At the beginning of the chat, Mahesh Manjrekar makes it evident that Nay Varan Bhat Loncha Kon Nay Koncha is a “punch in the gut.” The Marathi crime thriller unflinchingly looks at the Bombay mills strike of 1982 and its repercussions through the journey of two teenagers. Fully aware that the movie is not for the faint-hearted, the director says he requested the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) to grant it an ‘A’ certificate.

“I wanted an adult certificate as it is a dark and difficult film to watch. I am thankful to the Censor Board for granting it the required certificate,” says the director, ahead of the film’s release tomorrow.

The movie is an adaptation of a short story from the late writer-journalist Jayant Pawar’s novel, Varanbhat Loncha Ni Kon Nay Koncha. Manjrekar remembers reading it seven years ago, and harbouring the desire to bring it on screen ever since.

“We couldn’t find a producer then. Many said that we wouldn’t be able to get a censor certificate as the film was about 15-year-olds. But it is not only about children; it also [explores] the underbelly of Mumbai. In a way, it’s my [third chapter] in the trilogy after Vaastav [1999] and City Of Gold [2010].”