Coming to the screens ahead of 2024: a sequel to the Dighe biopic, feat. CM Shinde in supporting role

Mumbai: Those keeping a close watch on Eknath Shinde’s political trajectory know of the key role played by a Marathi film in his meteoric rise to chief ministership

Mumbai: Those keeping a close watch on Eknath Shinde’s political trajectory know of the key role played by a Marathi film in his meteoric rise to chief ministership. In May this year, a biopic on Anand Dighe, ‘Dhamveer Mukkam Poste Thane’, created the perfect launchpad for the revolt that would split the Shiv Sena.

Mumbai, India - November 02, 2022: Marathi film "Vedat Marathe Veer Daudale Saat" launch by Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde and MNS Chief Raj Thackarey, at Bandra, in Mumbai, India, on Wednesday, November 02, 2022. (Photo by Vijay Bate/HT Photo) (HT PHOTO)

Now, the producer of the Dighe biopic has announced that he will be making a sequel. “Many elements of Dighe’s life, his social work, some untold twists and turns about his political career, the accident that killed him, and the riots that followed, will all feature in the sequel,” said Mangesh Desai.

Dighe’s political heir Eknath Shinde was closely associated with the making of the biopic; he even tutored Kshitij Date, the actor who essayed Anand Dighe, on the late leader’s mannerisms, the way he walked and talked. The biopic was considerable hit, and it brought Dighe back into the political limelight which dovetailed neatly with Shinde’s revolt against Uddhav Thackeray and the narrative of the classic underdog who was denied his due in the party.

The chief minister has since made an outreach to Mumbai’s growing Marathi film industry. On Wednesday, he shared the dais with film director Mahesh Manjrekar and the MNS chief Raj Thackeray at the launch of a Marathi historical. He has also announced the development of a new film city at Uttan near Bhayandar and a few days ago he met representatives of the Marathi film industry and promised to resolve their issues.

“He (Shinde) had wished to produce biopics on both Bal Thackeray and Anand Dighe for several years. Though he was not involved in the film on Bal Thackeray, in the end it was made by Sanjay Raut, Shindesaheb was not happy with the production. It seemed like a documentary rather than a proper feature film,” says a leader close to the chief minister. “Which is why great care was taken in the making of the Dighe biopic.”

The film has been seen as an attempt to project Shinde as Dighe’s political heir and reaffirm his leadership at the state level. That its release coincided with the rebellion also helped project him as a legatee of Dighe’s brand of Hindutva. The sequel will now hit the screens ahead of the 2024 general elections and is expected to help him shape the narrative in the battle with Uddhav Thackeray on who the real custodian of the Shiv Sena is.

While confirming the development of the sequel, producer Mangesh Desai said, “The sequel will not give undue mileage to any politician. It would entirely be about Dighesaheb. Some say that the original film was financed by Shindesaheb, but believe me I sold my house to produce that film. Though he supported the production in every other manner which was crucial. Shindesaheb, in fact, ensured that there was no unnecessary importance given to his own character in the film and even edited some of his scenes from the film.” While he refused to go into the details of the production of the sequel, Desai promised it would have “a few twists and turns that will make the film a hit.”