Altered
histories
and
politics
in
period
dramas
such
as
the
recent
Tanhaji:
The
Unsung
Warrior
have
been
questioned
by
some.
Saif
Ali
Khan,
who
plays
Mughal
General
Udaybhan
Rathod,
the
main
antagonist
in
Tanhaji,
says
that
the
trend
of
altered
politics
has
caught
on
in
movies,
and
that
it
is
dangerous.
Speaking
to
film
critic
Anupama
Chopra,
Saif
made
it
clear
that
he
does
not
think
Tanhaji
is
an
accurate
portrayal
of
history.
"For
some
reason
I
didn't
take
a
stand...
maybe
next
time
I
would," he
said,
adding,
"I
was
very
excited
to
play
the
role
because
it's
a
delicious
role.
But
when
people
say
this
is
history;
I
don't
think
this
is
history.
I
am
quite
aware
of
what
the
history
was."
He
continued,
"I
don't
think
there
was
a
concept
of
India
till
perhaps
the
British
gave
it
one.
I
don't
think
there
is
really
any
constructive
point
in
arguing
about
loudly,
provided
you
yourself
know
why
you're
doing
it." Saif
was
referring
to
the
portrayal
of
Tanhaji's
call
for
Swaraj
in
the
movie,
which
is
based
in
the
17th
century.
Saif
added
that
he
would
really
like
to
be
a
part
of
a
film
industry
that
would
take
a
stand,
that
wouldn't
make
mass
films
like
this.
"Films
that
would
rather
say
'hey
this
is
what
history
is' rather
than
mould
it
to
certain
kind
of
belief.
But
people
say
that
is
what
runs
and
that's
what's
given
it
the
extra
kind
of
bump,
I
mean
it's
more
than
just
action
movie.
There's
an
idea
there
that
seems
to
have
caught
on,
but
certainly
a
dangerous
idea,"
he
said.
Tanhaji:
The
Unsung
Warrior
is
a
film
on
the
Maratha
warrior
Tanhaji
Malasure.
Directed
by
Om
Raut,
it
stars
Ajay
Devgn
and
Kajol
alongside
Saif.