Bajirao’s portrayal in film strikes wrong chord in his birthplace

Dubere (Nashik): The release of the film ‘Bajirao Mastani’ has struck an unhappy note in a non-descript village, about 40 km from Nashik city. Villagers from Dubere in Sinnar taluka of Nashik district, who are the descendants of Bajirao Peshwa’s maternal family, are upset with the depiction of their warrior hero.
More than four centuries ago, Bajirao was born to the first Peshwa of the Maratha Empire, Balaji Vishwanath Bhat, and his wife, Radhabai, at the ancestral wada (palace) here.The beautiful stone-and-wood building is still home to the descendants of Radhabai’s maternal family, the Barves, who have conserved the wada and kept his memories alive.
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The family members and Dubere villagers are disappointed with the portrayal of Bajirao in the film. “Initially, we were happy when producer-director Sanjay Leela Bhansali announced he would make a film on Bajirao Peshwa,” said professor Chandrashekhar Barve, the ninth-generation descendant of Malhardadaji Barve, Bajirao’s maternal uncle. “But the promos and the songs have disappointed us. The warrior, who tirelessly fought 41 battles and never lost, has been shown dancing and uttering slang language in the song. This is ridiculous.”
The family has preserved the room where Bajirao was born. An old sword, daggers and spears used by warriors from the Barve family are kept in the room. An old wooden bed used by Radhabai, too, has been preserved. “We have stopped personal use of this room for the past three-four generations,” said Barve, pointing towards a portrait of the Peshwa placed in the room.
Most villagers take pride in their association with Bajirao. “The movie has made a mockery of Bajirao, an unsung hero of Indian history,” said Ayub Sheikh, a resident and founder member of the Shrimant Thorle Bajirao Peshve Cooperative Society. “While showing a historical character, you must stick to facts.”
Narayan Vaje, a senior citizen and founder of the cooperative society, said: “The Peshwa has always been ignored in history for some reason or the other. It took over 100 years for the Indian film industry to make a movie on him. The most unfortunate part is that the movie has a wrong portrayal of Peshwa’s character.”
Youngsters in the village are unhappy with the film’s promos. “Bajirao Peshwa is the pride of this village,” said Rahul Mali, a college student. “We were unhappy with the song ‘Malhari’ — with its dances and the use of Marathi slang. Still, the movie is based on our icon and there’s no problem in watching it once.”