Raj Thackeray Announces Bhai – Vyakti Ki Valli; A Pu La Deshpande Biopic by Mahesh Manjrekar

12th of June is remembered as a sad day in Maharashtra’s history. Today is the day when Maharashtra’s most celebrated cultural icon, the great writer-actor-humorist-musician-playwright-director & more importantly a great human being Pu La Deshpande left this world. Yesterday the announcement of a Pu La Deshpande biopic was made at an event in Worli, Mumbai!

While the names of the artists & actors associated with the film were kept under wraps before the event, the news was disclosed at the event slowly! The film is a joint venture between Great Maratha Entertainment, Mahesh Manjrekar Movies & Phalke’s Factory & is to be directed by Mahesh Manjrekar. The film was officially announced by MNS Chief Raj Thackeray who was present at the event as the guest of honor.

Mahesh Manjrekar revealed the entire team of the film starting from the writers; senior writer Ratnakar Matkari as the dialogue writer, Ratnakar Matkari’s son film critic & writer Ganesh Matkari as the screenplay writer & music director Ajit Parab. While the lead cast of the film was also revealed at the event in the same get up of the characters they would portray in the film.

Actor Sagar Deshmukh (known for his lead performance in ‘YZ’) will be portraying Pu La Deshpande in the film! And he looked perfect for the part in that get up designed by the popular makeup artist Vikram Gaikwad. The role of Sunita Deshpande wife of Pu La, is being played by the ‘Aapla Manus’ fame actress Iravati Harshe! She too looked perfect in her part. The rest of the cast includes Sachin Khedekar, Sagar Karande, Deepti Lele, Pravin Tarde, Sarang Sathaye, Vidyadhar Joshi, Chittaranjan Giri, Ashwini Giri, Padmanabh Bind, Ajay Purkar & others.

Senior writer Ratnakar Matkari & Raj Thackeray both talked about their memories connected to Pu La & how they felt blessed to have known him & met him in person. For all the Pu La fans this film promises to give us a new perspective about Pu La the human being more than the writer he was or the characters he created as this film will be focusing on his actual life unknown to many!