Showing posts with label Pawankhind. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Pawankhind. Show all posts
Digpal Lanjekar has planned an 8-movie series on Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj with me playing the legendary ruler-Chinmay Mandlekar
8:19 AM
Mandlekar, who plays Chhatrapati Shivaji in the Marathi film Pawankhind, discusses playing the historical character for the third time on screen
Upala KBR (MID-DAY; March 10, 2022)
It is difficult for a regional film to stand out, especially when it is released only a week ahead of Alia Bhatt’s Gangubai Kathiawadi, and Robert Pattinson’s The Batman, that released on March 4. However, Digpal Lanjekar’s Marathi film Pawankhind, which released on February 18, not only managed to woo the audiences, but is also expected to make Rs 30 crore at the box office by the end of the fourth week. The budget of the film was close to Rs 5.50 crore.
The period drama sees Chinmay Mandlekar reprising the role of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj for the third time, after Farzand (2018) and Fatteshikast (2019). The film, based on a rear-guard face-off between Maratha warrior Baji Prabhu Deshpande and Siddi Masud of Adilshah sultanate, is only the third film in the franchise.
“The director Digpal Lanjekar has planned an eight-movie series on Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj with me playing the legendary ruler. After Pawankhind, the fourth film, Sher Shivraj will release on [April 29],” says the actor.
Taking up the role was a no-brainer for Mandlekar, who idolises Shivaji. He says, “The battle of Pawankhind has been lost in the mainstream media. The response to the film has been heart-warming. To play your own hero in films is an uplifting feeling.”
The actor, who was also seen in Hindi films, including Tere Bin Laden (2010), Shanghai (2012) and Bhavesh Joshi Superhero (2018), confirms that the makers are hoping to complete the next four films of the eight-film franchise in another year.
“Since the plan is to make a few more movies around the iconic character, we cannot be frivolous in our personal lives [because] even one insignificant thing can be picked up and blown out of proportion,” he says, adding that the rule, however, doesn’t apply when taking up negative roles.
“I can play any role that I want, even if it is completely opposite to what I play in the historical. Marathi audiences understand that this is a film; I am playing a character.” The actor is set to play the negative lead in Vivek Agnihotri’s The Kashmir Files that releases this Friday.
(Crisp) Movie Review: PAWANKHIND by FENIL SETA
9:59 AM
Pawankhind is a recently released Marathi film that is doing blockbuster business in cinemas. It tells the incredible story of the Battle of Pawankhind during the time of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. The film has some issues - the film drags at places and the a few action scenes are very childish; it’s shocking how it even got approved. The subtitles are full of grammatical mistakes and those who don’t understand the language will have a frustrating experience. Nevertheless, the film scores thanks to its excellent storyline and well fleshed out characters. It gives a nice tribute to all those who sacrificed their lives for the Maratha Empire and also focuses on how the benevolent Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj cared a lot for his men. The climax is exceptional. Speaking of performances, Chinmay Mandlekar is flawless in the role of the Maratha emperor. Ajay Purkar (Baji Prabhu) leaves a mark and the same goes for Ankit Mohan (Rayaji), Mrinal Kulkarni (Jijamata), Harish Dudhade (Bahirji Naik) and Ajinkya Nanaware (Shiva Kashid). Sameer Dharmadhikari is too good as the antagonist but his blackface looks very unconvincing. Songs are catchy. All in all, despite a few minuses, Pawankhind is worth a watch, especially on the big screen.
My rating - *** out of 5!
Marathi filmmakers delve into history for a grand, big-screen experience
7:57 AM
Preeti Atulkar (BOMBAY TIMES; March 19, 2021)
Huge sets, high-octane battle sequences, a wide canvas and elaborate costumes — historical films have been the talk of the town in the Marathi industry for a while now. With almost five such films either ready for release or in the making right now, it’s safe to say that the genre is at its peak in the industry. We spoke to filmmakers to know more. Read on:
TIME TO REKINDLE HISTORY
Marathi filmmakers have been trying their hand at lesser explored genres like dark comedy, sci-fi and psychological thrillers. But history is clearly the favourite subject this season. Director Digpal Lanjekar, who has helmed two historical films in the past — Farzand and Fatteshikast — will be making six more films under the series ‘Shivraj Ashtak’. The third and fourth films —Pawankhind (earlier Jungjauhar) and Sher Shivraj Hai — have already been announced, with the former eyeing a release soon. Speaking about the reason behind doing this eight-film series, Digpal says, “There are a lot of events in Maratha history that deserve to be made into films. My basic motive was to make the youth know of the glorious tales of the bygone era. Plus, the genre hasn’t been explored well in Marathi.”
NEED OF AWARENESS ABOUT MARATHA HISTORY
Director Rahul Jadhav, who recently revealed the first look of his next, Chhatrapati Tararani, based on the life of the erstwhile regent of the Maratha empire and featuring Sonalee Kulkarni in the lead, also plans to make another period drama based on the life of Maratha naval commander Kanhoji Angre in 2022. “These are our unsung heroes and we need to celebrate them,” he says, adding, “At least 200 movies can be made on the life and times of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and the Maratha empire.”
Ask Rahul what prompted him to make a film on Chhatrapati Tararani and he replies, “I remember, I was in Kolhapur with my daughter and we were crossing the statue of Chhatrapati Tararani. My daughter pointed towards the statue and said ‘Jhansi ki Rani’. It left me heartbroken. I respect Rani Lakshmibai, but I realised that lack of awareness and information about Maratha warriors among the younger generation. That was a trigger point on me and I decided that these stories needed to be told.”
THOROUGH RESEARCH IS A MUST
Filmmakers say that thorough research is a must before venturing into making a historical saga. Prasad Oak, who directed Sonalee in Hirkani, shares, “You can’t tweak history. Period. In fact, right from the costumes, to the sets, everything is created from scratch for a historical film. Your groundwork and knowledge about the subject should be impeccable. Every scene in Hirkani was written in detail, which is why we could pull everything off smoothly. It is true that making a historical film is far more challenging than other genres. But it’s satisfying, too, and I am looking forward to beginning another epic soon.”
BIG BUDGETS, NO COMPROMISE
Pravin Tarde, whose upcoming directorial Sarsenapati Hambirrao boasts of a big star cast, feels that the grandeur of historical films must not be compromised upon. “The film has been made with a budget of approximately Rs. 18 crore. Most of my technicians in the film have worked in big Bollywood films. The sets, the costumes and make-up, nothing has been compromised upon. We have tried to keep VFX to a minimum and tried to keep it as real as possible,” says Pravin, adding, “My actors, including Gashmeer Mahajani and Raqesh Bapat, have shot war scenes wearing armours weighing 90 kgs. I am sure when audiences watch the film, it will be a thrilling experience for them.”
UPCOMING HISTORICAL FILMS:
- Chhatrapati Tararani
- Sarsenapati Hambirrao
- Pawankhind
- Sher Shivraj Hai
- Paavan Khind
One of the first posters of Jungjauhar , which has now been renamed to Pawankhind
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)