Har Har Mahadev EXCLUSIVE! Abhijeet Deshpande: Shivaji Maharaj was so emotive, Subodh Bhave was perfect for that

Hindi writer Abhijeet Deshpande, who had also helmed Ani… Dr. Kashinath, is back with Har Har Mahadev. The film sees Subodh Bhave once again in the lead role as Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. Abhijeet discusses that in dept with OTTplay, while also stating the reason for picking the film as multi-lingual. He also spoke about his future projects.

Excerpts from the interview…

This is your second directorial after Dr. Kashinath. Both the films starred Subodh in the lead. Any reason you go back to working with him?

I don't go to Subodh for this role. It's the role that got Subodh into it. This film is about Shivaji Maharaj. If you see, the way Shivaji Maharaj has been portrayed in all the films so far, in the past 10-15 years, it's in a very limited perspective. So, no one has really tried to introspect him as a human being. They only made a God out of him. With this film, we're trying to show why he's even bigger than a God. What was he as a person or human being, is what we question. We have seen his fights on the battlefield but not with himself. We don't know about the tough choices he had to make or the internal conflicts. To be able to portray those nuances and complexities, I wouldn't go to anyone in the world other than Subodh Bhave. He is such a privileged and rich actor. He can give me so many ranges of emotions and especially his eyes. A lot of historians who have seen Shivaji Maharaj and studied him have always spoken of his eyes. They were very emotive and that's a similarity which Subodh gives me. To be able to pull off a completely different and more studied Shivaji Maharaj, it has to be Subodh Bhave.

Apart from Marathi, you are widely associated with Hindi films. You have penned Shootout At Wadala, Class of 83, Antim The Final Truth and were even associated with Mr Lele. You have also acted in films like Shaitan. Did that somewhere inspire you to come out with a multilingual film in Har Har Mahadev?

Yes, absolutely. Most of my work is in Hindi as a writer. My next film is also in Hindi. Of course, that is there. The reason is a little philosophical though. The Marathi audience keep stating that Hindi films don't give them screens. Now, it's time to create cinema that can be taken pan-India and worldwide. We should get screens. The content should be of a massive level. I wanted to make a film which everyone want to see.

Tell me about the title. When you are trying to tell the story about Shivaji Maharaj, what made you pick Mahadev for the title?

This story is about Shivaji Maharaj and Baji Prabhu Deshpande. It's about their relation. It's Har Har Mahadev because there's generally a religious connotation to it but this is a victory mantra. When you go back to Shivaji Maharaj's story, you realize that through the struggles, he taught people to dream. The dream was about Swarajya and the mantra for that is Har Har Mahadev. It is about brotherhood, unity and strength. There couldn't be a better title because these three words sum up Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.

If you had to tell me what makes Har Har Mahadev special in a brief manner, what would you say?

This film leads up to the one night where 300 warriors fought against 15,000 enemies so their king Shivaji Maharaj reaches safely. It's about what happens that Baji Prabhu Deshpande, who was against Shivaji Maharaj, sacrifices his life for him. It's about the whole craft. It is about the power of Shivaji Maharaj that many people gave up their dream for Swarajya. It's the story of an absolutely common man with a limited perspective, Baji Prabhu Deshpande, who one day meets the demi-God Shivaji Maharaj who changes his life. Finally, it's about the ageing warrior who finds a purpose so late in life and then what happens.

Pawankhind had also narrated the same tale - of Shivaji Maharaj and Baji Prabhu Deshpande's sacrifice. How will Har Har Mahadev be different per say?

I haven't seen that film but those who have say that the movie is completely different. If you look at a painting or even sea, you have a different perspective than mine. The way we have explored Shivaji Maharaj like a human, that is the speciality of our film. We have introspected Shivaji Maharaj as a person. Of course, we've given in four years to make this film into a magnum opus. The audiences will decide if the movie is different, better or whatever.

You told me about Subodh Bhave but how did Sharad Khelkar come into the picture? Was he your instant choice?

Yeah, absolutely. I wanted an ageing warrior and someone with a great personality. His voice is obviously an add-on. He has a great physique. When he goes to war, even that should look authentic and thus, that makes it credible. Thus, Sharad Kelkar. In this film, you will see him in a new avatar. When he emotes with his eyes - as a struggling husband and father, a misled and confused man - Sharad portrays them beautifully. You'll have a different respect for him after this film.

Your upcoming projects? Do you have plans to make more multilingual films?

The subject will decide about multilingual films. I will however be working on a new film which is completing scripting. It is the untold story of Indian cinema. It's a grand film and will probably go on floors next November or December.