Sharad Kelkar’s latest Marathi film, Har Har Mahadev, did well in Maharashtra and surpassed the box-office numbers of some Hindi releases, too. But the actor feels, like other regional films, the movie had the potential to do well across the country, but it didn’t due to lack of marketing and distribution. “There’s still scope for Marathi cinema [to do better],” says the actor.

He adds, “Har Har Mahadev didn’t get the kind of reach that was anticipated. We could have done better in the Hindi belts, because people across India would want to know about Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.”

The 46-year-old, who has been a part of Bollywood films such as Tanhaji: The Unsung Warrior and Laxmii (both 2020), feels that it’s important for Marathi films to get better distribution. “We should try and make films that are on a par with Hindi or south cinema as far as the quality is concerned. Going forward, we will make sure that the distribution and marketing is done well in every state. Everyone was aware of the film and the trailer got great reviews, but when it released across India, it didn’t do well because it didn’t reach everywhere,” Kelkar says.

However, the silver lining was that the film found acceptance in Tamil Nadu. “When you work hard and the audience pours love, it feels great. I am happy that we got a fantastic response in Tamil Nadu. We were surprised that a Marathi film did so well there. Earlier, Lai Bhaari (2014) did well in Andhra Pradesh,” he ends.

Thane: NCP leader and former minister Jitendra Awhad, his colleague and ex MP Anand Paranjpe and 10 of their party workers were arrested by the Vartak Nagar police in Thane for allegedly assaulting a a member of the audience inside a multiplex and stalling a show of Marathi movie Har Har Mahadev on Tuesday. Charges of rioting, assault and molestation were invoked after the same viewer complained that the NCP men had tried to touch his wife.

Awhad will be produced in a Thane court on Saturday. He will have to spend a night in police custody, said an officer. Awhad had barged into a multiplex inside Viviana mall on Monday and disrupted a screening; he ordered the audience to leave the auditorium. Awhad alleged that the movie based on Chhatrapati Shivaji’s life distorted facts and depicted historical characters in poor light.

Moments before his arrest, Awhad tweeted saying police was abusing its powers and that he was ready to fight regardless of the consequences, but he would not plead guilty. Awhad said he was on his way to Mumbai but went to the police station instead where he was engaged in talks. A little later, he claimed the DCP of the zone arrived and asked for the NCP leader and the others to be placed under arrest as “there are orders from above”.

As the news of his arrest broke, NCP workers began gathering at the spot. They shouted slogans and even prevented a police vehicle from leaving the station premises. Awhad’s wife Ruta too came to the spot and alleged highhandedness by police.

His nephew Digvijay Garje alleged, “Police are trying to frame Awhad as they had summoned a staff member from the multiplex to pressure him to implicate my uncle and to add stringent sections using a flimsy statement.”

When Awhad and his followers disrupted the show, things turned ugly after a viewer named Parikshit Durve protested the stalling and confronted the NCP men. He was assaulted in front of his wife with blows, punches and kicks. Subsequently a case was registered at Vartak Nagar police station on Durve’s complaint.

The sections invoked include assault, rioting and molestation under section 7 of Criminal Amendment Act. In his complaint, Durve alleged that as Awhad and his gang began to forcibly vacate the hall, 8-10 NCP workers tried to touch his wife. When Durve intervened he was assaulted.

Ketaki Chitale, who was arrested and was in jail for over 40 days for posting derogatory content against Sharad Pawar, dashed off a letter to Thane police asking section 354 for molestation as well as 120-B for criminal conspiracy to be added against Awhad.

State NCP chief Jayant Patil and NCP MP Supriya Sule condemned the arrest. “I am surprised and shocked over the arrest of our leader Jeetendra Awhad. More shocking is the fact that he’s been arrested for taking on people who embarked on defaming the great Maratha emperor Shivaji Maharaj,’’ Patil said.

Sule said, “If Awhad is sent to jail for questioning the anti-Shivaji brigade, then we are proud of him. Under the leadership of Shinde-Fadnavis, persons committing crimes are being let off and persons resorting to agitations for a rightful cause are being jailed. To secure power, the government has stooped to the lowest level."

Thane: Senior NCP leader Jitendra Awhad and 100 unidentified workers of the party were booked on Tuesday for disrupting the Marathi film ‘Har Har Mahadev’ at a Thane multiplex on Monday night and assaulting a businessman. Awhad had alleged that the film had distorted facts and depicted historic characters in poor light.

Police said they have filed a case of assault and under different IPC sections for rioting. However, no arrest has been made. The police action came on a complaint filed by a businessman, Parikshit Durve, who said he suffered blows, punches and kicks from the NCP mob as he protested the stalling of the show.

With the film being disrupted in Pune too, deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis spoke tough on Tuesday, saying beating up moviegoers would not be tolerated and action would be taken against those involved in the ruckus. He said people could express their opposition in a democratic way. “I have not seen the movie and am not aware of the row,” he added.

According to Durve, the cinema hall at the multiplex in Viviana Mall was occupied 50%, when the NCP activists began asking them to leave. “While Awhad was making an address, someone said they should get a refund to which the former state minister said the mall authorities would ensure that. In the meantime, someone remarked that anyone comes to theatres and stalls shows,” said Durve, adding that this enraged the mob, and 8-10 NCP workers came close to his wife. When Durve intervened, he was assaulted, the complaint said.

Later, Avinash Jadhav of the MNS restarted the show despite the NCP activists’ opposition. Jadhav also organized the screening of the film in three halls at the same multiplex on Tuesday, and all the venues were jam packed.

Durve told TOI, “It is unfortunate that political workers barge into a cinema hall with their political agenda. Law abiding people are heckled and assaulted for no fault of theirs. Is there any law for these political workers or are they just for the common man?”

He added, “My wife was initially shocked by the incident and ruckus, but is fine now. I have come for the special screening of the same film organized by the MNS.”

Thane: NCP workers led by former cabinet minister Jitendra Awhad staged a protest and disrupted the late night show of the film ‘Har Har Mahadev’ at a multiplex in Thane on Monday. They claimed the film had distorted facts and depicted historic characters in poor light.

The mob got into arguments with a few people who protested the sudden disruption, with one NCP worker allegedly roughing up a member of the audience—a businessman who had come with his family —after he demanded an explanation for the ruckus. However, Awhad intervened before the fight could turn ugly. No police case was registered.

Thane police arrived at the scene after the disruption of the film. Later, Thane and Palghar district MNS chief Avinash Jadhav, unmindful of resistance from the NCP, restarted the show.

Vinay Rathod, DCP Zone-5, said, “Following the incident, we have beefed up security at cinema theatres and are in the process of filing an offence for obstructing the screening of the show. So far, we have not received any complaints from people who had come to see the movie about being assaulted.”

Sambhaji Chhatrapati, former RS MP and a descendant of Shivaji, was recently upset over alleged distortion of history of Shivaji Maharaj. He had warned that if any of the upcoming films based on the warrior king was distorted, he would oppose it and stall its release in theatres.