“While I was shooting for Tanhaji, I was told that this is my 100th film” - Ajay Devgn
Tanhaji: The Unsung Warrior is one of the much-awaited films in 2020. Directed by Om Raut, the film is based on the life of Tanaji Malusare, a 17th-century Maharashtrian Marathi military leader.
The film has been in the news since the time it was announced and the fact that it marks as the 100th film of Ajay Devgn’s career, makes it even more special!
We had an exclusive interaction with the ace actor who is playing the role of Tanhaji. Check out the excerpts.
You are now playing the immortal character of Tanhaji in your 100th film Tanhaji: The Unsung Warrior. What inspired you to make this film?
Our home production wants to make many films of the unsung heroes who died in the battlefield while making their unforgettable contribution towards the India’s freedom struggle. We were just thinking to choose the first warrior and I got this script written by Om Raut. I read it very carefully and decided to produce it.
Your real-life wife is playing the role of your wife on-screen!
While reading the script I knew that the role of Tanhaji’s wife should be played by my real-life wife Kajol. I approached her to do the role. She first joked by saying, “Ghar ki murgi daal barabar, mujhe kuch paise nahi dene padenge.” (The home cooked chicken is equivalent to lentils. You will not have to pay me.) But after she read the whole script, she was more excited than me and agreed to do the role. When she wore the Navwari (Nine Yards) Saree for her first scene, each and everybody clapped as she managed to look fabulous in the get up. I knew she will carry herself very well as Savitri Malusule as she always gives her best to whatever she is given to do. Lamba role toh nahi hai, par job hi hai, it is a very memorable. (It is not a long role, but whatever the duration is, it is a very memorable).
How did it felt to have Kajol on the sets of the film after so many years?
I told my unit members that I felt as if I were at home. I had this homely feeling all the time whenever Kajol was on the sets. But I never allowed her to behave as the typical wife on the sets. She had to remain engrossed in her character of Savitribai Malusule. Everybody on the set knows that she is very serious whenever she is giving her takes. She likes to talk endlessly on the sets. But I prefer to be quiet for most of the time.
TANHAJI is the 100th film of your career. What extra precautions have you taken to make this film as a classic one.
Whether I have acted in my first film, 20th film, 50th film or my 100th film, I did not count them. I have done my work with sincerity and have dedicated myself to the characters I played. I was told during the shooting of Tanhaji by my director Om Raut that Tanhaji is my 100th film. I was very happy when I heard it. But when I was doing my scenes, I went back to my character and forgot all the numbers of films I have done earlier. Every day, I woke up as Tanhaji while I was shooting for the film. In fact, whenever I used to reach home, my son also used to say, “Lo Tanhaji aa gaye” (Tanhaji has come). He would accompany me and Kajol on the sets and hence could never forget the lines I spoke during the shooting. He is very eager to watch me as Tanhaji on the big screen. The costumes which Kajol and I have worn in the film have added to the excitement to watch as such historical characters. Such roles are not easily given to actors every day. Kajol and me are very lucky to have played these two unforgettable roles.
In your school days, you had a special liking for History.
Yes, I liked History, but I hated Algebra since I could not understand it. I did like the character of Chhatrapati Shivaji, Aurangzeb, to name a few. There was a chapter called ‘Gadh Aala Pan Singh Gela’ which was about the bravery story about Tanhaji. I still remember my teacher reading this lesson. Today, my whole team has recreated the life and times of Tanhaji on the big screen.
Saif Ali Khan plays the most powerful negative role of Uday Bhan in the film. You both will be seen together after 14 years.
Yes. After the casting of Tanhaji and Savitri Malusule, we wanted to cast an actor who would look very wicked as well as powerful in the role of Uday Bhan. I thought of Saif Ali Khan. He came to our office and heard the role. He immediately agreed to act as Uday Bhan. We have worked together in Kachche Dhaage and Omkara together 14 years ago.
Did you find any major change in Saif Ali Khan while working with him after so many years?
I found that all these years Saif and myself have matured a great deal and have become very soft after our marriages! It was a great time with Saif on the sets. He would always joke with me and Kajol. The atmosphere was very cool on the sets. He also brought Amar Chitra Katha after he decided to do the role. Om Raut and the research team had done a great deal of research for the various characters in Tanhaji, and Saif Ali Khan had only to follow what was written in the script.
You have received lot of compliments from choreographer Saroj Khan during the song picturisation for ISHQ. It is a rare compliment as Saroj Khan is known to never praise her stars while shooting.
Saroj Khan was the chorographer for the song ‘Neend Churayee Maine’ in ISHQ. I was only following her instructions and doing my steps while Kajol, Aamir Khan and Juhi Chawla were doing extra steps which weren’t needed. So Saroj ji shouted in front of the whole unit saying, “Jaise Ajay kar rahe hain, waise hee karo (The way Ajay is doing, do it that way only), don’t lose my count. I knew very well what Saroj ji wanted and she used to count her steps, which I also kept the count of, hence my steps were perfect. My only intension was to deliver what I was expected to at the earliest. This helped me a lot and I received a lot of compliments from Saroj madam.
You are also releasing the Marathi version of Tanhaji. Comments.
Tanhaji is a household name in every Marathi speaking house. Hence, we thought that making a Marathi version would be very inspiring for every Maharashtrian, who takes his name very proudly. We are sure that the Marathi speaking audiences would rush to the cinema halls to watch Tanhaji as the scale in which we have made this film is unbelievable. Also, the 3D effects in the film is new for the Marathi audiences. There is a huge curiosity value of Tanhaji as we haven’t read much about his bravery even in the textbooks.
Gen. Bakshi praised the trailer of Tanhaji recently in Delhi.
My whole unit, me and Kajol are honoured to have the gracious presence of Gen. Bakshi during the trailer launch. He said, “The film has been made with lot of enthusiasm. A segment of Indian history comes alive on the screen with the iconic presence of Tanhaji, who had done a surgical strike, which has to be seen to be believed.” Gen. Bakshi was very happy to watch the trailer and he went on praising me, Saif Ali Khan and Kajol during the trailer launch. I felt very humbled.
Rohit Shetty introduced the whole team of Tanaji in Mumbai during the first look of the film.
Rohit joined as an assistant in our team thirty years ago. We have grown together. Look, where he has reached today. I like the way he visualises his scenes for all his actors. I was the happiest person to see his resounding success as a director in all the films that he has done so far. He gave me so many films to act and a unique identity. People remember me as Singham. Also, if any Police Officer from Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, or any other city does any great work, you can see the news readers addressing him as Mumbai Ka Singham, Ahmedabad Ka Singham. Such powerful is the impact of Singham in the lives of people. It is his hard work, which has made him so successful.
What is in store after Tanaji?
I have told my team to do research about the unsung warriors from other states of India like Punjab, Bihar, Bengal, Rajasthan, etc. We look forward to making films one by one on all the unsung heroes of Independence in the near future.
