Renowned Marathi film actor Subodh Bhave is set to play the role of the 17th-century poet and religious figure Sant Tukaram in his Hindi biopic. The movie, which is as yet untitled, has been written and is being directed by Aditya Om and produced by B Gautam and Purushottam Studios.
Bhave has acted in a number of Marathi-language biopics such as Balgandharva (2011), Lokmanya: Ek Yug Purush (2015) and Aani... Dr Kashinath Ghanekar (2018).
Speaking about the film, Aditya Om told Cinestaan.com exclusively, “To get the right actor to play Tukaram was not easy. First and foremost, it’s a challenging portrayal that requires a lot of sacrifice and transformation, not to mention discipline, on the part of the actor. It’s also a risky subject as Sant Tukaram was not only a great devotee but also a reformer and rebel who spoke on thorny social issues and the caste system too.”
He shared that the makers had approached other actors before Bhave. “Some actors were apprehensive about taking up the challenge but fortunately Subodh Bhave not only took up the offer but also gave serious input and encouraged us to push the envelope content-wise. So we are definitely glad to have such a professional and dedicated actor on board.”
Around a decade ago, Jitendra Joshi had played the role of Tukaram in the Marathi film of the same name.
Aditya Om had earlier directed the critically acclaimed Maassab (2021).