Mumbai: Facing flak for playing Nathuram Godse in an upcoming film, NCP MP Amol Kolhe on Friday said he never endorsed the views and actions of Mahatma Gandhi’s assassin, while NCP chief Sharad Pawar said Kolhe needed to be seen as an actor. Pawar added Kolhe was not with NCP when he played the role. The film was shot in 2017, while Kolhe joined NCP later.

NCP minister Jitendra Awhad had targeted Kolhe over the issue, and BJP had sought to know the actor-turned-MP’s “exact stand on Godse. ”

Kolhe, MP from Shirur who was earlier with Shiv Sena, issued a video message on Friday. “It seems many people have got hurt because of my role as Godse in the Hindi movie 'Why I Killed Gandhi'. I have never endorsed the act of Godse or his views against Mahatma Gandhi,” he said.

Explaining the circumstances behind accepting the role, he said after playing Chhatrapati Shivaji in a TV serial, he wanted to play Chhatrapati Sambhaji on TV or in a film. Kolhe, who is an MBBS graduate, said he received an offer for a serial on Sambhaji, but the shooting got stalled after so me days.

Around this time, in 2017, he got the offer to play Godse in the film directed by Ashok Tyagi, he said. Actors like late Nilu Phule or Pran played negative roles in films but in real life they were progressive, Kolhe said. “I repeat that I do not endorse the ideology or views of Godse,” he said, adding he did not even promote the film.

“In 2017, as an actor it was my need to get a role in films. It should be understood in that context,” he said.

State Congress president Nana Patole on Friday said his party will not tolerate glorification of Gandhi’s assassin and added it would have been better if Kolhe had avoided playing the role. Patole said though Kolhe is an artiste, he is also MP of a party and is expected to act more responsibly.

State BJP chief Chandrakant Patil said Kolhe should clarify his “exact stand on Godse and his views”, because his leader Sharad Pawar did not approve of Godse’s views. “BJP is totally against Godse and his actions,” Patil added.

Earlier, Awhad had said that even if Kolhe had played Godse in his capacity as actor, “it is indeed an endorsement of Godse’s views.”

Maharashtra NCP chief Jayant Patil had defended Kolhe.