Nawazuddin Siddiqui in and as Thackeray. Watch the teaser trailer now.

The teaser for the upcoming biopic film by Viacom 18 has been released. Thackeray is based on the life of Bal Thackeray, the founder of the Indian right-wing Marathi ethnocentric political party Shiv Sena.Active mainly in Maharashtra, the cartoonist turned firebrand politician had formed Shiv Sena in 1966.

The teaser, featuring Nawazuddin Siddiqui in the titular role, portrays Thackeray as the people’s leader of Mumbai and a messiah of those affected by communal riots. It is interesting to note, Thackeray had been blamed for inciting violence against Muslims during the 1992–1993 Bombay riots in the Srikrishna Commission Report, an inquiry by the government.

Directed by Abhijit Panse and has been written by Sanjay Raut, Shiv Sena Member of Parliament and executive editor of the party’s mouthpiece, Saamna.

Thackeray has been made in Marathi and dubbed in Hindi. The film is scheduled to be released on January 25, 2019, two days after the Shiv Sena founder’s 93rd birth anniversary, and in line with the national Republic Day.