Shivraj Ashtak: Why Digpal Lanjekar's Cinematic Universe Deserves An All-India Audience

Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj is a sacred, revered figure for Maharashtrians nay, Indians. He was not just any other king who established his kingdom by dethroning a weak incumbent. He is revered because his ideals, his actions, and vision changed the course of history.

Many historians have written biographies and historical accounts of Maharaj. Some of the most authentic historians among these were Gajanan Bhaskar Mehendale, V. S. Bendre, Jadunath Sarkar, V. K. Rajwade, T. S. Shejwalkar and many more. There are great scholars like Narhar Kurundkar who have put forth brilliant analyses on the life and times of Shivaji Maharaj on various platforms. I would like to quote what Narhar Kurundkar has stated about Maharaj, and will then get to the topic of this piece:

The great personality has been inspiring and will continue to inspire authors, filmmakers, playwrights, painters, and sculptors.

There is a great legacy of novels based on the life and times of Maharaj. There is a great legacy of playwrights. And the unforgettable legacy of Bhalji Pendharkar and his movies based on Shivaji Maharaj.

In the modern period, Shivaji Maharaj came back to the screen with great production value, and historical accuracy, with the TV serial, Raja Shivchhatrapati. Starring Amol Kolhe, Mrunal Kulkarni, and many others.

Now, writer-director Digpal Lanjekar has brought Shivaji Maharaj to the big screen with his Shivraj Ashtak (eight movies based on the life and times of Shivaji Maharaj), starring Chinmay Mandlekar as Shivaji Maharaj, and Mrunal Kulkarni as Rajmata Jijabai in all the movies. This can be termed as Shivaji Maharaj universe, using a Marvel term.

The saga started with the film Farzand. It was based on the valour of Kondaji Farzand (starring Ankit Mohan as the eponymous hero) and Annaji Datto who captured the Panhala fort with only 60 troops.

The second movie was Fatteshikast, based on what is rightly termed as India's first 'surgical strike'. This was a daring attack, led by Shivaji Maharaj himself, on Shahista Khan at Pune's Lal Mahal.

The third film in the series is Pawankhind (starring Ajay Purkar as Bajiprabhu Deshpande) showing the glorious saga of valour and sacrifice of Bajiprabhu Deshpande and the Bandal army at the Pawankhind.

And the latest offering is Sher Shivraj-Swari Afjalkhan; a movie showcasing the mind-games of diplomacy and strategic war planning that preceded the Chhatrapati's victory over Afzal Khan.

The next film will show Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj's stunning act of escape from Agra.

These movies have come, and are coming, at the right time.

When technology blends with Indian stories, stories of valour, stories of Indic values, it puts forward the Indic perspective before the audience in an engaging way and has a profound effect on them. Be it the magnum opus Baahubali or the Shivraj Ashtak.

Though Baahubali was entirely fiction, it offered great visuals of Indic ideals; the Shivraj Ashtak, on the other hand, is based on the life of a great man. There is little scope for liberty here, especially in the current times when sensitivity is at its peak. But director Digpal Lanjekar has shown himself to be a class apart.

Lanjekar has a tremendous hold over historical facts. He has studied the primary sources of history. He has studied the historical texts. He has a hold over folk tales. He has the great ability to build a perfect screenplay based on undisputed historical facts, folk tales, and legends, and only takes creative liberty to make the art more attractive.

For example, take the first film, Farzand. Here, primary sources and writings of historians say that only 60 troops climbed the mountain, fought, and captured the Panhala fort. To make this fact into a feature-length film, creative liberty was mandatory. So folk tales, stories of espionage, gathering of troops, stories of families of generals and soldiers came in.

Or take the example of Fatteshikast and Sher Shivraj. Between them, they show a daring act like the attack on Lal Mahal and a masterpiece of strategic planning like the battle of Pratapgad i.e. Afzalkhan Swari, which was impossible without intelligence gathering. History mentions a few names of spies in Shivaji Maharaj's armies. The head of the intelligence department of Shivaji Maharaj, known as the eyes of Maharaj, Bahirji Naik's namem is only mentioned in some sources (a sign of success of the intel forces). So the writer-director took creative liberty and created characters who helped Bahirji Naik in intel gathering. When the creative liberty adds to the craft, it takes the movie to a new level. Lanjekar has got the knack.

Finally, the most important thing in the Shivraj Ashtak universe is the unapologetic portrayal of Hindu symbols.

In modern times, there is an unnecessary, uncalled-for tendency to prove Shivaji Maharaj as a 'secular' ruler; 'secular' as defined in current terms. Digpal Lanjekar however, portrays the temples, Shivaji Maharaj performing daily offerings, Maharaj's court having a large Bhavani murti, a large Hanuman statue at the place where they practice warfare, references to Ayurveda, its use in strategic warfare, references to ancient texts like Agnipurana for ancient weaponry, dream scenes depicting Bhavani herself blessing Shivaji Maharaj, among others in his movies. Even the destruction of the Tuljapur Bhavani idol, and breaking of the Pandharpur temple is not glossed over and is depicted in the films.

All four movies of the promised eight have received critical acclaim and commercial success at the box office.

The Marathi cinema industry has been recharged with the Shivraj Ashtak universe. It is equally necessary to take the saga of Shivaji Maharaj to a pan-India level with the same honesty and integrity.