Skip to main content

Shaktiman in Marathi film



Mukesh Khanna aka Shaktiman, who's starring in his first Marathi film, Ardha Gangu Ardha Gondya, mouths dialogue “Maazi takat” - from the movie - flexing his muscles for effect.
“Watch out for this dialogue. It will be on everyone's lips after the movie releases on May 27th,” Khanna, dressed in white shirt-trousers with a beige stole draped around his shoulders, tells Sakal Times.
Khanna, who is essaying the role of a municipal corporator, and has also produced the movie, says Ardha Gangu and Ardha Gondya is a tribute to Dada Kondke's brand of cinema.
“Dada Kondke's entry in the movie is the hatke factor,” claims Khanna, while digging into butter roti, dal and subji.
Telling us briefly about the story, Khanna says, “Dada Kondke's atma is the guiding force for the “duplicate” actors who want to make it big in the film industry. There's a film within a film. Govinda is a struggling actor who makes it big towards the end with the help of Kondke and his mother's wishes.”
The relationship between mother and son is also a hook of the picture. Taking a leaf out of Kondke's life, where his mother couldn't see Kondke's success, in the film Govinda's mother's willpower permits her to bask in the son's glory.
Kondke's role has been performed by Pramod Nanawade, a close associate of the comedian.
The movie, which will be released first in Pune, will be later screened in other cities and towns depending on the initial response.
“We have just two prints of the movie. We will first release it in Pune and then move to other areas. I want people of Sangli, Ichalkaranji to come and see it because they will identify with the aspiration, struggle and migration to Mumbai to fulfill dreams as depicted in the film,” says Khanna.
It is the “migration factor” that has prompted the popular TV star to open his first film institute, Shaktiman Film Institute, in Jaipur.
“In our times, there was just one film institute in Pune and all the aspiring actors and directors would flock to FTII. I plan to open one acting/film institute in every city of the country so that the youngsters can study under their parents or guardian's supervision,” he says.
The creator of the original Indian superhero reveals that Shaktiman will soon be broadcast on television as an animated series.
“Big Animation, a studio in Pune, is handling the animation part. I also hope to release the serial with 3D effects. We are shooting some episodes in that format. And, of course I also want to make a superhero film,” says Khanna.
Talking of his connect with children because of Shaktiman, Khanna says that he wants to form a corporation of children's films, which will produce movies for kids and also finance them.
When we asked him about Bhishma-pitah like role, Khanna says, “I don't want to grow my beard anymore. Most of the mythological roles require the actors to wear long hair and beard and I don't want to do it. So mythological roles are passe now. But, in case there's a good offer, I might consider it.”
He, however, seems excited about acting in his second Marathi film, which he refuses to name.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Portrait of a poet

This has already been published in the Sunday supplement. Krishnaji Keshav Damle also known as Keshavsut --- Poetry never really appealed to me. And, so it was with great reluctance that I agreed to my husband's plan to visit Keshavsut Smarak – a memorial raised in memory of 'Father of Modern Marathi Poetry', Krishnaji Keshav Damle – in Malgund. We were in Ganapatipule at that time and decided to go to Malgund, a 10-minute drive (a kilometre) from the popular tourist destination. A sign-post told us to take a left turn and what greeted us, at the end of the lane, was tranquil silence. No security guards, no tourists, just a plaque announcing that Damle, popularly known as Keshavsut, was born in the red-roofed house, surrounded by green shrubbery. Keshavsut's house in Malgund  A poem by Keshavsut  The house, renovated in the old style, was near-empty, except for Keshavsut's portrait that was hanging from the wall in the front room. In the
Post a Comment
Read more

Many ideas of ‘self’ (Review of Pratibimb, Marathi play)

With Mahesh Elkunchwar’s name as a writer associated with Pratibimb (Reflection), you know nothing in the play will be at face value. Nothing is what it seems. It is difficult for commoners to get into Elkunchwar’s mindspace, which is precisely the subject of the Marathi play, which was staged earlier in August and will now be performed again on Friday, September 15 at Sudarshan Rangmanch, Shaniwar Peth. While watching the play, it’s evident that the viewer has to peel various layers to get to the core of the story — Who are you? What does ‘self-identity’ mean? Is it so bad if your reflection goes missing or if you have no identity? Thokale (a white-collared office goer) wakes up one morning and finds his reflection missing. Enters Bai, his landlady, who tries to assure him that nothing is lost. In fact, it could be a ‘breaking news’ for the newspaper. This perhaps could have led to a lot of chaos physically. Instead, we are led to the darkness looming large in our dystopian minds
Post a Comment
Read more

Valu and more

Visited Poman Pimpale village where Marathi picture Valu was shot. --- Documentary la chala… came the shout and Poman Pimpale villagers slowly started gathering at the village square. The children were already there, jostling each other, eager to see the ‘documentary’ – Marathi film Valu, which was shot in this village, some 14 kms away from Saswad. On the occasion of the film completing 50 successful days, the cast and crew of Valu, decided to host a special screening for the villagers on Saturday as a tribute. As Umesh Kulkarni, the director of Valu says, “ The movie is a collaborative venture of the villagers and myself. Valu is theirs as much as it is mine.” You just need to mingle with the crowd to find out what Umesh says is true - it’s their movie that the villagers have gathered to see. Pradeep Poman, a village elder, says that they enjoyed the whole film making process. “It had become a past time for us. Whenever we had some time to spare, we just went to see the shooting.
Post a Comment
Read more