The first poster for The Battle Of Bhima Koregaon sees a long-haired and bearded Arjun Rampal playing a battle-hardened warrior. The film also stars Digangana Suryavanshi in the role of Mahar Ladaaka while Abhimanyu Singh plays peshwa Bajirao II. The movie will also see Sunny Leone perform a lavani number. All three artistes are seen in character on the poster.
The film is based on the now controversial battle fought between the British East India Company and the Peshwa's faction of the Maratha confederacy on 1 January 1818 at Bhima Koregaon. The British forces, mostly comprising Mahar soldiers, beat back a much larger army.
The Mahars and others considered untouchable by the Brahmin Peshwas celebrate the battle today as a symbol of their victory over upper-caste oppression. Every year on 1 January, a large number of Dalits visit Bhima Koregaon to commemorate the victory.
On the second centenary of the battle in 2018, there was tension between Dalits and people from the so-called upper castes in the area, resulting in violence. Since then, the battle of Bhima Koregaon has been embroiled in controversy.
Meanwhile, in a separate development, Rampal and girlfriend Gabriella Demetriades have been summoned by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) tomorrow in connection with its investigation into drug use in the film industry.