A political war of words broke out between the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena and the rival Sena (UBT) over “Dharmaveer 2”, as the sequel to the Marathi biopic about the life and times of late Sena leader Anand Dighe hit the screens on Friday, ahead of the Maharashtra Assembly polls.

Hours after the premiere of the “Dharmaveer 2”—at which deputy chief minister and BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis made some remarks, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut singled out Fadnavis for criticism.

“Dharmaveer 2” is a sequel to the Marathi biopic ‘Dharmaveer: Mukkam Post Thane’ released on May 13, 2022 that had proved to be a propaganda vehicle for senior Minister Eknath Shinde in the run-up to his rebellion within the Sena and his subsequent elevation as the chief minister  of a government supported by the BJP on June 30, 2022.

In ‘Dharmaveer: Mukkam Post Thane’, the character of Shinde, who used to be the close aide of late Dighe, has been played up by the makers to give a larger-than-life image to the Sena leader who is now known across the country as being the rebel Sena minister who brought down the Uddhav Thackeray government.

Dighe, who remained a bachelor, died at the age of 50 while undergoing treatment at Thane’s Singhania hospital following a road accident in Thane in 2001. After Dighe’s death in 2001, the hospital was burnt down by Dighe’s supporters.

Speaking at the premiere of “Dharmaveer 2”,  Fadnavis made a tongue-cheek comment when he said: “This is based on true facts…this is about people whom we have seen, heard and read about…I am sure people would like the movie. When Dharmaveer 3 is made, I will write the script”. Fadnavis was accompanied by state BJP President Chandrashekhar Bawankule at the function.

Not taking kindly to Fadnavis’ statement, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP and spokesperson Sanjay Raut said: “We know all about Dharmaveer…Shinde and Fadnavis do not know what we know about Dharmaveer (Dighe).

Dighe was was the President of the Shiv Sena’s Thane unit. He was a good leader. Now with the help of BJP, the Shinde Sena is trying to make him bigger than late Shiv Sena chief Balasaheb Thackeray”

“Fadnavis says he is going to write the script of Dharmaveer-3. What does he know about the Shiv Sena or Dighe... He should write a script for a film on today’s Aurangzeb…the Aurangzeb and Afzal Khan from Delhi and Gujarat who are out to loot Maharashtra,” Raut said.

Before long, Shinde’s close aide and newly elected Sena MP Naresh Mhaske said: “Dharamveer 1 was a hit film... Dharamveer 2 is going to be a super hit. This is

why Raut is upset... Balasaheb was Balasaheb… he was the Guru  and Dighe was his disciple”.

Taking a dig at Raut over the failure of “Thackeray” -- a 2019 Marthi-Hindi biopic on late Bal Thackeray in which actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui played the protagonist’s role – at the box office, Mhaske said:  “Raut also made a film on late Balasaheb Thackeray which turned out to be a flop.

Raut wants to make a film on Sharad Pawar….He does not know anything about Balasaheb, what will he know about Dighe Saheb. Sanjay Raut and Uddhav Thackeray always hated Dighe Saheb”.