Mahesh Manjrekar joins the cast of Bhansali's Bajirao Mastani

The second schedule of Sanjay Leela Bhansali's ambitious costume drama Bajirao Mastani is taking off in a big way.

There has been a noticeable increase in the number of actors in the film's formidable cast.

Latest to join the Bajirao team is actor-filmmaker Mahesh Manjrekar, who plays a Maratha king in the film.

Manjrekar, who has won accolades for his turns in Salman Khan starrer Wanted and the Marathi film Me Shivajiraje Bhosale Boltoy, was selected for his grip over the Maratha cultural dynamics and for his ability to deliver rousing speeches.

"Mahesh had the whole crew stunned on his first day of shooting with his costumes and mastery over the rhetorics," a source from the Bajirao sets reveals.

This is the first time that Manjrekar has teamed up with Bhansali.

"Besides Deepika (Padukone) and Ranveer (Singh), who were also a part of Bhansali's last film Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram Leela, the director has made sure that the entire cast and crew in Bajirao Mastani is new," the source adds. 

The Bajirao cast also include actress Tanvi Azmi and Aditya Pancholi, who will be working with Bhansali for the first time.

Image: Mahesh Manjrekar. Photograph: Abhijit Mhamunkar