Panipat puts the spotlight on unsung hero Sadashiv Rao Bhau

Known for his penchant for making films on historical figures, filmmaker Ashutosh Gowariker is in the news for his next period drama - 'Panipat: The Great Betrayal'. Starring Arjun Kapoor, Sanjay Dutt and Kriti Sanon, the film is also said to be the brainchild of London-based Rohit Shelatkar, who is producing the film it under his banner, Vision World.
A history and film-buff like Gowarikar, Shelatkar started researching on the Third Battle of Panipat (1761) five years ago.Talking about the film, he said that no one has ever heard a story of such bravery and magnitude, where one army with limited resources travelled a thousand miles to help another in their war with the invaders - the Afghan army led by Ahmad Shah Abdali.”

Giving his reasons for making a film on a battle that the Marathas lost, he explains that while several films have been made on Chhatrapati Shivaji and Sambhaji Maharaj, not many have heard the name of Sadashiv Rao Bhau. He sacrificed his life and the Afghans never invaded India after this battle again.
Rohit says that casting Arjun and Kriti was Gowarikar's choice, but casting Sanjay as Abdali was his idea. This film is set to release on December 6, 2019.