National-award-winning filmmaker Ravi Jadhav, the man behind the much-acclaimed biographical drama Main Atal Hoon, speaks to The Pioneer and shares some exclusive anecdotes from the making, getting Pankaj Tripathi onboard, and more…
SHIKHA DUGGAL
The global digital premiere of the biographical drama Main Atal Hoon was announced by ZEE5. Main Atal Hoon, helmed by the renowned National Award-winning filmmaker Ravi Jadhav and starring the versatile National Award-winning actor Pankaj Tripathi as former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, transports viewers on an incredible journey through the life and political legacy of one of India’s most iconic and illustrious leaders.
“When we started our research, we discovered something remarkable,” the director Ravi begins to say as The Pioneer begins to share exclusive anecdotes with him under the guise of the same. “During Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s time in college, he gave a speech on the pervasiveness of caste prejudice and its imperative elimination. He further promised that if the caste system continued, he would throw away his sacred thread (janeu). This was regarded as noteworthy, particularly in light of the pervasiveness of caste prejudice in those days.” The willingness of a college student to talk about and debate such significant societal issues was astounding. In addition, he composed a poem titled Hindu Tan-Man at the age of barely 18. In contrast to caste, his understanding of Hindutva was centered on the well-being of India. “This was important because it demonstrated his pride in being an Indian and his commitment to his country. His understanding of Hindutva caught my attention while filming when he stated that a true Hindu is someone who has a strong sense of identity with India. During the filming, this discovery deepened our comprehension of him.”
Main Atal Hoon chronicles the political career of this towering member of parliament, who served for more than 40 years and was awarded the Bharat Ratna in December 2014. Atalji transformed India’s position in the world irrevocably, laying the groundwork for an India poised to assume the mantle of global leadership in the twenty-first century. A nation of youth found inspiration in Vajpayee’s simplicity, purity, dignity, empathy, and personal non-attachment to the position. His legacy continues to serve as a beacon of hope for current and future political leaders.
In keeping with this, the filmmaker even went on to tell us “the scene of his speech in parliament when his government fell within 13 days, which was already highly popular on social media. We were all experiencing intense emotions when we were filming it! I can still clearly remember how we were all completely absorbed in the moment while filming, with the actress playing Sushma Swaraj’s role sitting behind Tripathi ji. We all thought that it was really difficult to film this moment because of the strong emotions that were present. What Atal Ji must have gone through during that episode is beyond imagination.”
Under the auspices of Bhanushali Studios Limited and Legend Studios, Vinod Bhanushali, Sandeep Singh, and Kamlesh Bhanushali produced the film, which illuminates the complex character of Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee by portraying him not only as a political figure but also as a gentleman with boundless patience, an unwavering patriot, a gifted orator, and a leader who was far ahead of his time.
“Pankaj Tripathi was the only option for the role of Main Atal Hoon,” according to director Ravi Jadhav. “I’m happy he agreed to be a part of this film, as his involvement truly made this journey even more remarkable,” the director added. With the film’s premiere, they sincerely hope that Main Hoon Atal, their small homage to Atal ji—an inspirational leader who was far ahead of his time—reaches the minds and hearts of all Indians worldwide. There is so much to learn and absorb from this visionary man!
“It was a real honour for me to get to portray one of our country’s most illustrious leaders who laid the foundation for our country’s success,” stated lead actor Pankaj Tripathi. “Even though I already knew about Atal Ji and his incredible political path, this movie showed me a lot more of his inspirational traits and aspects, which have since had a lasting impact on my life. One of the greatest moments of my career has been playing Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee, and I am thankful for it. I implore all Indians worldwide to view this amazing man’s story and learn many lessons.”
The global digital premiere of the biographical drama Main Atal Hoon was announced by ZEE5. Main Atal Hoon, helmed by the renowned National Award-winning filmmaker Ravi Jadhav and starring the versatile National Award-winning actor Pankaj Tripathi as former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, transports viewers on an incredible journey through the life and political legacy of one of India’s most iconic and illustrious leaders.
“When we started our research, we discovered something remarkable,” the director Ravi begins to say as The Pioneer begins to share exclusive anecdotes with him under the guise of the same. “During Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s time in college, he gave a speech on the pervasiveness of caste prejudice and its imperative elimination. He further promised that if the caste system continued, he would throw away his sacred thread (janeu). This was regarded as noteworthy, particularly in light of the pervasiveness of caste prejudice in those days.” The willingness of a college student to talk about and debate such significant societal issues was astounding. In addition, he composed a poem titled Hindu Tan-Man at the age of barely 18. In contrast to caste, his understanding of Hindutva was centered on the well-being of India. “This was important because it demonstrated his pride in being an Indian and his commitment to his country. His understanding of Hindutva caught my attention while filming when he stated that a true Hindu is someone who has a strong sense of identity with India. During the filming, this discovery deepened our comprehension of him.”
Main Atal Hoon chronicles the political career of this towering member of parliament, who served for more than 40 years and was awarded the Bharat Ratna in December 2014. Atalji transformed India’s position in the world irrevocably, laying the groundwork for an India poised to assume the mantle of global leadership in the twenty-first century. A nation of youth found inspiration in Vajpayee’s simplicity, purity, dignity, empathy, and personal non-attachment to the position. His legacy continues to serve as a beacon of hope for current and future political leaders.
In keeping with this, the filmmaker even went on to tell us “the scene of his speech in parliament when his government fell within 13 days, which was already highly popular on social media. We were all experiencing intense emotions when we were filming it! I can still clearly remember how we were all completely absorbed in the moment while filming, with the actress playing Sushma Swaraj’s role sitting behind Tripathi ji. We all thought that it was really difficult to film this moment because of the strong emotions that were present. What Atal Ji must have gone through during that episode is beyond imagination.”
Under the auspices of Bhanushali Studios Limited and Legend Studios, Vinod Bhanushali, Sandeep Singh, and Kamlesh Bhanushali produced the film, which illuminates the complex character of Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee by portraying him not only as a political figure but also as a gentleman with boundless patience, an unwavering patriot, a gifted orator, and a leader who was far ahead of his time.
“Pankaj Tripathi was the only option for the role of Main Atal Hoon,” according to director Ravi Jadhav. “I’m happy he agreed to be a part of this film, as his involvement truly made this journey even more remarkable,” the director added. With the film’s premiere, they sincerely hope that Main Hoon Atal, their small homage to Atal ji—an inspirational leader who was far ahead of his time—reaches the minds and hearts of all Indians worldwide. There is so much to learn and absorb from this visionary man!
“It was a real honour for me to get to portray one of our country’s most illustrious leaders who laid the foundation for our country’s success,” stated lead actor Pankaj Tripathi. “Even though I already knew about Atal Ji and his incredible political path, this movie showed me a lot more of his inspirational traits and aspects, which have since had a lasting impact on my life. One of the greatest moments of my career has been playing Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee, and I am thankful for it. I implore all Indians worldwide to view this amazing man’s story and learn many lessons.”
