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Mohnish Bahl signs Ashutosh Gowariker’s period drama Panipat

Actor Mohnish Bahl, best remembered for his performances in Sooraj Barjatya’s blockbuster family entertainers Maine Pyar Kiya (1989), Hum Aapke Hain Koun! (1994) and Hum Saath Saath Hain (1998), is set to make comeback to films after a gap of four years.

Last seen in Salman Khan’s Jai Ho (2014), Bahl has been signed on to play a pivotal part in acclaimed filmmaker Ashutosh Gowariker’s much-awaited war period drama Panipat, which stars superstar Sanjay Dutt, Arjun Kapoor and Kriti Sanon in lead roles.


Reportedly, Mohnish has been cast to play the character of Nana Saheb aka Balaji Baji Rao, a Maratha Peshwa. Talking about his character, producer Sunita Gowariker says, “Nana Saheb is a multilayered character and Mohnish, an immensely talented and versatile actor, comes with years of experience. He has never failed to impress with his performance”.

Panipat, which was officially announced earlier this year, revolves around the Third Battle of Panipat which was fought on January 14, 1761, between the Marathas and the invading forces of the King of Afghanistan, Ahmad Shah Abdali, supported by two Indian allies.

Meanwhile, this year has been pretty good for Mohnish Bahl. Recently, Salman Khan signed her daughter Pranutan for a film called Notebook, to be made under his banner Salman Khan Films, and now Bahl has himself landed a plum role in Panipat.

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Yash says Ravana in Ramayana must connect with Western viewers as film eyes global audience

Highlights

  • Yash says he humanised Ravana to help global audiences relate to the character.
  • Asura designs in the first glimpse drew criticism for looking too Western-inspired.
  • Producer Namit Malhotra compares the film's tone to Lord of the Rings and Gladiator.
Yash, who plays the demon king Ravana in Nitesh Tiwari's Ramayana, says his portrayal was shaped by one clear goal: making the character relatable beyond Indian audiences.
Speaking at CinemaCon in Las Vegas this week, where the film was presented alongside major Hollywood releases, the actor said he worked to strip away the purely mythological reading of the role.

"I have tried to internalise the whole essence of Ravana and tried to make him as human as possible at times," Yash told Reuters.

"It is important for people to relate to him, and since we have global ambitions, we need to make it familiar to a Western audience as well."

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