Wouldn’t have let anyone else play Savitri in Tanhaji, says Kajol

Kajol is returning with husband and actor Ajay Devgn on screen after quite a while in Tanhaji: The Unsung Warrior.

Directed by Om Raut, the film tells the story of the Maratha general Tanaji Malusare, with Ajay Devgn playing the titular character and Kajol his wife Savitri.

At a promotional interview for the film, Kajol candidly said she was the only choice for the role and would not have had it any other way. “I was the ultimate choice," she said, laughing. "I was the only choice. Considering it is Ajay’s 100th film and the kind of film it is, I wouldn’t have let anyone else play the role!”

Kajol said she finds working with Devgn different as compared to working with other stars. “We have worked a lot together,” she said. “We have done 10 films. And we have also married [each other]. Even that has completed 20 years (laughs). So, it’s a lot of work off screen and on screen that we have done together. So, it’s very comfortable. It feels like home.”

During another promotional interview, Devgn had said he was involved a lot in the making of the film. In fact, he felt that making the film was a bigger challenge than playing the character of Tanaji. Kajol confirmed this.

“Ajay is 50% actor and 50% director," she said. "So that 50% director always used to tell me if I have erred somewhere or something is lacking. So, he used to say I can do this again or do it differently. I am very lucky that I am working with such a co-star.”

Historical films have got mired in controversies in recent years, with some or the other person or group taking offence. To this, Kajol said, “It’s a free country. Everybody has a right to have an opinion and speak out as well. But as far as Tanhaji is concerned, we have tried our best to not hurt anyone in any way. I won’t say much about other films, but I think they also must have tried doing the same. Either they must have erred or the people who got offended. But I think that much creative freedom should be there.”

As far as the research is concerned, Kajol said there isn’t much info available on Tanaji, so they had to use their creativity: “We have portrayed it [the character] and kept it as historically accurate as possible. There isn’t much written about Tanaji. But if I go through the character I feel Ajay fits it perfectly.”

Tanhaji: The Unsung Warrior was released today.