Before making his Bollywood debut in director Kabir Khan’s 2021 venture ’83, actor Addinath Kothare had a string of opportunities that didn’t work out. In a recent chat, Kothare mentions filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Bajirao Mastani (2015) as one of the opportunities that didn’t work in his favour. The actor auditioned for the film, but lost the part to actor Vaibhav Tatwawadi, a fellow contemporary from the Marathi film industry and a “dear friend,” who eventually played Chimaji Appa in the Ranveer Singh and Deepika Padukone-starrer.

“Vaibhav and I were the final two actors shortlisted for the part. I’ve been a massive Bhansali fan, so getting to work with him was something that I was genuinely looking forward to. However, Vaibhav got that part and I was heartbroken (laughs). It was indeed a bummer. It is the only film in my entire career that I wish I had got,” Kothare shares. 

Interestingly, Bajirao Mastani had Singh in the lead, which Kothare did not get, but he did make his Bollywood debut alongside Singh anyway, courtesy of ’83. “That was sheer coincidence. I never really thought about this. I guess I was destined to make my Hindi debut with him. It was written [in the stars],” the 38-year-old quips.

While the 2015 film didn’t work out for Kothare, it took almost seven years for Bhansali to not only take notice of the actor, but also laud him for his performance in the costume drama Chandramukhi. “I received a message from him. He really loved the film. He said this movie has put the Marathi film industry on a certain pedestal. Hopefully, I’ll soon get to work with him,” Kothare ends.

Fresh off the success of her latest Marathi film, Pondicherry, actor Sai Tamhankar is happy with the response. She says, “A Marathi film of mine released in theatres after two years. Shooting the film on an iPhone, working without assistants, and the comfort was liberating.”

Tamhankar has been receiving rave reviews for her performance in the movie. However, she admits she cannot view her work objectively. “I can’t objectify or judge my work anymore. It’s been so many years and I have done a lot of work. Sometimes, you seek validation and sometimes you feel, ‘Theek hi kiya hoga’,” expresses the Balak Palak (2013) and Tu Hi Re (2015) actor.

The 35-year-old resonates with “the emotional and financial independence” of her character, Nikita, in Pondicherry, who is a tour guide in the eponymous city. However, the part where she is reluctant to fall in love is something Tamhankar “doesn’t relate” to. “I fall in love easily, very easily. I hate that thing about myself. But that’s how I am (laughs),” she quips.

Regardless, she confesses that playing the character was quite “intense”. “It was draining. I am a sensitive person. (So) I get pulled towards the characters that have a lot of pain and emotions in their journey. It was exhausting. This emotion was new to me. I get involved in every film like that. It’s consuming, yet I don’t know any other way. It has worked for me. Vaibhav (Tatwawadi, co-star in Pondicherry) teases me, ‘Marr jayegi itna involve hoke. Itna involve koi hota hai kya?’,” she shares.