Mumbai: Renowned filmmaker Om Raut says his fascination with the historic legacies of Maharashtra's eminent personalities has been a lifelong passion.
Known for films such as 'Lokmanya: Ek Yugpurush', 'Tanhaji: The Unsung Warrior' and the upcoming 'Inspector Zende', Raut has consistently drawn from the region's rich historical tapestry, combining cinematic scale with culturally authenticity.
"Since childhood I was very interested in the historical stories of the great people of Maharashtra. I want to tell the stories that are in our culture and the great history of India. Being a Marathi boy from Maharashtra, I grew up listening to these stories. My grandparents and parents told me these stories. Whatever I have understood, I try to present it again through cinema," said Om Raut.
"I am very proud to be a Marathi. I come from Maharashtrian culture, so I am very attracted to the stories of India's great people. I think all these people have a huge contribution in making today's India, including people pre and post independence. That's why, I like to tell the stories of my soil. That's why we made films like 'Lokmanya: Ek Yugpurush' and 'Tanhaji: The Unsung Warrior', which focused on Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj's Subedar Tanaji Malusare," he said.
"All these great people, including Inspector Zende, are from the soil of Maharashtra. The contribution these people have made to the prosperity of our country is very important. I like to bring everything I know about such great people to the audience."