Tanhaji: The Unsung Warrior Movie Review: An engaging masaledaar period drama
Updated on: 12 September, 2021 11:57 PM IST |
Throughout the promotional trail prior to the release of the film, the makers have maintained that they want to tell more arresting narratives about homegrown heroes who’ve either been forgotten, are unheard of or erased from history. Sticking true to their intent, ‘Tanhaji: The Unsung Warrior’, based on the life of the brave Maratha general, Tanaji Malusare who fought under Chattrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s army and seized the fort of Kondhana (present day Sinhagad) from the Mughals, lays the premise as the first from the proposed ‘Warriors’ franchise that Devgn visions as a maker. Does it seem promising?
The film wastes no time in establishing the premise. Chhattrapati Shivaji Maharaj (Sharad Kelkar) surrendered the Kondhana fort as part of the Treaty of Purandar to the Mughals and has lost the faith and credibility in the eyes of his people in Pune and surrounding regions. The capture of the said fort in the Deccan is seen as a stepping stone to establish supremacy in Southern India by the Mughals led by Aurangzeb (Luke Kenny). In order to maintain his position, Aurangzeb sends his trusted general Udaybhan Rathod (Saif Ali Khan) to withhold the fort against the Marathas. Additionally, Rathod is equipped with a dangerous cannon Nagin that can singlehandedly wipe out the existence of the Marathas. Meanwhile, Shivaji Raje wants to recapture the fort at any cost in order to preserve the dream of Swarajya. Despite his own hesitation, he can’t help but summon his trusted friend and commander-in-general Tanaji (Ajay Devgn), who is in the middle of the wedding preparations of his son alongside wife Savitribai (Kajol). The marriage is put on hold and the vow to recapture the fort is taken.
Written by director Om Raut and Prakash Kapadia, the story, screenplay and dialogues completely commit to the popular narrative. However, beneath the guise of cinematic liberties, the distortion of facts is hard to miss. For many of us who are aware about the chronology and accuracy of the events, it will be hard for us to turn the other way. Barring that aside, the film is largely entertaining and may I add, a rare masaledaar one. The cinematography by Keiko Nakahara and the production design by the National-Award winning duo of Sriram Iyengar and Sujeet Sawant (Bajirao Mastani, Padmaavat) are on-point and transport you back in time. Editor Dharmendra Sharma ensures that the proceedings of the film are crisp and engaging. Sachet-Parampara’s ‘Ghamand Kar’ adds the right drama to the narrative. The VFX by Ajay Devgn Films is commendable. The action sequences co-ordinated by Ramazan Batul and RP Singh evoke the right amount of excitement and thrills, despite the gore.
Coming down to the performances, it’s not a surprise that Devgn puts up a sincere, committed effort in telling the story about a revered hero. But it’s Saif whose performance piques your interest. As Udaybhan, the actor is clearly enjoying himself in the act. While he is maniacal, pragmatic and outright ruthless, there is also a comical side to him that draws your laughs and somewhere, a layer of hurt. A character you’d want to love and hate, Saif finally lands a role that is definitely experimental but will also reap in huge profits at the box-office. Here’s looking forward to more anti-hero roles from the actor. Another stand-out performance in ‘Tanhaji’ is Sharad Kelkar as Shivaji Raje. From the body language to the theatrics, the actor embodies the great ruler in all finery which makes him an ideal casting choice for any other film announced on the latter, in the near future. Kajol has a delightful cameo as Savitribai though you’d wish the film would’ve allotted her more screen time. Padmavathi Rao as Jijamata and Luke Kenny as Aurangzeb do justice to their minimalist parts.
If you choose to overlook historical accuracy just for entertainment, then ‘Tanhaji’ is your bet at the box-office, this weekend. An impressive directorial debut by Om Raut, do watch this spectacle in 3D.
