Filmmaker Ashutosh Gowariker, who is gearing up for the release of his next film titled “Panipat’, has said that he is happy that his forthcoming historical drama film is being compared with Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s magnum opus ‘Bajirao Masttani’ which released in 2015. Gowariker added that it’s obvious that two films having same genre will be compared with each other.

Ashutosh Gowariker was interacting with the media at the ‘Mann Mein Shiva’ song launch from ‘Panipat’ along with film’s cast Arjun Kapoor, Kriti Sanon, music composers Ajay-Atul and film’s producer Sunita Gowariker on Saturday in Mumbai.

Since the trailer of ‘Panipat’ has released, people are comparing the film with Ranveer Singh and Deepika Padukone starrer ‘Bajirao Mastani’, as both films revolved around Peshwas of Maratha empire, reacting to those comparisons, Gowariker said, “I feel comparisons are bound to happen. When I made ‘Jodha Akbar’, it was compared with ‘Mughal-E-Azam’. There wasn’t any connection between two stories but both films showed Mughal period and King Akbar was the only similarity between both films. When ‘Bajirao Mastani’ released, it was compared with ‘Jodha Akbar’ again, both films have no connection with each other. ‘Padmaavat’ was compared with ‘Baahubali’.”

Gowariker said that it’s a good thing that his film is being compared with ‘Bajirao Mastani’ which was a well-made film, he said, “I think as an audience, we compare latest film with the previous film which is in the same genre. It’s a good thing and I don’t have any problem with it. In our film, the character of Sadashiv Rao (Arjun Kapoor) is the next generation of Bajirao (Peshwa Bajirao). Peshwa Bajirao and Chimaji Appa were brothers and Sadashive Rao is the son of Chimaji Appa so, it’s a story after 20 years so, it is obvious that their costumes, culture, standard of living and homes will be the same. It is automatic and natural comparison between two films. I think if people are comparing our film with ‘Bajirao Mastani’ then, its good thing because it was really a well-made film. So at least, we are happy that we are being compared with good film.”

Talking about Afghan King Ahmad Shah Abdali’s character played by Sanjay Dutt being compared with Ranveer Singh’s character of Alauddin Khilji from ‘Padmaavat’, Gowariker said, “Invaders were always there and they wore certain kind of costumes which was common. We had only one image of Ahmad Shah Abdali in a form of painting so, we took inspiration from that painting to design look of Sanjay Dutt in the film.”

‘Panipat’ is scheduled to release on 6 December 2019.