Playing Nathuram Godse in a movie called ‘Why I killed Gandhi’ has landed Nationalist Congress Party’s (NCP) Lok Sabha MP and actor Amol Kolhe in trouble after his party colleague and Maharashtra Minister Jitendra Awhad has warned of protest against the film.
Mr. Kolhe, who is best known for playing the character of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in a Marathi television serial has portrayed Godse in a movie that is set to release on January 30 on an OTT platform. The trailer of the film was released recently.
“It is clear that Amol Kolhe has played Nathuram Godse in the movie. Even though he is an actor, the film is nothing but glorification of Godse. One cannot support the murder of Mahatma Gandhi under the garb of being an actor,” said Mr. Awhad.
The Minister was in the forefront of Statewide protests against the Marathi plays glorifying Godse a decade ago. Godse’s character was played by senior actors late Vinay Apte, Sharad Ponkshe who had come under severe criticism then. “Maharashtra’s progressive citizens opposed then, and even today I stand with a similar position. I will oppose this anti-Gandhi film,” said Mr. Awhad.
Mr. Kolhe however, claimed that the shooting of the film took place in 2017 when he was neither the member of the NCP nor an elected representative. “I think linking my present political affiliation to my acting choices in 2017 is unjustified. I am an actor and have played the part as required on screen. In reel life, an actor gets to play a character with whom you do not agree but it challenges you. But in real life, I have no love for Godse nor I have hate against Mahatma Gandhi,” he said.
