What Happened When Bal Thackeray Saw Mani Ratnam's 'Bombay'?

Bal Thackeray is a prominent name on the list when it comes to 'Son of the Soil' politics in India. Popularly known as 'Hindu Hridaysamrat'. He championed the pro-Marathi rights and stood for the native community in Maharashtra. The formation of 'Shiv Sena' culminated all his efforts towards uplifting the 'Marathi Manoos.'

However, the rise had its dark sides. His inflammatory statements and controversial stands against Muslim and regional migrants in Mumbai made Thackeray infamous and famous amongst the masses.

When Thackeray Saw Mani Ratnam's 'Bombay'

The years 1992-1993 were marred by violent riots in Mumbai, directly resulting from the Babri Masjid demolition in the preceding year. To date, it is considered one of the worst communal conflicts in the country.

The public came to know about the conspirators from both ends. While the notorious underworld bosses instigated some Muslims in the city, Bal Thackeray's Shiv Sena was known to play an active role in the pogrom.

In light of this, prominent filmmaker Mani Ratnam made the film 'Bombay' in 1995, starring Manisha Koirala and Arvind Swamy in pivotal roles. The story revolved around the couple's interfaith marriage in the backdrop of the Mumbai riots.

During this time, Shiv Sena's stronghold over Mumbai was particular that resulted in the film being in troubled waters. Therefore, to mitigate this problem, actor Amitabh Bachchan, the distributor of the Hindi version, set up a meeting between Thackeray and Mani Ratnam where the film was screened.

While the former liked the film, he gave the green light to the release only when certain cuts were made. A scene with Tinnu Anand loosely depicted as the Shiv Sena supremo is seen instigating the riots, and in another, he regrets the entire incident. With Anand's uncanny resemblance to Bal Thackeray, Shiv Sena's involvement was highlighted further.

However, it was Thackeray's reaction to the second scene that sends a chill down everyone's spine. According to The Times of India, he objected that he was portrayed to be repenting his actions, and in fact, he regrets absolutely nothing about his involvement.

The Aftermath

Despite his reluctance, Mani Ratnam had to succumb to the pressure. India Today quotes, "Even cutting a bit of my film hurts….but it had to be done." The film was received with rave reviews and protests. Cities like Bhopal, Dharwar, Hyderabad, Hubli, Meerut etc., stood against the movie's release. Staunch Hindus and Muslims strongly opposed the film as it showed 'love jihad' in an interfaith marriage.

The incident further cemented Bal Thackeray's image as that of an unapologetic and ruthless leader who stood for Hindutva and 'Marathi Manoos' no matter what. History is proof that his involvement in the riots and statements against the Muslim community has only shaped the public in the most unfortunate way.

Also Read: Shiv Sena Suggests Congress To Rebuild UPA To End Debate On Its Existence