Producer: Thackeray was not anti-Muslim
in ‘Thackeray’. Politician and film producer Sanjay Raut, who is also the writer of the forthcoming film Thackeray based on Bal Thackeray, the founder of right-wing political party Shiv Sena, says that though there is a perception that the late politician was “anti-Muslim”, it is not true.
The producer was present along with the cast and crew of the film for the launch of the song album. Asked if Thackeray disliked and maintained a distance from the Muslim community, Raut said: “Bala saab [sir] was never an anti-Muslim man. He was a true patriot. He was one of those lovers of the nation and people’s person that never allowed caste and religion to come in between…
“People asked us why we cast Nawazuddin [Siddiqui] bhai [brother] as saab in the film. I would say that this is the biggest salute from us to the ideology of Bala saab. Also, note that Nakash Aziz sang the title song of Thackeray because we believe that saab kept merit beyond religion.”
Raut also added that “his vision was to bring people together for the development of the nation”.
Thackeray will release in India on January 25.