7 facts about Balasaheb Thackeray you need to know before seeing Nawazuddin Siddiqui’s Thackeray

Shiv Sena Supremo Bal Keshav Thackeray is one of the most regarded Indian politician we know! Born to a Maharashtrian family in 1926, Balasaheb was the eldest son of the family and after starting Shiv Sena in 1966, he remained the party chief till he passed away in 2012. He was a great artist, writer and orator, but an even better leader. He advocated the best interests of Maharashtrians in the political and professional landscape of the state. In fact, he was a guy who could hold onto a crowd and stimulate them with his powerful words.

The Shiv Sena supremo had a huge following and even today, people remember him. A biopic has been made on him, Thackeray. Starring Nawazuddin Siddiqui as the leader, the film is releasing on January 25. But before the film releases, we want you to know 5 lesser-known facts about Balasaheb Thackeray that you need to know before seeing Siddiqui’s Thackeray.

# Cartoon-mania: Balasaheb Thackeray was not only a writer, orator and an activist, he was also a cartoonist. In fact, he started off as a cartoonist in The Free Press Journal in Mumbai. He made several political cartoons, which were also published in The Times of India’s Sunday edition. He had even launched weekly column called Marmik by 1960. It was an anti-migrant satirical weekly.

#  Foodie’s delight: Thackeray was a huge foodie. Not only did he love his wife’s cooking, but he used to order food from the best restaurants in the city. His trysts with Chinese, Thai and non-vegetarian cuisines go a long way. He loved mutton biryani, pomfret curry and spicy food. He was a coffee person too, but after entering politics and suffering some health issues, he resorted to simple and vegetarian food.

# Wine and Dine: Balasaheb loved beer. He used to have several different kinds of beer, especially with meals. But after learning about the calories, he switched to wine. he loved fine, French wine, especially white wine. He wouldn’t mind champagne too.

# Cuban-tryst: The Shiv Sena Supremo loved smoking, especially pipes. But after being introduced to cigars, he switched to them completely. He loved luxury and would have friends fly in full-bodied, Cuban cigars especially Havana for him. He used to take break in between cigars, but he loved them to be thick and long, like the Churchill-sized Havana.

# Bolly-connect: Thackeray was very close to several Bollywood stars. He loved movies, so obviously, he would have come in contact with several stars, right? Especially because he had so much power and influence. He has gone out of his way and helped the likes of Sanjay Dutt, Salman Khan and Amitabh Bachchan.

In fact, Bachchan Sr even recalls the time when the politician’s ambulance ferried him to the hospital after his accident on the sets of Coolie. Balasaheb had also visited him in the hospital and carried a painting which showed Amitabh defeating Yamraj. Lata Mangeshkar also regarded Balasaheb as a father figure, while Rajinikanth had also come to visit him.

# Hitler-love: Shiv Sena’s chief also was a staunch follower and admirer of Adolf Hitler. You could see the similarities in some of their speeches. He was also an anti-communist like the German leader.

# Hollywood calling: Even Michael Jackson had come to meet Thackeray. And from what we hear, he also autographed the toilet he used while he was there. Crazy, isn’t it?

What do you guys have to say about these interesting and lesser-known facts about Balasaheb Thackeray? Share with us your thoughts in the comments section below! Also stay tuned to Cine Blitz as we get you all the updates about Thackeray right here.