Tanaji Malusare was a military leader in the Maratha Empire of present-day India. He fought alongside Maratha King Shivaji in various battles throughout the years. He is most famously known for his role in the Battle of Sinhagad in 1670. Tanhaji: The Unsung Warrior is an upcoming Indian Hindi-language biographical period action film starring Ajay Devgn, Saif Ali Khan, Kajol, Jagapathi Babu and Sharad Kelkar in the lead roles.[2][3] Directed by Om Raut, the film is set in the 17th century and based on the life of Tanaji Malusare, who was the military leader of King Shivaji, founder of the Maratha Empire.
Battle of Sinhagad

In 1670, Tanaji, who hailed from "Umrat" near Mahad, Konkan, was busy making preparations for his son, Rayaba's wedding when he was summoned by Shivaji for a meeting. Tanaji put the wedding plans on hold and immediately left for the meeting. On hearing Shivaji's plan to recapture Kondhana fort near Pune from the Mughals, Tanaji took charge of the campaign and started his preparations. This statement is famous as adhi lagin kondhanyach mag majhya raibacha meaning first getting fort and then marriage of my child.

Upon reaching the foot of the fort, Tanaji and his detachment of 3000 troops were said to have scaled the fort from the western side on a dark night with the help of a domesticated Bengal monitor lizard (called ghorpad in Marathi) named Yashwantito which they were said to have tied ropes and sent crawling up top to the precipice of the fort.