'Tamasha' returns to Marathi screen

Mumbai: Marathi cinema is finally returning to its roots. After the superb biopic Harishchandrachi Factory comes Natrang, a film that brings tamasha to the silver screen. Tamasha was last tackled in a Marathi film about a decade ago.

Debut making director Ravi Jadhav who has based his film on a novel by Dr Anand Jadhav says the best cinema world-over usually connects intimately with its region. “Look at acclaimed world movies: they all keep the local audience in mind. This film too talks of a villager and his efforts to make it big in the field of tamasha,” says Jadhav.

Natrang has to compete with attractive candy floss at multiplexes but has managed to stand its ground. Despite its small scale, it walked away with audience applause at the premier.

“The most unique factor in this film was the music. Films like these require period music and this score really lifts the film,” said actor-director Nagesh Bhosale.

The story of the film revolves around a wrestler and his struggle to realise his dreams to become an artiste. The film uses lavani dance and tamasha music from the era when these art forms ruled the Marathi silver screen. Atul Kulkarni plays the lead as a wrestler.

 “I always like roles that scare me. The first time I heard the story I realised that a role like this comes an actor’s way once in a long time. I first had to put on a lot of weight — about 16 kilos — to play the wrestler and then I had to lose it all in 42 days,” says Kulkarni.

The most challenging part of the role comes in the second half — when the wrestler takes on the role of a gay character in the lavani troupe. It is an emotionally turbulent role because the protagonist is shown living a dual life.

“In those days a nachya (eunuch) brought to mind the image of a stereotypical Ganpat Patil — someone who is a regular eunuch. But here I am playing a macho wrestler who is compelled to be a nachya,” says Kulkarni.

The film is being screened with English sub titles but the story is told so sensitively that language is not a hurdle to enjoying or appreciating it. “I loved watching this film although I do not understand Marathi. Atul Kulkarni’s character sports a bulky look in the first half and a lean look in the second half. I’m told he did it in little time. You don’t see such detailing even in Hindi films,” said Abhinav Kashyap, a Hindi film director.

Natrang was the only Indian film premiered at MAMI in the ‘Above the Cut’ category that features films with great cinematic merit.