You should be careful in portraying historical figures: Om Raut on 'Tanhaji'

It is important to keep sanctity and purity of historical characters intact while presenting m on screen, says "Tanhaji: Unsung Warrior" director Om Raut. Raut says he researched story for about three years to get a clear picture.

"We met a lot of historians, researchers, read a lot of books and studied paintings. It is important to keep sanctity, persona and purity of character intact when you are dealing with historical figures. "re shouldn't be anything that will possibly create any type of harm to ir im. re has to be self-censorship that every maker has to maintain. I would like to put such restrains on myself and keep sanctity, purity intact and do it with right heart so it gets translated on-screen," Raut told PTI in an interview here.

Raut says his grandparents introduced him to Maratha warrior. "I grew up in a Marathi household, I was told this story about Tanhaji Malusare by my grandparents. It was my family, who introduced me to this character, to this great warrior. word surgical strike has been taught to us recently but Maratha's were kwn for guerilla activity that y always did."

READ: Tanhaji: Unsung Warrior Based On Tanaji Malusare To Release In Marathi

When Raut, was studying in US in 2006, one of his friends showed him a film about a greek warrior, that motivated him to make a film on Maratha warriors. That's how, Raut says, began journey of making a movie. "Cinema is a powerful tool. People do t read newspapers or books or history books but cinema is seen by a lot of people, so it is a brilliant tool to tell stories that you want to tell."

Ajay Devgn will be seen as Tanhaji Malusare, Kajol as his wife - Savitribai Malusare, Saif Ali Khan as Udaybhan Rathod, antagonist and Sharad Kelkar as Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. director, best kwn for directing critically and commercially successful 2015 film "Lokmanya: Ek Yug Purush", says he gives a lot of importance to casting because when cast is apt, half battle is won.

"If your spy looks like a spy n he doesn't have to act too much. I believe in performance and ability of an actor. reason to cast Mr Devgn, Saif and Kajol and ors, core reason for it is excellence that y have in ir performances. y all had narrations after that y came on board for project." biographical period action film, produced by Ajay and T-series, is scheduled to arrive in atres on January 10.  

READ: Tanaji Malusare Biopic Will Star Ajay Devgn, Saif Ali Khan And Kajol