• Review : Lathe Joshi (2018)
• Producer : Sonali Joshi and Mangesh Joshi
• Presenter : Amol Kagne Studios, Laxman Eknathrao Kagne and Amol Laxman Kagne
• Director : Mangesh Joshi
• Screenplay : Mangesh Joshi
• Star Cast : Chittaranjan Giri, Ashwini Giri, Om Bhutkar, Seva Chauhan & Shrikant Yadav
• Review by : Abhay Salvi

Rating : 4.5/5

Lathe Joshi Review (Marathi Movie):

Lathe Joshi starts with a pin drop silence introducing Mr. Joshi & his ‘Lathe’ machine at work. Joshi’s boss calls for him & in the next scene we see Joshi & his fellow lathe workers sitting calmly, without discussing a bit about what happened in the boss’s cabin. Yet the message reaches us clearly. Their skill isn’t required any longer. Almost without a word spoken ‘Lathe Joshi’ tells what the film is all about & how it will approach the subject throughout the film.

‘Lathe Joshi’ lies strongly on it’s title character. His characteristics also define the treatment of the film. Mr. Joshi isn’t keen on confrontations, sometimes he seems to exist on such minimalist scale that the surroundings over power his existence. There are many scenes in the film where we see other characters not even noticing that he is there in the same space. Chittaranjan Giri’s performance is as unconventionally plain as it can get! A conventional actor with a conventional performance would have taken away much of the uniqueness from the film. One needs to understand that Joshi represents the subject of the film in & out, but the film still doesn’t exploit the character for the subject’s purpose, it makes us believe in Joshi throughout.

The film deals with the changing (or rather changed) times. Times that are scrapping out human skill, craft as redundant in the today’s highly productive & business oriented world. Every one of us has experienced this change. The idea of having an individual impact in your work place is dying out. In the larger context it applies to every employee who went through this change. We see a younger colleague of Joshi, Mr. Shinde (Shrikant Yadav) who has managed to change with the changing times leaving behind Joshi & others who couldn’t.

In Joshi’s own family his son Dinu (Om Bhutkar) & his wife (Ashwini Giri) represent this change. And Joshi’s old blind mother represents the further transition Joshi himself would go through if he doesn’t change! The change required has very little to do with learning a newer skill which could suit the new age (as Joshi’s son repairs computers) it has more to do with the principles behind the work. Joshi’s work was his identity, his old bedridden boss proudly calls him an artist. Joshi worked for that, for his boss to embrace his skill, his art! His son represents a completely different work ethic. So does his wife (who works as a small time caterer).

Both Joshi’s son & wife are working for the outcomes alone. Eating at a fancy restaurant, buying a car, & so on. Their work is just a mean to reach new destinations every day. Unlike Joshi who’s journey & destination both were in his work. As plain as all this might sound, throughout in ‘Lathe Joshi’ there are countless humorous moments! Mainly involving Joshi’s old mother & her obsession with Television (she can’t see but she can hear!). Television too is a tool of this new world. Filled with advertisements & shows that would inspire you to keep copping up with the constantly evolving world! Dinu (Joshi’s son) keeps creating small quarrels between his grandmother & mother to keep his grandmother ‘interested’. That’s all there’s left in an old person’s life who isn’t part of the rat race in today’s world! This also is Joshi’s own future.

Mangesh Joshi the director of the film deserves credit for actualizing this film without any compromises. And of course for it’s inception in the first place too! His entire technical team too deserves credit. And of course the actors! One can’t stop but mention Chaitanya Tamhane’s ‘Court’, that was the last Marathi film that truly explored the art of subtlety to it’s fullest, ‘Lathe Joshi’ too does that with great focus.

Overall:

‘Lathe Joshi’ is a film that would work for an audience who wishes to be served ‘quality’ over the ‘quantity’ of usual idea of ‘entertainment’. It’s a film that is destined be talked about for years to come, for how rare the subject it chose to the treatment & the perfection it achieved in it’s execution!

The post Lathe Joshi Review (Marathi Movie ): Rarest of Rare Masterpiece! appeared first on MarathiStars.

• Movie : Lathe Joshi (2018) | लेथ जोशी
• Producer : Sonali Joshi and Mangesh Joshi
• Director : Mangesh Joshi
• Studio : Pravah Nirmitee Production and Dawn Studios
• Star Cast :
  • Chittaranjan Giri as Lathe Joshi
  • Ashwini Giri as Wife
  • Seva Chauhan as Mother
  • Om Bhutkar as Son
• Writer : Mangesh Joshi
• Sound Design : Piyush Shah
• Background Music: Sarang Kulkarni
• Cinematography (DOP) : Satyajeet Shobha Shriram
• Editor : Makrand Dambhare
• Art Director : Prashant Bidkar
• Costume : Seema Arolkar
• Presenter : Amol Kagne Studios, Laxman Eknathrao Kagne and Amol Laxman Kagne
• Associate Producer : Narendra Bhide, Nitin Vaidya and Leela Talkies
• Executive Producer : Mandar Deshpande and Nitin Ambale
• Distributor : Ankit Chandiramani
• Digital Marketing : Loki’s Studio
• Visual Promotion : Sameer Shaikh and Akash Gawli
• Publicity Stills : Shashank Bhalerao
• Publicity Design : Milind Matkar
• Chief Assistant Director : Pradeepkishor Shruti
• Genre : Drama
• Release Date : 13th July 2018

Synopsis : Machines making workers obsolete may still look like a futuristic concept, but comes true in Joshi’s life. Joshi, known as Lathe Joshi for his skilled work on lathe machine, is left jobless when the owner of the workshop has to close the business as it is incurring the loss. Lathe Joshi finds losing lathe work as losing his identity & refuses to give in to the changing times of globalization in the form of automation. But he comes to face it, even in his home, with his wife doing a catering business, his son running an electronic repair shop in the house & even with his mother, who resolves to chant 500,000 times using a chant machine. The numbers become significant over the skills. Joshi finds himself as a mere witness of the coming time when a skilled worker might become a museum exhibit.

Lathe Joshi Marathi Movie Poster/Still Photos :

Lathe Joshi Marathi Movie Trailer :

The post Lathe Joshi (2018) – Marathi Movie appeared first on MarathiStars.

Mangesh Joshi directorial & presented by Amol Kagne Studios, ‘Lathe Joshi‘ is an award-winning Marathi film that has impressed the audiences worldwide in different film festivals. Now it’s set to release in theaters on 13th of July. The trailer of the film is now out & gives a nice idea about the film’s subject.

In today’s continuously changing world ‘Lathe Joshi‘ tells the tale of an ordinary Lathe Machine worker ‘Joshi’ who struggles to keep up with the changing times. His mind is still invested in an old machine like ‘Lathe’. The world has moved on, it doesn’t need such old Lathe machines & neither does it need a Lathe worker.

Joshi’s son & wife have readily adapted to the change, but Joshi himself finds ‘upgrading’ difficult. He seems dumbfounded & clueless. Even spirituality has adapted to changing times, as we see Joshi’s mother taking the blessing of a distant goddess through the internet. Joshi’s boss looks at Joshi as an artist, & not just a worker. Joshi feels good about it. Maybe this implies that in the race of ‘upgrading’ we’ve lost the ‘art’ in our life!

The post Lathe Joshi Trailer: Are You Ready to Upgrade? appeared first on MarathiStars.

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!

The post Raj Thackeray Announces Bhai – Vyakti Ki Valli; A Pu La Deshpande Biopic by Mahesh Manjrekar appeared first on MarathiStars.

The modernization & technical advancement of today’s times also has affected the worker class around the world. Along with that every skill & the attachment with the tools that these workers used are all disappearing in time. This is a constant process. Mangesh Joshi directorial ‘Lathe Joshi’ tells the story of one such worker who is at the center of this change.

Amol Kagne & Lakshman Kagne are presenting this film under their banner ‘Amol Kagne Studios’ & the film is produced by ‘Pravah Productions’ & ‘Don Studios’. The film stars Chittaranjan Giri, Ashwini Giri, Uttara Baokar, Om Bhutkar in lead roles. The poster of the film was recently revealed & since then the excitement for the film among serious filmgoers is on the peak!

‘Lathe Joshi’ has been a part of around 20 International film festivals & has won 12 International awards at these festivals. The audiences have been awaiting this film from a long time ever since the positive reactions came out from Maharashtra’s premiere film festivals MAMI & PIFF. The film releases on 13^th July at a theatre near you!

The post Highly Awaited Lathe Joshi Poster Out; Releasing on 13th July appeared first on MarathiStars.

2 years ago at MAMI festival a film called “Court” was screened. It later created history. This time Lathe Joshi is a new Marathi film that is all set to premiere at this prestigious festival.

The trailer of Lathe Joshi is out & it is excitingly real. It reminds us of Court in many ways. The film has a world which revolves around the lower middle class of a worker. Mumbai city has a huge history of workers & it only makes perfect sense for such a film to be screened at Mumbai’s very own film festival “MAMI”.

The post Lathe Joshi Trailer: Really Real! appeared first on MarathiStars.

A Every person is in search of blissful ending, but for that one has to write their own script. `Samhita’ is all about that . MarathiStars Reader Ruturaj Vaidya writes about Samhita The Script. Check out his view –

• Review : Samhita – The Script  (संहिता)
• Produced By : Mukta Arts, Ashokk Films
• Directed By : Sumitra Bhave – Sunil Sukthankar
• Written By : Sumitra Bhave
• Screenplay By : Sumitra Bhave
• Starring : Milind Soman, Devika Daftardar, Rajeshwari Sachdeva, Uttara Baokar, Jyoti Subhash, Sarang Sathye, Ashwini Giri, Dr. Sharad Bhutadia, Dr. Shekhar Kulkarni, Neha Mahajan

सुमित्रा भावे आणि सुनिल सुकथनकर या जोडगोळीचा आणखीन एक अप्रतिम सिनेमा म्हणजेच संहिता. संहिता म्हणजेच सिनेमाची स्क्रिप्ट; एका सिनेमाच्या स्क्रिप्ट च्या भोवताली आणि त्यात गुंतलेल्या तीन चार कथा किंवा कुटुंबं. बर्याचदा किंबहुना कायमच आपण एखादी घटना किंवा गोष्ट वाचतो, ऐकतो आणि त्या घटनेला स्वत:भोवती गुंफत जातो जणू ती आपली स्वतःचीच गोष्ट आहे. संहिता सुद्धा अशीच एक गोष्ट आहे जिच्यामध्ये नायिका स्वत:ला आणि तिच्या आजूबाजूच्यांना सामावून कथेत घेत जाते.

रेवती साठे (देविका दफ्तरदार), राष्ट्रीय पुरस्कार विजेती शॉर्टफिल्म मेकर जी एकआजच्या युगातली धडाडीची स्त्रीआहे जीला स्व:ताची ओळख आहे, जीला स्व:ताचे करिअर अजून मोठे बनवायचे आहे. पण त्याचबरोबर तिचं संसारिक जीवन याच कारणामुळे बिघडलं आहे ते इतकं, कि तिचा आणि तिचा बिझनेसमन नवरा रनवीर (मिलिंद सोमण) हे घटस्फोटाच्या उंबरठ्यावर आहेत. शिरीन (ज्योती सुभाष) एका नामांकित फिल्ममेकर (डॉ. शरद भुताडिया) ची बायको, तिला आपल्या अंथरुणाला खिळलेल्या नवर्याचा ड्रीम प्रोजेक्ट आणि शेवटची इच्छा असलेल्या कथेवरजी तारा देऊस्कर (उत्तरा बावकर) यांनी लिहिली आहे त्यावर चित्रपट बनवायचा आहे. त्यासाठी शिरीन, रेवती ची दिग्दर्शिका तसेच संहिता लेखक म्हणून आणि नायिका म्हणून एक प्रसिध्द नायिका हेमांगीनीची (राजेश्वरी सचदेवा) निवड करते. शिरीनला वरवर हि कथा आठवतेय आणि तिच्या मते हि एक समर्पणाची गोष्ट आहे, तर मूळ कथा लेखिका तारा देऊस्करांना वाटते कि हि एका शोषणाची कथा आहे. या दोघींच्या दृष्टीकोनातून आणि लेखीकेसोबत काही काळ हि कथा जिथे घडली त्या राजवाड्यात जाऊन रेवती हि संहिता गुंफू लागते ती स्वतःभोवतीच. रेवती, शिरीन, तारा, हेमांगिनी मग बनतात रेवतीच्या संहितेमधल्या राणी मालविका, रैनाबी, मोठ्या आऊसाहेब, आणि स्वर्गीय गळ्याची रागिणी, आणि रागीणीच्या स्वराच्या आणि सौंदर्याच्या प्रेमात पडतात ते महाराज म्हणजेच रेवतीचा नवरा रणवीर! रेवती आणि तिच्या नवर्याचे तणावाचे सबंध, शिरीनची नवर्याला वाचवण्याची धडपड तर हेमांगिनीची तिच्या प्रियकराच्या मुलीला सामावून आणि समजून घेण्याची कसरत आणि मूळ कथा अशा एकाचवेळी अनेक पठड्यावर चित्रपट सरकत राहतो.पण मूळ पठडी न सोडता बाकीच्या कथा गुंफण्यात दिग्दर्शिका सुमित्रा भावे आपल्या हातखंड्याने यशस्वी झाल्या आहेत.

एकमेकात गुंफणारी नाती आणि त्यांच्या वेगवेगळ्या तर्हा दिग्दर्शिकेने अशा सहजरित्याएकत्रित केल्या आहेत कि चित्रपट कुठेच आपला ट्रॅक सोडत नाही. दिग्दर्शानासोबातच तांत्रिक बाजूमध्येसुद्धा चित्रपट उठावदार आहे, राजे-महाराजे आणि राण्यांचे वेश, चाल, अदब आणि चित्रपटाचे सेट्स, वाहने, इ. मध्ये राजपण अगदी तंतोतंत आणण्यात सुमित्रा भावे यशस्वी. दरबारी संगीत ज्यापायी एक राजा वेडा होतो ते संगीत साधण्यात शैलेंद्र बर्वे यशस्वी झालाय. परंतु त्या सांगितला खरा साज चढवलाय तो आरती अंकलीकर यांनी. आरती अंकलीकारांच्या स्वर्गीय आवाजाने खरंच जादू केली आहे. चित्रपटाचे मुख्य शिलेदार म्हणजेच सगळे कलाकार दोन दोन भूमिका निभावून त्यांनी आपल्या अभिनय क्षमतेची चुणूक दाखवली आहे. मुख्य नायिका देविका दफ्तरदारच्या दिग्दर्शिका आणि राणी मालविका दोन्ही वेगवेगळ्या भूमिका अप्रतिम, मिलिंद सोमणचा व्यथित लग्न वाचवणारा नवरा आणि रुबाबदार राजेशाही आणि संगीत, प्रेमात बुडालेला राजा खरंच राजबिंडा तर राजेश्वरी सचदेवाची समंजस प्रभावी हेमांगिनी आणि सौंदर्यवती, लहेजा घेऊन गाणारी राजदरबारी गायिका सुरेखच, सोबत ज्योती सुभाष आणि उत्तरा बावकर यांचाही उत्तम दोन्ही आघाड्यावर उत्तम अभिनय चित्रपटाला एक नवी उंची देतो.

काही खटकण्यासारख्या गोष्टी म्हणजे राजेश्वरी आणि मिलिंद सोमण चे जाणवून येणारे वय. खासकरून राजेश्वरीच्या चेहऱ्यावर सुरकुत्या दिसत असताना वारंवार क्लोजअप शॉटस घेण्याचा मोह का केलाय हे कळत नाही. पण राजेश्वरी ने तिच्या सुंदर अभिनयाने तो झाकोळून टाकण्याचा केलेला प्रयत्नही वाखाणण्याजोगा. तर असा हा राजेशाही आणि त्यासोबतच आजच्या घडीच्या कौटुंबिक जीवनांवर प्रकाश टाकणारा संहिता न चुकाविण्यासारखा सिनेमा आहे. असे सिनेमे रोज घडत नाहीत.

Ruturaj Vaidya is movie fanatic, critic, technology expert, nature enthusiast, traveller and blogs at Flirtingwithmovies .You can check MarathiStars.com’s review here – Samhita – The Script Review.

The post Samhita – The Script – Reader’s View appeared first on MarathiStars.

• Review : Samhita – The Script  (संहिता)
• Produced By : Mukta Arts, Ashokk Films
• Directed By : Sumitra Bhave – Sunil Sukthankar
• Written By : Sumitra Bhave
• Screenplay By : Sumitra Bhave
• Starring : Milind Soman, Devika Daftardar, Rajeshwari Sachdeva, Uttara Baokar, Jyoti Subhash, Sarang Sathye, Ashwini Giri, Dr. Sharad Bhutadia, Dr. Shekhar Kulkarni, Neha Mahajan

Critic Rating : * * * ½

Rate This Movie :

[polldaddy rating=”7213476″]

Story Outline :

Revati Sathe (Devika Daftardar) is a documentary filmmaker, who is on the verge of being divorced from her businessman husband Ranveer (Milind Soman). Once, an aged lady Shirin (Jyoti Subhash) approaches her to make a feature film on a story by author Tara Deoskar (Uttara Baokar). Shirin’s husband was eager to make a film on it but unfortunately, he suffered a paralytic stroke. Hesitatingly, Revati agrees and gets submerged in the scripting. Slowly, she realizes that her life resembles the one narrated in the story.

Review :

There are two methods of storytelling in cinema: using dramatic dialogues or just letting the visual medium narrate the tale. The use of the latter is not seen much in Indian cinema. Sumitra Bhave and Sunil Mukhtankar’s Samhita – The Script is one such film that uses such a mode of storytelling by presenting a beautifully narrated journey that is amusing as well as moving.

First and foremost, it is very difficult for the writer and director to coincide tales of both the eras – Revati’s real-life story and the one being scripted in the movie. As that aspect is managed very well, more than half the battle is won. The result is a pleasurable cinematic experience. Even the normal day-to-day realistic conversations are intriguing and appealing. The scene where visuals from both stories are mixed while presenting a conversation between Revati and her aunt takes the cake.

The film appears as a love story between the king and the performer or between Revati and Ranveer. But there are various other layers attached with it, especially the issue of feminism. Without becoming preachy whatsoever, it manages to show the chauvinistic nature of people even in today’s times.

But the overall length of the film falls under the minuses. Although it was necessary for the narration to be unhurried, telling the story in 137 minutes is just too high for such a film. Half a star from the rating is reduced due to this issue.
One gets to hear some high quality classical songs that perfectly blend with the nature of the film. It’s just that the duration of some of them should have been shortened.
The film demanded outstanding work from the technical department and that is exactly what is delivered. The camerawork shows the true meaning of being artistic. It makes for a pleasurable viewing. The background score too deserves equal praise. A wide range of impressive tunes are used as per the requirement
Devika Daftardar carries the film on her shoulders in a performance that can be described as outstanding! She plays two starkly opposite characters by displaying an example of perfect expressions and dialogue delivery. She deserves to be seen in many more films. Milind Soman returns to Marathi cinema with a mature act.
Rajeshwari Sachdeva doesn’t lag behind though. She too plays two different characters with ease by making her expression do the talking on most of the occasions. Jyoti Subhash and Uttara Baokar are excellent in their respective characters. Despite a small role, Neha Mahajan leaves a mark by playing a difficult character with honesty. Sarang Sathye and other supporting actors too play their parts well.

Overall :

Samhita – The Script  deserves a watch for its artistic brilliance in various departments. Due to the low key promotions and hype, the film will find it difficult to make a mark at the box office.

The post Samhita – The Script Marathi Movie Review appeared first on MarathiStars.

Movie : Samhita – The Script (संहिता)
Produced By : Mukta Arts, Ashokk Films
Directed By : Sumitra Bhave – Sunil Sukthankar
Written By : Sumitra Bhave
Screenplay By : Sumitra Bhave
Starring : Milind Soman, Devika Daftardar, Rajeshwari Sachdeva, Uttara Baokar, Jyoti Subhash, Sarang Sathye, Ashwini Giri, Dr. Sharad Bhutadia, Dr. Shekhar Kulkarni, Neha Mahajan

Description : 
A woman filmmaker visualizing a story from princely state during the British Raj…
The story of a king, queen and a court-singer.
The story of love, detachment, surrender and passion.
The filmmaker’s personal life intermingled with her visualization.
A producer, a writer & an actor- three other women along-with the director in search of a blissful ending. In real life and in the story.

Photos / Posters :

“Samhita – The Script” Marathi Movie Official Promo :

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