Shiv Sainiks wants Ramesh Deo to dress like Bal Thackeray

As the photographs and videos of the look test of Ramesh Deo in his film Mumbai Tiger, made the rounds of the country… some die hard Shiv Sainiks owing allegiance to the veteran Hindu warlord called up director Raju Kokate and asked him as to why Ramesh Deo was not dressed up like Bal Thackeray.

"I was surprised when some Sainiks called me up and told me that Ramesh Deo was looking like their ’saheb’ in my film Mumbai Tiger. I did tell them that while I do agree that there are some similarities between the look of both, the film is not based on the Thackerays’. It is just that when one does a film on cricket, Sachin Tendulkar or Yuvraj Singh seems to be the protagonist because we identify cricket with these people. Similarly if the film is a political one based on Maharashtra, there is a tendency of people to compare the film’s characters with someone like Bala saheb who is a people’s leader," says Kokate.

The filmmaker also says that he was not exactly threatened. "I am a bit amused, but they were upset that Ramesh Deo was not wearing saffron clothes," he guffaws.

The film has already been in controversies after Shah Rukh Khan refused to do the role similar to the character of Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray in the film fearing a backlash from the Shiv Sena. Marathi film and TV artiste Ashok Shinde later accepted the role. Sandeep Mehta plays Ramesh Deo’s son who aspires to take his gaddi.

-Sampurn Media