Enredo

Tanhaji Malusare, a military chieftain in the army of the Maratha king Shivaji, leads the charge to capture the strategically important Kondhana fort guarded by the army of the fierce Rajput chieftain Udaybhan Rathod.

In 1647, Tanhaji's father taught sword fight. Soon, he passed away. After 17 years, an adult Tanhaji, the right man of Shivaji Maharaj carries conquests on behalf of Shivaji Maharaj. Aurangzeb, the Mughal Ruler sends one of his powerful generals to crush the power of Marathas. Knowing that the General has a huge army, Shivaji Maharaj deals with the General to give the Mughals 23 forts including Kondana. Tanhaji tries to get his son married. Aurangzeb appoints Udaybhan Rathod as the fortkeeper. Meanwhile, Shivaji Maharaj are making war preparations to bring back Kondana and tells his generals not to disclose to Tanhaji. Tanhaji goes to Rajgad to invite Shivaji Maharaj for his son's wedding. A maratha general discloses the secret to Tanhaji. Udaybhan leaves for Kondana. Tanhaji asks Shivaji Maharaj to give him the mission to which he agrees. Udaybhan gets alert of the Marathas and sends his slaves dressed up as Mughals. Tanhaji and his men kill all the slaves. Udaybhan gets confirmed that the Marathas can attack him anytime. He reaches Kondana hurriedly. Tanhaji secretly goes on the Kondana fort but gets captured and is tortured by Udaybhan. Tanhaji escapes from there and returns to Rajgad to plan the final attack on Kondana. They start to climb the fort and start the war. Udaybhan gets to know of the attack and goes towards his cavalry. He sets the location on Rajgad but Tanhaji dives and cuts it while Udaybhan cuts his hand. Tanhaji ties a cloth on his broken hand and fights Udaybhan. He pushes Udaybhan in the valley leading to death. Getting the news that Tanhaji killed Udaybhan, Shivaji Maharaj reached on Kondana and rushed towards Tanhaji who bowed him and died.

In 1647, Tanhaji's (Ajay Devgn) father, Kaloji Malusare (Jagannath Nivangune), trains him in sword-fighting, only to succumb to a Mughal plunder in Umrat. Kaloji asks Tanhaji to work for the country's freedom as he takes his dying breath. 17 years later in 1664, a now-adult Tanhaji, with his younger brother Suryaji (Devdatta Nage), commands Shivaji's (Sharad Kelkar) Maratha army to attack an intruding Mughal cavalry. Tanhaji uses innovative battle tactics to defeat the numerically superior Mughal forces. He unleashes bees on the Mughal cavalry and then corners them into a narrow mountain pass, where Tanhaji's limited forces cause immense damage to the Mughals. Soon, the Maratha had won 40 forts against the Mughals.

In 1665, the Mughal Emperor, Aurangzeb (Luke Kenny), dispatches his uncle and trusted general, Maharaja of Amber, Jai Singh (Yuri Suri), to capture Shivaji, which will stop his rapid imperial expansion into the Deccan Plateau. Jai Singh comes to the Deccan Plateau with a force of 80,000 soldiers. He successfully captures Shivaji, alongside his 23 forts that are under his control, in the Battle of Purandar. In a moment of strategic contemplation, Shivaji decides to surrender the forts to Jai Singh, including the fort of Kondhana, and Shivaji was put under arrest in Agra.

Later the Mughal general, Beshak Khan (Nissar Khan), orders a quick seize of Shivaji's strategic fortress, Kondhana, insulting Jijabai (Padmavati Rao), Shivaji's mother. Jijabai is not allowed to complete her prayers inside the fort and is ordered by Beshak to leave immediately. She swears to remain barefoot until the Marathas recapture the fort. Tanhaji is informed about the treaty as well. Kondhana was the gateway to the South of India. Capturing Kondhana meant a clear foray into the South.

Five years later, in 1670, Shivanji escapes from Agra and returns to Rajgad. Shivaji's spy informs him about Aurangzeb's plan to assign Kondhana to his Rajput general, Udaybhan Rathod (Saif Ali Khan), and use it as a base for Aurangzeb's southern imperial expansion. Uday is accompanied with a force of 2000 soldiers and the most powerful cannon of the time, named Nagin. Nagin can demolish a fort with a single blow. This cannon would be the key to bring the Deccan forts to kneel in front of the Mughal empire. Uday rose from obscurity and became a soldier in the emperor's personal bodyguards. Uday then thwarted an attack on Aurangzeb and this is how he got rewarded as the Commander of the Kondhana fort.

Shivaji plans to recapture Kondhana, considering himself to lead the campaign as Tanhaji, though an able general, cannot be employed due to his son, Rayba's (Arush Nand) upcoming wedding.

Meanwhile, Tanhaji celebrates Holi with his family. The Marathas begin their preparations for war and Shivaji warns his generals to keep Tanhaji from knowing about the campaign. Tanhaji arrives at Rajgad, to invite Shivaji and Jijabai to Rayba's wedding. Chandraji Pisal (Ajinkya Deo), a Maratha general, who is attempting to usurp Shivaji's throne, discloses the secret plan to Tanhaji at his nephew, Chultya's (Kailash Waghmare) recommendation. Tanhaji convinces Shivaji and Jijabai to permit him to lead the campaign, who reluctantly agree. He postpones Rayba's wedding.

Elsewhere, Udaybhan reaches Burhanpur, while the Marathas discuss the possibilities of his route. Tanhaji coins an attack plan, but Pisal sends Chultya to warn Udaybhan about the plan. Pisal schemes of sabotaging Tanhaji's mission and getting him killed, so that Shivaji would then appoint him in-charge of the campaign. Pisal intends to become influential enough to overthrow Shivaji and join hands with Udaybhan.

Udaybhan is also bringing the imprisoned Kamla Devi (Neha Sharma), en route, the sister of his Rajput general, Jagat Singh (Vipul Gupta). Chultya informs Udaybhan about Tanhaji's plan. He successfully tricks Tanhaji into attacking Maratha soldiers disguised in Mughal attire. Elsewhere, Udaybhan reaches Kondhana and aims a huge cannon, named Naagin, at Rajgad, threatening Shivaji's safety. Dejected, Tanhaji reaches Kondhana alone to learn about a secret thief-entrance inside. Udaybhan kills a guard for disobeying the security protocol. Tanhaji recovers the remains of the guard and motivates the villagers to retaliate against Udaybhan.

He is invited to participate in Shivratri celebrations, on Kondhana, where he kills Chultya for betraying the Marathas. Tanhaji is imprisoned and tortured by Udaybhan, as a result. Jagat Singh secretly releases Tanhaji, revealing Udaybhan's plan to marry his sister. Tanhaji promises to release them from Udaybhan's clutches. Tanhaji escapes from the thief-entrance and returns to Umrat where he informs his people about the upcoming war. Savitri Bai (Kajol), Tanhaji's wife, worries about her husband's life and son's impending wedding. Tanhaji convinces Savitri Bai that the campaign will be a success for the Marathas, to which she replies by asking him what he wants from her, when he returns from the campaign. Tanhaji makes Savitri Bai promise to him that she will don Marathi bridal attire, while waiting for him.

Udaybhan hangs the guards responsible for Tanhaji's escape and Jagat Singh agrees to get Kamla Devi married to him, on Ashtami's eve. He convinces her to fake the wedding preparations until Tanhaji and his army arrive. Tanhaji now plans to directly attack Kondhana during Ashtami night on 4 February 1670. He scales the fort through various entrances and begins the attack on the Mughal army. The ensuing confusion allows Jagat and Kamla Devi to escape. Udaybhan is alerted, who prepares to fire Naagin directly at Rajgad.

Tanhaji and his army wipe out most of the Mughal soldiers. Just as Udhaybhan lights Naagin, Tanhaji arrives on horseback to stop the cannon from being fired. Though successful, Udhaybhan hacks off Tanhaji's arm in the process, gravely injuring him. With his remaining strength, Tanhaji fights Udhaybhan to death. It culminates with Tanhaji tying Udhaybhan to Naagin and pushing it off a cliff, ending Udhaybhan's brief reign.

Before collapsing from his injuries, he plants the flag of the Marathas, successfully capturing Kondhana. Shivaji and his army arrive and conquer Kondhana, but Shivaji ends up breaking into tears over Tanhaji's death, uttering "Gad Aala, Pan Sinh Gela" (the fort has been captured, but we lost the lion).

Later, Shivaji personally oversees Rayba's marriage, while Savitri Bai fulfill's her promise to Tanhaji by adorning herself as a bride behind closed doors, as she awaits his return. Aurangzeb's aim of ruling southern India remained unfilled for 18 years, until he himself came to try to claim it from the Marathas.