Tanhaji: The Unsung Warrior, directed by Om Raut, is so far the highest-grossing Hindi film of 2020 fetching almost 300 crores. Set in the 17th century, it’s based on the life of Tanhaji Malusare, a valiant military leader in Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s (Sharad Kelkar) army. The film depicts Tanhaji’s (Ajay Devgn) attempts to recapture the Kondhana fort from Aurangzeb (Luke Kenny). The Mughal emperor had transferred its control to his trusted guard Udaybhan Singh Rathore (Saif Ali Khan). Om says it was always a dream to bring Tanhaji, the unsung hero to life. “Our history is full of dedicated people, who fought for the country. I want the masses to be proud of such heroes and through them, of our own history and heritage,” he declares.
It wasn’t difficult for Om to get Ajay Devgn on board for Tanhaji. He had approached Ajay in 2017. The actor got so excited by the idea that he offered to produce the film as well. Om is impressed with the superstar’s work ethics. “Ajay is like an octopus. He has so many things going on. At the same time, he’s extremely focussed about what he’s asked to do. He’s a director’s actor. The simplicity with which he portrays a character is remarkable,” gushes the director. The film is also Ajay’s 100th and a milestone in his career.
He also has nice things to say about Saif, who played antagonist Udaybhan Singh. He’s impressed by Saif’s perfectionist streak. “Saif always says I can do better than this. He just goes on and on. Every take is an improvement over the last.” Om mentions that this hunger to excel is the reason why actors like Ajay and Saif have had such long careers. “The same is true of Kajol (plays Tanhaji’s wife, Savitribai) as well. The type of passion she brings to the table is fantastic,” he maintains.
Om’s mother, Neena Raut, is a National Film Award winning producer. His father, Bharatkumar Raut, is a well-known author and a Member of Parliament. After attaining a Bachelor’s degree in engineering, Om studied filmmaking at the Syracuse University in New York. He worked for some time with the MTV network there. “I lived a great life there. A comfortable apartment, a fancy car, a lovely job… But I wanted to make my own kind of films,” he shares. He moved to India and directed his first film in Marathi, Lokmanya:
Ek Yug Purush (2015), based on the life of the great freedom fighter starring Subodh Bhave. He won the Filmfare Best Debut Director Award in Marathi for it.
Om has acted in Karamati Coat (1993). He has also produced films like City Of Gold (2010) and Haunted 3D (2011). “I acted in films because I wanted to know what happens behind the scenes. I produced films to understand the business side of it. But actually, I’ve always wanted to be the guy, who stands next to the camera and tells everyone what to do,” he smiles. Om believes he’s made his Hindi debut at a time when things are changing for the better. He cites films like Article 15, Shuddh Desi Romance, Badhaai Ho and Baahubali as examples of a widening spectrum. He believes the lines between art and mainstream have blurred. “Hindi cinema is on the right track and evolving fast. I’m extremely happy to be part of the film industry,” he smiles. The film buff confesses to be a huge
fan of V Shantaram.
He likes Martin Scorsese and Christopher Nolan among Hollywood filmmakers and Gauri Shinde and Nitesh Tiwari among contemporary Hindi directors. He’s signed Kartik Aaryan for a hush-hush actioner. On the personal side, Om loves cars and motorcycles. “I’m a petrolhead and like to take off on impromptu vacations. The open road holds an allure for me,” smiles the adventure enthusiast.
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