No other film will be allowed to release with ‘Thackeray’: Sena workers

A local Shiv Sena leader on Thursday said that no other film will be allowed to clash with the biopic of Sena founder Bal Thackeray, which is slated to release next month.

The party, however, distanced itself from the threat. Bala Lokare, secretary of Chitrapat Sena, a Sena-affiliated film workers’ union said in a social media post that the party will not allow any other film to release on January 25.

If anyone tried to release a film on that day, he will get a reply in “the Sena’s style”, he said. The biopic Thackeray, produced by Sena MP Sanjay Raut and starring Nawazuddin Siddiqui, is slated for release on January 25.

Raut clarified that Lokare was not articulating the party’s position. “This was the Shiv Sainik’s (Sena worker’s) personal stand. This stand has not been adopted by the party’’, Raut said.

Also Read | Thackeray trailer: Nawazuddin Siddiqui totally nails as Balasaheb Thackeray, watch VIDEO

The film’s trailer was launched on Wednesday. The trailer begins with a voiceover and scenes of a riot. ‘’Only one man can pacify Bombay at this time,’’ the voice booms and we can see shots of Nawaz as Thackeray, taking to the podium to deliver one of his famous speeches.

The film is based on the life of Bal Thackeray also known as Balasaheb Thackeray, who founded the political party, Shiv Sena. The film will see Nawazuddin as the late Shiv Sena supremo, and Amrita Rao as his wife, Meena Tai Thackeray.

The film recently ran into trouble with the Central Board of Film Certification, who have objected to four dialogues and two scenes. “Yes, they have raised objections on some dialogues and scenes, four dialogues and two scenes to be precise. We are legally dealing the matter with CBFC and we hope the matter will be sorted out soon," Raut told PTI.

Also Read | The Accidental Prime Minister Trailer: Anupam Kher delivers a powerful performance as Manmohan Singh

According to media reports, the Central Board of Film Certification has taken exception to certain scenes in the film referring to Babri Masjid and the south Indian community in Mumbai.

Nawaz had a strong 2018 professionally. He won a lot of accolades for his performance in Nandita Das’ Manto, and in Netflix’s original first Indian original series, Sacred Games, in which he played the Marathi gangster Ganesh Gaitonde.

(With inputs from PTI)