Good to be compared with 'Bajirao Mastani': Gowariker on 'Panipat'

Director Ashutosh Gowariker on Saturday said he doesn't mind parallels being drawn between his upcoming directorial "Panipat" and "Bajirao Mastani" as Sanjay Leela Bhansali's magnum opus was a well-made film.

"Panipat" chronicles the third Battle of Panipat in 1761 fought between the Marathas, under the leadership of Sadashivrao Bhau, and invading Afghan army, led by Ahmad Shah Abdali.

Arjun Kapoor stars as Sadashivrao and Sanjay Dutt plays Ahmad Shah in the film, scheduled to be released on December 6.

The period drama is also being compared to Bhansali's latest "Padmaavat" over similarities between the looks of Sanjay's Ahmad Shah and Ranveer Singh's Alauddin Khilji.

"Comparisons will always be there. When I made 'Jodhaa Akbar', my direct comparison was with 'Mughal-E-Azam'. There was no connection, but it was probably because the film was set in the Mughal period and had Akbar in it. When 'Bajirao Mastani' had come, it was compared to 'Jodhaa Akbar'... When 'Padmaavat' trailer came, it was compared to 'Baahubali'.

"As an audience, we tend to compare it with the previous hit film. It is good. In our film, Sadashivrao Bhau is the next generation of Bajirao. It is the story 20 years later. So maybe the house, 'Shanichar Vada', the clothes may remain and look same. If comparison is there, it is good as Bajirao Mastani' was a good film," Gowariker told reporters.

The filmmaker was speaking at the song launch of "Panipat".

He said it took him about one-and-a-half year to write the script. Pune-based historian Pandurang Balkawade was also a part of the film's writers room.

Gowarikar said he was toying with the idea of making a film on the important historical event for a while.

"Though we had lost the Battle of Panipat, we don't know why we lost, what happened. This is the only battle in the world in which an army walked a thousand kilometres to stop an attack. I was amazed how Marathas came from Pune and reached Panipat. It is a story of their courage, so I had to share it with everyone."
"But when you bring history to screen, you have to deduct and keep a path ready about where you story will start and end."