Actor-director Mahesh Manjrekar believes Hindi cinema is in the middle of a reset, driven by audiences who now expect more than surface-level spectacle. Drawing from a career that spans films like Vaastav and extensive work in regional cinema, he says the shift was bound to happen.

“Cinema is in a phase of correction. For years, scale was mistaken for substance,” he observes. Today’s viewers, he adds, are no longer satisfied with visual grandeur alone. “They want emotion with spectacle, not spectacle without emotion. A film must have a heartbeat before it has fireworks,” he adds.

Referring to Vaastav, he points out that what endures is sincerity. “Truth travels. Even today, the films that stay are the ones rooted in human conflict,” he says.

Manjrekar does not dismiss the importance of stars but questions the industry’s reliance on them. “Star power is not the problem. Dependence on it is,” he says, noting that memorable stars emerge from well-written characters. When writing falters, audiences turn to familiar faces for assurance. He contrasts this with regional cinema, where storytelling often takes precedence. “The industry doesn’t limit diverse narratives, fear does,” he remarks.

On whether theatre-trained actors get their due, he admits a gap still exists. “Cinema today often casts for visibility before ability. However, with the rise of digital platforms, performance-driven casting is gaining ground. Respect for craft always returns. It may take time, but authenticity cannot be sidelined forever,” he says.

Mumbai: Bombay High Court has declined urgent interim relief to an entertainment firm claiming copyright infringement by Mahesh Manjrekar's film "Punha Shivajiraje Bhosale" and paved the way for its release. The High Court has observed that the name ‘Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj' cannot be the subject of exclusivity in any form. The film is scheduled for release on Friday.

"The well-informed and tasteful audience of Marathi films, prima facie, is not going to be confused or deceived by any of the factors alleged, including the film title," said Justice Amit Jamsandekar, a high court vacation bench judge, in an Oct 24 judgment.

 

Justice Jamsandekar said, "Courts have consistently taken a view that if the Plaintiff does not take prompt steps to approach the Court, the Court will not be inclined to grant ad-interim relief, particularly when this is about the release of a film in a couple of days.''

Declining a plea to stay the release, the HC found no merit in allegations of copyright infringement made by a firm, which claimed it had sole rights to a film on the same subject released in 2009.

The court also noted that given the film's scheduled release date, there was a "gross and inordinate delay" in approaching the court, which was unexplained and "calculative," and intended to put the court and the filmmaker under pressure.

The intellectual property rights infringement suit against Manjrekar's film was filed on Oct 10. The HC found it difficult to accept the claim by Everest Entertainment LLP that Marathi audiences would think the film was a sequel to the film it produced, "Mee Shivajiraje Bhosale Boltoy."

"From the record, it appears that the film produced by the defendants is an entirely new work," the judge said, adding the firm cannot claim goodwill or exclusivity for the names ‘Shivajiraje Bhosale' or ‘Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.'

Rejecting immediate relief, the court posted the matter for final hearing in the week commencing Nov 17.

Every director will tell you about the Friday jitters they experience when their movie is releasing. One can only imagine the pressure and excitement that director Tejas Prabha Vijay Deoskar will feel when his two movies, Ground Zero and Devmanus, hit the theatres on April 25. “Somebody told me that before this, only Priyadarshan sir had two films releasing on the same day. I’m the only one to have two films releasing in different languages,” grins Deoskar.

Language isn’t the only factor separating the Hindi offering, Ground Zero, and Mahesh Manjrekar’s Marathi outing Devmanus. Inspired by real-life events, the Emraan Hashmi-starrer chronicles the aftermath of the 2001 Indian Parliament attack.

Deoskar explains, “Ground Zero is an intense action drama based on BSF Commandant Narendra Nath Dhar Dubey’s life and real events. Emraan plays him, and is seen [on the hunt] for a terrorist. Devmanus is an emotional thriller, where a man—played by Manjrekar—finds himself in a moral dilemma. I was initially apprehensive about both my movies releasing on the same day. I feel the audience gets divided, especially since the Marathi audience is a subset of the Hindi one. But the two production houses felt that both films had different viewers. They didn’t see it as a clash. The only thing I had to figure out was to run around for the films’ post-production, which was tough.”

While shooting each movie came with its challenges, the director believes Ground Zero was the more demanding one. “It was a tougher one to execute as action films are demanding. Plus, we were shooting in Srinagar and other parts of Kashmir, and the region has certain complexities.” Having an earnest actor like Hashmi helped matters.

“Emraan is a director’s delight. He asks a lot of questions related to his character and the story, and comes on the set having done a lot of homework. So, we’re halfway through when we start. Also, he has an uncanny memory,” shares Deoskar.

Working on Devmanus was a unique experience as actors Manjrekar, Renuka Shahane and Subodh Bhave are also directors in their own right. Deoskar reflects, “While there were four directors, including me, on the set, nobody overpowered me. There was mutual respect. We could collaborate, discuss their suggestions, and do what was best for the film.”

Historical dramas seem to have caught the attention of many filmmakers. Months after Laxman Utekar’s Chhaava gave Bollywood the year’s first blockbuster, Riteish Deshmukh is giving shape to Raja Shivaji, a biopic on Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. The actor, who will direct and star in the ambitious period drama, took it on floors in February. Now, Deshmukh has called action on the second schedule that is being conducted at Film City in Goregaon, Mumbai.

Raja Shivaji, which will be released in Marathi and Hindi, marks his second directorial venture after Ved (2022). While Mahesh Manjrekar plays a key role in the period drama, Bhagyashree steps into the role of Shivaji’s mother, Rajmata Jijabai. Sources tell us that the ongoing schedule will cover many crucial chapters of the Maratha warrior king’s reign.

“The film will chronicle his life, from his young warrior days to him becoming the founder of the Maratha Empire. Riteish began the second leg by shooting the scene where Shivaji meets his wife, Rani Saibai. Going ahead, the team will shoot Shivaji’s coronation ceremony that had taken place in Raigad Fort. A massive set depicting portions of the fort has been constructed in Film City. Additionally, a major battle sequence has been lined up for this stint that will go on till mid-April,” reveals a source. 

In February 2024, on the occasion of Shivaji Jayanti, Deshmukh had announced the magnum opus. He had apparently long harboured the ambition of bringing the biggest Maratha king’s story to the screen. “Riteish was working on the project over the past five years. But he couldn’t shoot it during the pandemic because logistically, it’s a demanding film. So, he helmed Ved instead at that point,” says another source.

Deshmukh’s passion project finally rolled this February. “The team started with the early years of Shivaji. A set of Shivneri Fort was constructed at Film City for that leg.”

National Award winner Santosh Sivan is serving as the cinematographer. Deshmukh is said to have approached his actor-friends Sanjay Dutt, Abhishek Bachchan and Fardeen Khan for key roles.

Her latest release, Auron Mein Kahan Dum Tha (AMKDT), gave actor Saiee M Manjrekar a chance to work with her on-screen idol, actor Tabu. Saiee, who played the younger version of Tabu’s character, says, “I was a nervous wreck initially as she is an artiste I have looked up to all my life. But after a lot of workshops and training, I became calmer.”

Recalling her first meeting with Tabu, the 22-year-old says, “Neeraj sir (Pandey, filmmaker) called me to his office and Tabu ma’am was there. He told me she’d read out my lines and I’d have to remember her tonality. I was blabbering nervously while she delivered my lines.”

While she had a great time working on AMKDT, the film’s box-office failure did leave her disappointed. “The film was made with a lot of love and hard work. So, it was disheartening,” she says.

So, how does her father, actor and filmmaker Mahesh Manjrekar advise her to deal with failures? “I have seen my father go through tough times and I’ve learnt a lot just by observing him,” Saiee says.

While she hopes that AMKDT finds its audience on OTT, the actor is certain that the charm of the big screen will never fade away. “I feel the thrill of watching a film on the big screen will never go away. Eventually, when you find the pulse of the audience, it will all come back. It’s just about timing, I think AMKDT’s timing was wrong,” she says.

It was nearly 12 years ago that Mahesh Manjrekar had written Juna Furniture—Try Stopping This Old Man. The film’s idea came from a deeply personal space. He recalls, “When I lost my mother, many thoughts went on in my head. One is full of regrets [at such a point]. That’s where the idea came from. Today, there are 1.7 million abandoned senior citizens in India. My story is about the child, who feels he is doing the right thing for his parents, but is he?”

That question forms the crux of Juna Furniture, Manjrekar’s upcoming Marathi movie. He has not only written and helmed the courtroom drama, but also played the protagonist, who questions society’s attitude towards senior citizens. He reveals that he had originally wanted to make it in Hindi.

“I had written the story in Hindi, but things were not moving fast enough [as I approached production houses and figured out the casting]. So, I decided to make it in Marathi. Producer Yatin Jadhav wanted to make it immediately. Since no actor could give me dates at such a short notice, I decided to play the central character.”

While he has directed himself in small roles earlier, it’s the first time he is fronting his own directorial venture. “This film is shouldered by my character. I was apprehensive that if this role falls flat, people will point fingers at me saying that I wanted to play the hero.”

Even as he has to wait for a few days to get the audience’s verdict, the National Award-winning filmmaker’s work has been praised by famed screenwriter Salim Khan. “Salim saab loved the movie. I had narrated the script to Salman [for feedback] and he had loved it. I might show it to him this week.”

After her Hindi film debut in 2019 with the Salman Khan-starrer Dabangg 3, it took Saiee Manjrekar four years to do her second film as a lead (Kuch Khattaa Ho Jaay). Saiee confesses that the wait wasn’t “deliberate”, but she preferred doing a film that she got on her own and not because of her background (she is filmmaker Mahesh Manjrekar and Marathi actress Medha Manjrekar’s daughter.)

She says, “I didn’t want anyone to feel that I am using my family’s name to get work and am privileged. I want to work my way into showbiz on my own. At this point, I am nowhere close to where I would like to be in terms of making my parents proud.” We caught up with Saiee who was in town recently.

The 20-something actress feels that her background gives her some perks, but she doesn’t want people to think she’s entitled. She says, “I want my dad to be proud of me. I want people to tell him that I am good and have lived up to the expectations of the Manjrekar surname. I feel more responsible because I don’t want to disappoint my parents or have anyone criticize them because of my professional choices. My surname brings me a lot of pressure, it’s a tough legacy to inherit.”

Saiee consults her “dad” for “everything - from selecting the script to the character I will play. My parents read the script and tell me if I should take up that film or not.”

Saiee adds, “Dad tells me that as an actress, I should react to the situation/dialogue given to me. He tells me not to ‘act’ but to be spontaneous on camera and not overthink. I try to do that and also thank the Almighty after giving my shot.”

Saiee worked with Salman Khan in Dabangg 3 and got to work with Guru Randhawa in his acting debut. Saiee says, “With Salman sir (Khan), I used to be very intimidated on set because I have seen his work through my growing up years. I was nervous about doing romantic scenes with him. Guru and I clicked immediately and became friends. I was very comfortable with him.”

Saiee, who’s also done Telugu films (Major, Ghani, and Skanda), believes that there is not much difference while working in regional film industries. “Technically speaking, a lot of cross-cultural bonding happens when one shoots for a Hindi film as well because we come from different cultures and speak different languages. Guru would speak in Punjabi, I would speak in Marathi, and the director (G Ashok) and his ADs were from the south, so they spoke in Telugu. The vibe was beautiful. The same goes for my stint in Telugu films; even though we spoke different languages, the vibe on our sets was fantastic, language didn’t matter, we were all working towards making a good film,” she says.

Actor Saiee Manjrekar feels grateful that she can call actor Salman Khan her “safety/protective net”. The 22-year-old considers Khan her mentor and advisor ever since making her Bollywood debut in the 2019 film Dabangg 3. She also cherishes having exclusive access to her father, director Mahesh Manjrekar, for assistance on professional matters.

In a chat with us, Saiee opens up about whether debuting in a mega franchise such as Dabangg casts a shadow on her recognition and acting skills. “No one ever came to watch Dabangg 3 (2019) for me. It was a Salman Khan film that I got to be a part of. There’s nothing better than that for a newcomer. The amount of recognition it got me would have taken me years to build that up,” says the actor, who recently returned to Bollywood with Kuch Khattaa Ho Jaay, three years after Dabangg 3, and her next is Auron Mein Kaha Dum Tha.

All this while, she did films down south, including Ghani, Major (both 2022) and Skanda (2023). Looking back at how South movies kept her busy all this while, she tells us, “From the kind of roles that were being offered to me, I felt connected with the ones that came from South.”

As for her apparent “return” to Hindi films, Saiee shares that she picked Kuch Khattaa Ho Jaay because she always wanted to do rom-coms, something she’s grown up watching. “It’s a full family entertainer. I don’t remember the last time I watched a film with my parents without being shy about what we were watching together,” she says, adding that she hopes to experiment with her roles.

And even today, Saiee makes sure to call and inform Khan about the projects she has signed. “I feel it would be unfair not to tell him. He has given me this opportunity, and if I’m getting work, I will always be thankful to him,” the actor confesses.

According to her, while her father would never interfere in her professional decisions, she loves their “dinner table conversations” discussing his work. “He gives me the best advice from a director’s perspective. But there’s also a lot of constructive criticism after watching my film,” she says.

Speaking about the nepotism debate, she admits that she doesn’t know how life would be in the industry if she wasn’t from a film family. “I’ve always been a little confused because I wouldn’t know how hard it is not to be from a film family. Something that’s hard for me, someone’s working harder to get that. It’s the way you look at it,” she said.

For Saiee, her dad and Khan are her “protective figures”,  because, entering the industry at such a young age, “a safety net was so important to feel secure. I can’t imagine how it must be for people who come in on their own. That’s so scary”.

Navi Mumbai: Art director Nitin Desai was cremated on Friday evening amidst the sprawling and opulent sets he created at his studio in Karjat in deference to his last wishes.

Politicians Vinod Tawde and Kirit Somaiya attended the funeral at N D Studios along with film personalities Aamir Khan, Ashutosh Gowarikar, Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Ashutosh Rana, Mukesh Rishi, Mahesh Manjrekar, Sonali Kulkarni and Aadesh Bandekar. Aamir Khan led the movie fraternity in paying tributes before the cremation close to the helipad inside the premises. He said, “I cannot believe such an incident happened.”

Tawde personally monitored the funeral arrangements, which included a police gun salute in the presence of Raigad SP Somnath Gharge. One of Desai’s assistants (from 1999-2002) turned politician, Jitesh Kamath, recalled Desai’s dream to raise ground-plus-four storey sets on the 52-acre studio campus.

Jitesh Kamath said, “There was a time when at least one set at any of the studios in Mumbai including Film City would be booked in Desai’s name. He had dreamt of something big and hence set up this studio to fulfil his wish.”

A close friend, Eknath Kadam, said, “ND Studio has catered to over 150 actors. I spent time with Desai during the early days.”

A local, Prashant Deshmukh, recalled, “Desai during his peak provided jobs to one member of each family of the nearby Hatnoli village. The N D Studios land was purchased in a phased manner.”

The N D Studios in February this year hosted the marriage ceremony of Desai’s daughter. His wife, three children and son-in-law were among others present at the funeral.

Desai’s wife, daughter, son and son-in-law

It looks like an off-screen fight will precede the retelling of freedom fighter Veer Savarkar’s life. Yesterday, in a film trade magazine, Randeep Hooda’s legal counsel issued a public notice, claiming that the actor-director is the sole owner of all intellectual property (IP) rights of the upcoming biopic, Swatantrya Veer Savarkar. This has brought to light the tussle, apparently brewing since late last year, between Hooda and producers Sandeep Singh and Anand Pandit.

After the biopic was announced in March 2022, Mahesh Manjrekar—who was to initially helm the offering—exited the project in September. Soon, it was announced that Hooda would serve as the director as well. Sources say the friction began soon after.

A source close to Hooda says, “After Mahesh Manjrekar opted out, Sandeep and Anand couldn’t get another director. Randeep, who had lived with the subject and even lost 26 kilos for the role, took charge. He not only wrote the movie with Utkarsh Naithani, but also directed it. When the producers weren’t funding the project, Randeep invested his own money and raised funds to make the film. He has also produced the film.”

An insider associated with Singh and Pandit, however, offers a different version of events, asserting that the duo fulfilled all their responsibilities as producers. “After Mahesh’s exit, Sandeep was to direct the film. But after much coaxing, the producers gave in and let Randeep direct the movie,” says a source.

Things took a turn for the worse when the actor-director allegedly overshot the budget. “The producers had set two conditions—that he would receive a nominal fee for his directorial duties, and that he would complete the film in the stipulated budget of Rs 20 crore. Randeep not only went over-budget, but also took the negatives and all the footage with him. He also went ahead and released the teaser of his own accord,” adds the source.

On November 3 last year, Hooda sent a legal notice to Singh and Pandit, followed by three more on December 8, June 7 and June 26 this year. While the contents of the notice remain undisclosed, the clash went public yesterday as the actor-director’s legal consultants issued the statement. Besides highlighting his sole ownership, it underlined how the actor completed the film against all odds. “Randeep Hooda, under his banner, has successfully written, produced, directed and completed the film despite all odds coming his way, including financial, mental and physical challenges. He has thwarted obstructions created by other entities bent upon disrupting the making of the film, also attempting to infringe on his legal rights (sic).”

On their part, the producers replied to Hooda’s notices last month, a copy of which is in possession of mid-day. Their response stated that the actor-director has committed several wrongdoings, and demanded that he return the negatives, master and all material related to the film.

Ravi Suryawanshi, Singh’s legal counsel, dismissed Hooda’s alleged claims. He said, “Legend Studios Private Limited, along with Anand Pandit Motion Pictures LLP, are the exclusive joint producers and owners of the entire intellectual property rights and exploitation rights of the film. Our client is utterly shocked with the false and baseless claims made by Randeep Hooda. The producers are in the process of taking appropriate legal action [both civil and criminal] against him.”

Unlike her peers, actor Saiee Manjrekar chose to take the unconventional route in her film career. She started off with Dabangg 3 (2019) opposite actor Salman Khan and then went on to do a Telugu film, Major.

While she is working hard to prove herself in the industry, being the daughter of filmmaker-actor Mahesh Manjrekar she admits to having faced the nepotism debate. The 24-year-old quips, “Honestly, if someone says nasty things like, ‘You have an advantage’, I would probably agree with them. I am not someone who would ignore the privilege, I would accept and acknowledge it, and still do something about it.”

The actor, who will next be seen in Kuchh Khatta Ho Jaaye, adds that nepotism is indeed a reality. She explains, “It exists. I did probably get an opportunity to be in the movies a little easier than others would. I make sure I am grateful for that. There is someone else who is working 10 times harder to be where I am right now. So, I have to work 10 times harder to stay where I am.”

Apart from this, the toughest thing she’s had to deal with in her career so far is preconceived notions about how a heroine behaves. “There have been times before Dabangg 3 released, I went to family events and while sitting for lunch, they just assumed and said, ‘Would you eat, are you dieting?’ People started assuming actresses are dieting all the time. These people, who I have known forever, started thinking ‘Saiee is going to become arrogant and change, have an air about her’. That is a stereotype that has been created and etched in people’s minds. It is really hard to step out of it,” she admits.

National Award-winning actor Vikram Gokhale, who was a stalwart in Indian cinema, television and theater, has passed away following multiple organ failure. The actor, aged 77, breathed his last at a hospital in Pune, his daughter told mid-day. “We would like to thank everyone for their good wishes, support and prayers through this difficult time,” she said.

Gokhale remained synonymous with substance throughout his five-decade-old career that saw award-winning performances in both Hindi and Marathi. He debuted in the Hindi film industry with the Amitabh Bachchan-starrer Parwana (1971). Even in an ensemble that comprised popular stars, Gokhale stood out, courtesy his tremendous talent. In fact, it remained his strength to elevate even the smallest appearances and the thinnest characters offered to him.

What also set Gokhale apart from his contemporaries was his reliance on minimalism. Whether it was as the strict patriarch in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam (HDDCS, 1999) or the portrait of grief in Anubhav Sinha’s Tum Bin (2001), Gokhale performed with just his expressions, where others needed words.

“Vikram ji is one of the greatest actors that I have ever worked with. I feel people should learn from his legacy. Despite being a great reader, orator, and so well-read, he was simple-hearted. When I met him, he was like a friend and colleague, who often told me, ‘Sanju main tere saath hoon. Tu bol kya aur kaisa karna hai’. He was a great colleague to be on the set with, as he was always there for [me]. Vikram ji introduced me to Indian classical vocalist Pandit Ajay Pohankar, who suggested the Albela sajan raag [a version of which is used in HDDCS]. It was hard, but he [barely] took an hour to learn the song,” says Bhansali, adding that he learned the nuances of the craft when he saw Gokhale perform.

“Vikram ji was the complete master of his craft. Always in control of every aspect—in words, dialogue, expressions, and diction. He was spontaneous. We don’t get actors like him anymore.”

Thicker than his association with the Hindi film industry was his relationship with Marathi cinema and stage. In return, Marathi directors did justice to his talent, as he became one of the tallest stars in the fraternity, also earning a National Award for his work in Anumati (2013).

Gokhale’s Anumati co-star and longtime collaborator, Neena Kulkarni, fondly remembers him as the one of the most knowledgeable artistes she had ever met. “He was an intelligent and responsible actor. You could talk to him for hours on the process of acting. He was also well-informed about everything—from literature to politics. His performances are acting classes for the next generation. In Godavari [2006], he had just one dialogue, but he delivered it in variations; that is education in itself. I will obviously miss [my] friend, as we go back a long way. The fact that we have portrayed all relations from husband-wife, lovers to siblings and to me even playing his daughter-in-law was a running joke between us,” she reminisces.

“He used to call me Maya,” says Mahesh Manjrekar, who directed Gokhale in Natsamrat (2016), after which, they did another movie together, Me Shivaji Park (2018). “Vikram Gokhale was an institution in the field of acting that has shut down today. He was the most complete actor in the industry. He could enhance a scene by just using a handkerchief and make it look believable. I have seen him in theatre doing everything, including comedy. [Even though we were] young, he always treated us on par with each other. He was a close friend. Vikram was a director’s actor, but I never had to tell him what to do. Despite his acting prowess, he was casual about it on the sets,” adds the director.

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On screen, he’s called ‘energy bomb’ and ‘Ranveer Singh of the Marathi industry’ but there’s another side to Siddharth Jadhav. One that’s vulnerable and introspective. In a chat with us, the actor, who has been shaking up our social media feeds as much with his style as with his new projects, speaks to us about breaking the comedy stereotype, the new phase and the ups and downs in his career. Excerpts:

Throughout his initial years in Marathi cinema, Siddharth created a name for himself among the list of comic actors in the industry. But he gradually branched out into different roles with films like Me Shivajiraje Bhosale Boltoy, Razzakar, Dream Mall etc. Ask him what changed, and he replies, “As a person nothing changed drastically. People identify me as a comic actor, and I too know that comedy is my forte. But that’s not all. I am fortunate that people accepted my serious roles as nicely as they did my comic ones. Credit for this goes to the directors and writers who thought of me for these roles, especially Mahesh Manjrekar sir who was among the first people to recognize and execute a different side of mine on the big screen. He was also someone who told me that I had the talent of making people laugh when I laughed, and cry when I cried. I consider myself fortunate to have worked with people who saw beyond the stereotype that I had come to be associated with.”

Despite his best efforts, many of Siddharth’s hatke films didn’t work at the box office. The actor, who is otherwise full of energy, went through a low phase between 2013 and 2017. “Although I was doing a play, Gela Udat, and a TV show, I was devastated that my films weren’t working. These four years were an extremely low phase for me. I didn’t know what to do and life seemed to have stopped at one point. It was like being stuck on a boat in the middle of the lake. But my brother, Dr Lavesh Jadhav, told me something that I haven’t stopped following till date,” he says.

“Mahesh sir said that we only think that nothing is happening because there’s no work to do. But there’s so much work that you can do work on yourself, meet people, write, develop your skills. That helped me dive from that stuck boat and swim to the shore. In the process, I left the baggage from Siddharth Jadhav 1.0 behind because had I carried that with me, I would’ve drowned. So, to anyone who may be going through such a phase right now, I want to say that stay put and be strong, this too shall pass,” shares Siddharth.

In 2017, things changed for Siddharth with the release of Faster Fene. Then came Simmba, which reunited Siddharth with his Golmaal director Rohit Shetty and had him sharing the screen with Ranveer Singh. “Aditya Sarpotdar, Kshitij Patwardhan, Riteish Deshmukh these people believed in me and gave me an opportunity in Faster Fene. I won’t ever forget that. With Simmba, of course, came wider recognition. These were not things that I had planned. They happened. All I did was to give my best to whatever I did and just enjoyed the moment,” he says.

Siddharth’s tryst with big-budget Hindi films continued with special appearances in Radhe and Sooryavanshi. He will soon be working with Rohit Shetty and Ranveer Singh again in Cirkus, and he has a silent film titled Gandhi Talks set to release next year. “Cirkus is a family entertainer where I play a fun character. On the other hand, Gandhi Talks is a very interesting film by director Kishor Belekar. It’s a silent film, which also features Vijay Sethupathi, Aditi Rao Hydari and Arvind Swamy. The music is by A R Rahman. What else does one need in a film?” asks Siddharth.

While he has learned to ignore trolls on social media today, there was a point when they affected him. Sharing that he is open to criticism of his work, Siddharth adds, “Personal attacks are something I don’t like. People have taken jibes at the way I look and questioned how someone like me can even be called an actor. I would feel bad before, but not anymore. Criticize my work if you find it bad, but avoid personal attacks. That said, I realise that people need an outlet to vent their frustrations and often, public figures are at the receiving end. Yes, there are some people who troll others just for the heck of it. But I’ve learned not to fixate on that. Today, even if someone writes something bad about me on a photo I have posted, I like the comment and move on.”

Even though Randeep Hooda is evidently excited to begin work on his directorial debut, SwatantryaVeer Savarkar — based on the life of freedom fighter, activist, and writer Vinayak Damodar Savarkar — few would know that his appointment as director, was a chance occurrence.

The film on Savarkar, who developed the Hindu nationalist political ideology of Hindutva while imprisoned in Ratnagiri in 1922, was to be helmed by Mahesh Manjrekar, who had to eventually bail out due to scheduling issues.

Manjrekar tells mid-day, “SwatantryaVeer Savarkar was to begin in June, but got delayed, and I had to opt out. It was a mutual decision taken by the producers [Anand Pandit, Sandip Ssingh, and Sam Khan], Randeep and me, as I had other commitments. They wanted to begin shooting at the same time as Bigg Boss 4 Marathi rolled. Since I am the host of the show, I wouldn’t be able to do justice to the film.”

Ssingh confirms the development, adding that seeing as invested as Hooda was in the project, they handed the directorial baton to him. “Mahesh was our choice. But, Randeep had to lose 15 kilos for one leg, and another eight kilos for the next leg. So, the process was time consuming, and the dates were not aligning with those of Mahesh. Randeep has written the film with Utkarsh Naithani, and had already started losing weight for it. He is an evolved and involved actor, and he knew each and every thing about Savarkar. We sat down and discussed the issue, and he agreed to come aboard as director. He told us that it was his dream to become a director one day, so this film served as the ideal offer.”

The team plans to release the film on May 26, 2023, on the occasion of Veer Savarkar’s 140th birth anniversary.

The South v/s Hindi films debate has been prominent in many industry-related conversations of late. However, there’s been no discussion about the impact it has had on smaller, regional industries. On Friday, speaking at an event in Pune, filmmaker Mahesh Manjrekar minced no words as he called out the audience for their biased attitude towards Marathi films. While addressing a question about his film’s story and setting, Manjrekar also spoke about how he hoped that the Marathi audience would start coming to theatres to watch films.

“It’s not that good films aren’t made in Marathi. But where are the viewers? You are entitled to an opinion, but to create that opinion, at least watch the film once. The audiences have convinced themselves that Marathi films are not worth watching and that’s extremely sad especially when makers are trying their best to give different experiences to viewers,” he said, adding, “But they will watch films like KGF. I am not downplaying the success of the KGF franchise; the makers did a splendid job of creating a buzz around it and they raked in the money. The Kannada industry was struggling, but today, Kannada films are being released across the country because of the success of KGF. Can’t we do the same with Marathi cinema? That’s really something to think about. Marathi films have good content, but no viewers. And the cycle continues.”

Manjrekar has been vocal about various concerns of the industry. In the past, the lack of promotion of Marathi films was looked at as a primary reason behind the lesser reach. When asked about the same, the filmmaker said, “I don’t think that’s a concern anymore. A decent Marathi film spends close to Rs. 2 crore on film promotions. This includes on-ground events, collaborations, press conferences etc. Despite all this, the box-office returns are abysmal. Until that improves, there’s nothing that can be done.”

On Thursday, Anupam Kher shared a video along with Mahima Chaudhry where the actress revealed how she battled breast cancer. While most people were shocked by what she shared, what came as a huge relief is that not only has she recovered completely, but she is also back at work. In a conversation with BT, Mahima opens up about her journey and what kept her going. Excerpts:

I will be happy if my story is used as an inspiration because I, too, used other people’s journeys to inspire me. Even when Sanjay Dutt was battling cancer, he was on set going on with his life, and his story inspired me. I decided that’s how I wanted to be. Sanjay Dutt, Mahesh Manjrekar and I, we all did a film together called Kurukshetra (2000), and strangely, all of us had to battle cancer around the same time. Sonali Bendre, Manisha Koirala and Tahira Kashyap their stories inspired me. Tennis champion Martina Navratilova was diagnosed with breast cancer years ago. She continued going to the matches and doing commentary while she underwent radiation. In fact, she played a match 12 days after her surgery. I was telling this to my daughter (Ariana), and she said, “Mama, sit up, we can play Ludo.” So, we played ludo (smiles)! We tried to stay spirited like that. Many actors called me and said, “We just met you four weeks back, and you were fine, and your hair was fine.” I told them that I was wearing a wig. My manager was like, “So you were doing all the photoshoots at home with a wig?” Not everyone knew, so they treated me normally.

It has been a psychological battle. I was diagnosed with cancer during a simple annual check-up at the end of 2021. I was told to undergo further tests. My treatment lasted for four months. I have completed my treatment in Mumbai, and I think I have recovered completely, but it was a difficult journey and the emotions are bound to stay with you for a while. I can’t even begin to tell you how difficult the treatment was for me. I don’t want to talk about that because I don’t want people to get rattled by it. It is curable, so I don’t want anyone to be afraid of the treatment. I want people to know that I am on the set working now and I am fine. I want women to know that they can fully recover. That’s the message I want to give. I want people to know their bodies and know that cancer is curable today. Even an educated person like me was rattled when I first heard about it. It shouldn’t rattle people. Medicine is so advanced today that you need to stay positive once you are diagnosed with cancer. There are endless treatments, so you should not be afraid.

I am glad I first shared it with Anupam. His support has been so strong that now everyone has been calling to check on me. There have been endless messages and I want to thank everyone who reached out. I was going to share my story eventually. Of course, my friends knew, but not my parents. My mother was there for me when I told her I had surgery, but she didn’t know what it was for. I kept the information from them because it gets difficult for me to take care of her while taking care of myself. So, I thought, let me get over with the treatment so I can break the news to them later on and deal with it in a better way. It’s hard to be sick and deal with so many responsibilities.

All the women who I met during my treatment said that they would go back to work the next day. It made me feel normal. The process is difficult, so it’s good to have supportive people around you and also, your work helps you get your mind off what’s going on with your body. When you are feeling low and lying down, you just want your mother to hold you and tell you, “Beta thodasa khalo.” because you can’t even eat a morsel. At that time, it was my daughter who did that for me. Even if it’s a small piece of bread. She would say, “Mama, just put it in your mouth.” If my child told me to eat, even if I couldn’t, I would still eat it. I wanted her to feel that I am fine and I am brave. I would put on an act in front of her. I sent her off to my sister’s place as I didn’t want her to see me like that, but she always came back. She was by my side throughout. The only people who I would have wanted to know about my story were my parents. Rest, all my friends, be it in America, Chandigarh or Delhi, knew about it. They flew down to be with me. I had the support of everyone so I could go on with my business.

In March, mid-day was the first to report that Randeep Hooda had been signed on to play Vinayak Damodar Savarkar in SwatantraVeer Savarkar (Savarkar is the most misunderstood hero, Mar 23). Two months on, remembering the freedom fighter on his 139th birth anniversary, the makers have shared Hooda’s first look from the biopic. Sporting a bushy moustache, round glasses and the signature cap, the actor bears a striking resemblance to the national hero. 

Looking the part, however, is only the first step. Hooda knows it will be a tough road ahead as he teams up with director Mahesh Manjrekar to shine a spotlight on the hero’s contribution towards India’s fight for freedom. “This is a salute to one of the tallest unsung heroes of India’s freedom struggle. I hope I can live up to the challenge of filling such big shoes, and tell his real story that had been brushed under the carpet for so long,” says the actor. 

Slated to go on floors in August, the Anand Pandit-backed film will revisit Savarkar’s early association with the revolutionary group India House in the UK, his imprisonment at the Cellular Jail and the later years when he advocated social unity. Manjrekar says that in Hooda, he has found a leading man who is deeply committed to doing justice to the role.

“Randeep was 20 kilos heavier than how we had visualised him. I was skeptical [about the casting] since he was well-built, and Savarkar was lean. But Randeep surprised us by losing 10 kilos within a month. He intends to drop another 10 kilos,” says the director.

He is equally impressed by the actor’s deep-dive into the revolutionary’s life. While Manjrekar has spent over a year with the research team to ensure historical accuracy in the film, he admits that his leading man’s knowledge on the subject is vast. “It’s rare that an actor is more well-read than the writing team. It’s nice to be working with an actor who is on the same page. We have read extensively and found necessary references, but he has read far more than us.”

Producer Sandeep Singh adds, “Savarkar is the most misunderstood hero, and it is high time we understood him.”

While Shreyas Talpade has always won appreciation for his work in films, the OTT space has been a big boon for artistes like him. The actor, who has already been a part of a couple of OTT projects, was recently seen in the web film Kaun Pravin Tambe based on the life of cricketer Pravin Tambe. Shreyas is happy that after a dull phase, things are looking up in his career.

He says, “After I did Golmaal, people started assuming that I am just another actor in the film who can do good comedy. I enjoyed doing Golmaal and am still looking forward if they want to cast me in the film, but that doesn’t mean I am not able to deliver what’s required for other genres. People had started doubting my abilities as an actor and that’s when I felt I should work on different scripts.”

As per reports, Shreyas Talpade was recently replaced in Farhad Samji’s Kabhi Eid Kabhi Diwali. Shreyas says, “Farhad Samji is a good director and a very dear friend. I would like him to make an amazing film with or without me. I don’t want to comment on this further.”

Shreyas has a number of films on the cards, including a Marathi movie with Mahesh Manjrekar and Sarkar Ki Seva Mein, which will be directed by the actor himself. He recently finished shooting for two films, one of which is an anthology. The actor says, “I am a self-made man and have been in the industry for the last 17 years, and obviously, that hasn’t happened by fluke. I have never begged for roles, and I am glad that whatever I am today is because of my efforts and hard work.”

After playing 19th century painter Raja Ravi Varma in Rang Rasiya (2014) and an innocent Indian farmer hanged for allegedly spying in Pakistan in Sarbjit (2016), Randeep Hooda is ready for his third biopic. The actor will bring alive the story of freedom fighter Vinayak Damodar Savarkar in his next, Swatantra Veer Savarkar. We hear Hooda signed on the dotted line on Monday evening.

Sources say the film will revisit Savarkar’s early association with a revolutionary group in the UK, his imprisonment at the Cellular Jail and the later years where he advocated social unity, thus highlighting his contribution in India’s fight for freedom.

Hooda is eager to bring his interpretation to the revolutionary. “There are many heroes who have played their part in getting us our independence. However, not everyone has got their due. Vinayak Damodar Savarkar is the most misunderstood, debated and influential among these unsung heroes,” he states. The actor is delighted to reunite with Sarbjit producer Sandeep Singh for the venture.

The period drama, to be helmed by Mahesh Manjrekar and co-produced by Anand Pandit, will roll in June. The story will take the cast and crew to London, Maharashtra and the Andaman & Nicobar Islands. Keen to see India’s freedom movement from a different prism, Manjrekar feels this is the “right time to tell stories which we had ignored.” “It will be an edgy narrative that will force us to revisit our history,” he says.