When Marathas beat the Brits

During his recent visit to Pune and Wadgaon, Joffe said he was fascinated by the character of a young lieutenant of the British army in the Battle of Wadgaon, James Stewart. Historians, however, say Stewart has been deliberately glorified by the British to hide their humiliating defeat and to ignore the contribution of Mahadji Shinde, the Maratha General and founder of the Gwalior dynasty who they say was the real hero of the battle.

According to Jhankar, the film is based on the re-incarnation of a spy, played by Rai, while the main protagonist, played by Oberoi, is of a Maratha soldier.

But even before the shooting has begun, people have begun questioning the film8217;s portrayal of the battle and the glorification of Stewart who critics say, was killed ten days before the battle.

Jhankar is unwilling to spell out Stewart8217;s role in the film. 8216;8216;As for Lt Stewart8217;s character, he8217;s like a good man in bad company. In any storyline, the hero is one whose character is justifiable. In this case, Stewart8217;s character is not since he is fighting for the party which is in the wrong, hence he8217;s an anti-hero. Mahadji Shinde, plays a commander in the Indian army, who has a strong, positive role, but isn8217;t the lead character.8217;8217;

Anticipating the glorification of Stewart, Col retd Anil Athale, an expert on Anglo-Maratha History, dashed off a letter to the I038;B Minister, under the aegis of Initiative of Peace and Disarmament INPAD, early last week.

8216;8216;8230;History books in Maharashtra talked of the brave 8216;Ishtur Fakda8217; Brave Stewart and his non-existent heroics. A grave in Wadgaon was identified as that of Stewart and an annual fair was begun in honour. The memory of shameful English defeat was cleverly obliterated and replaced by the myth of a brave Englishman who single-handed, fought against hordes of natives.8217;8217;

Athale has requested that the Government of India 8216;8216;ask for the script and ban him from filming in India an subsequently banning the film from being imported in the country.8217;8217;

8216;8216;Ajey Jhankar wasn8217;t even aware of this battle and his attention was drawn by the efforts of a handful of people in Pune in trying to project the correct history and restore the glory of Indians. Now, ironically, he is out to again destroy the very history by taking cinematic liberties and by being hand-in-glove with Americans,8217;8217; says Athale.

Jhankar presents his defence. 8216;8216;No one has read my script, so how can someone object to these issues? I have only taken certain creative liberties which is definitely not bound by people8217;s thought processes. I feel it8217;s unfair to comment on someone8217;s work, without even knowing the substance of it.8217;8217;

Says noted Maratha historian, S M Garge, who was the historical consultant for Sanjay Khan8217;s popular television serial, The Great Maratha but later withdrew his name in protest over alleged distortion of Maratha history: 8216;8216;It is a fact that Lt Stewart has been given undue importance over the years which is unfortunate. I hope the movie does not further propagate the distortion.8217;8217;

with inputs by Debanjana Chauduri