Marathi audience is intelligent: Manjrekar

Actor-director Mahesh Manjrekar will soon begin working on the biopic of celebrated writer and humorist Purushottam Lakshman Deshpande fondly known as Pu La. Apart from this, the senior actor is working on two more Marathi films and a Hindi film.

His last Marathi film Dhyani Mani, a psychological thriller, did not do well at the box office and his next, Shikari, is an adult comedy. On experimenting with different genres, Mahesh says, “Honestly, we all are on the lookout for a successful film. The industry and audience always expects filmmakers to do everything morally right. Why? We are all here to do business. Every filmmaker has a family to feed. They have children whose college fees need to be paid.”

He adds that when a film is made, at least 150 people depend on it. He says, “I really wish that all films succeed at the box office. Imagine, the National Award winning film, Kaasav (2017) did not have audiences in the theatre. The Marathi film industry is losing a lot of money and it is not even funny.”

Mahesh shares that he doesn’t have a success formula or a magic wand. “We have to try and make a film that works. Today, the Marathi audience is forward thinking and intelligent. They are beyond rural set-ups and want a glamorous or bold film,” says the actor, who portrayed the Maratha warrior, Shivaji Maharaj in Me Shivajiraje Bhosale Boltoy (2009).

I really wish that all films succeed at the box office. [But] we have to try and make a film that works. Today, the Marathi audience is forward thinking and intelligent. They are beyond rural setups and want a glamorous or bold film. MAHESH MANJREKAR ACTORDIRECTOR

PHOTO: RAHUL RAUT/HT Mahesh Manjrekar