NCPA

In collaboration with the Directorate of Cultural Affairs, Government of Maharashtra.

This event, intends to showcase what has perhaps gone unnoticed – that Marathi cinema, given a chance, can have mainstream appeal. This was brought home in April 2009, when the Hindi film, 8x10 Tasveer, starring Akshay Kumar, directed by Nagesh Kukunoor, saw the simultaneous release, in a few theatres, of a hard-hitting Marathi film, Mee Shivajiraje Boltoy, made by first-time director Santosh Manjrekar and starring Mahesh Manjrekar and Sachin Khedekar. While 8x10… sank without a trace at the box office, people went in droves to watch Mee…, a drama about Maharashtrians in Mumbai.

Marathi films have not really had a chance to get a wider audience in a Bollywood-dominated scenario. The recent move to have multiplexes exhibit regional films has been a positive one, while the international film festival circuit has given Marathi films their due.  This has led to non-Marathi speaking actors keen to play lead characters in Marathi films, like Nandita Das has done in Maati Maay. Jackie Shroff will also pair opposite Pallavi Joshi in Renuka Shahane’s debut film, Rita. Noted Marathi filmmakers, Amol Palekar, and more recently, Nishikant Kamat, have been trying their hand at Hindi cinema. Kamat, whose Dombivli Fast was a success, followed it up with Mumbai Meri Jaan two years later.

This year, India’s Oscar entry for Best Foreign Language Film is a Marathi biopic on Dadasaheb Phalke – Harishchandrachi Factory, five years after Shwaas became India’s first Marathi film to get an Oscar nomination in 2004.  Marathi films have been sporadically creating a buzz, and any attempt to sustain it is important.  A selection of award-winning Marathi feature films will be presented at the NCPA. 

Harishchandrachi Factory (Harishchandra’s Factory)

Dadasaheb Phalke, the erstwhile owner of a well-established printing business, quits after a quarrel with his business partner. Unemployed and with a family to support, he stumbles upon a tent theatre where a silent motion picture is being screened -- and is awestruck. He becomes the maker of India’s first feature film -- Raja Harishchandra – with a team of crazy, lovable people who believe in him. This film documents the life of this pioneer of Indian cinema, who set the foundation for the world’s largest film industry. It has won several awards already, including Best Director at the Pune International Film Festival 2009, the 18th Aravindan Puraskaram 2009 from the Chalachitra Film Society, Pune and the Balasaheb Sarpotdar Award 2009 for Best Film. Will it stir up the Oscars for India?

Directed by Paresh Mokashi

Cast: Nandu Madhav, Vibhavari Deshpande, Mohit Gokhale, Atharva Karve, Dilip Joglekar and others

Event Schedule for Nave Valan: