakvi) March 7, 2025
With flashlights & metal detectors, they’ve been digging fields, chasing rumors of Mughal-era treasure !
The gold diggers ran away when Police arrived. pic.twitter.com/LXBsugE1cG
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Sujit Nair raises concerns over speculation of DMK-AIADMK understanding to block TVK
Chennai: Journalist and political commentator Sujit Nair has expressed concern over speculation that the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam could explore a post-poll understanding to prevent Vijay-led Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam from forming the government in Tamil Nadu.
In a social media post, Sujit Nair said the election verdict in Tamil Nadu reflected a clear public demand for political change and argued that the mandate should be respected irrespective of political preferences.
Referring to reports and political discussions surrounding a possible understanding between the DMK and AIADMK, he said he hoped such developments remained only speculative conversations and did not turn into reality.
Nair stated that if such an alliance were to take shape, it would raise serious questions about ideological politics in the country. He said TVK had emerged through a democratic electoral process and that the legitimacy to govern in a parliamentary democracy comes from the people’s verdict.
According to him, attempts to prevent an electoral winner from forming the government through unexpected political arrangements may be constitutionally valid, but many people could view them as politically opportunistic.
He further said that such a move could particularly affect the political image of the DMK, which has historically projected itself around ideology, social justice and opposition politics. Nair said that in ideological terms, the DMK appeared closer to TVK than to the AIADMK, and joining hands with its long-time political rival only to remain in power could weaken its broader political narrative.
He added that the same questions would apply to the AIADMK as well, as the party had spent decades positioning itself against the DMK and such an arrangement could create discomfort among its cadre and supporters.
Drawing a comparison with Maharashtra politics in 2019, Nair said he had expressed similar views when the Shiv Sena formed an alliance with the Indian National Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party after the Assembly elections.
He said post-poll alliances between long-standing political rivals often create a public perception that ideology and electoral mandates become secondary when political power equations come into play.
Nair also said such developments increase public cynicism towards politics and reinforce the belief among voters that ideology is often sidelined after elections.
He maintained that the Tamil Nadu verdict was emphatic and said respecting both the spirit and substance of the mandate was important for the credibility of democratic politics.
