Review: Thackeray
Cast: Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Amrita Rao, Sandeep Khare, Pravin Tarde, Sanjay Narvekar, Chittaranjan Giri & others.
Director: Abhijit Panse

Quick Viewpoint: While there are tonnes of moral issues with what the film believes in & wants to communicate (or ends up communicating), on a cinematic level there are other bigger problems that affect the overall impact of the film.

What Works? 

• The entire craft of film making in the first half is of the highest order! Almost entirely black & white, ‘Thackeray’ takes us to the old Mumbai within few minutes! The absolutely brilliant camera work or the attention to detail in the production design or the work done on Makeup & costume all of it makes us lose ourselves in those times. Even if the narrative isn’t totally flawless, we hardly mind!
• There’s an absolute creative novelty at the display when we see Balasaheb’s newspaper cartoons come to life through Animation (yes in black & white)! For a moment we hope what if the entire run time the film had a similar sense of discovery while looking at the life of a political messiah!
• Nawazuddin Siddiqui’s performance & Chetan Shashital’s voice over both have gelled really well (as that was my personal concern). Chetan Shashital is probably India’s greatest voice-over artist & it’s a known fact that he can recreate Balasaheb’s voice pitch perfect!
• The casting of the film! Along with the main parts, even those cast in smaller roles leaves their impression. Sandeep Khare (the poet turned actor) as Manohar ‘Pant’ Joshi was a masterstroke!

What Fails? 

• Just as the film turns color in the second half it loses it’s cinematic fluidity & also the disassociation we feel with the protagonist grows.
• One might applaud the makers of this biopic, that they aren’t really whitewashing the acts of it’s subject but then because of that it unconsciously projects the subject as a contrasting political leader who only to his benefit commits social & political nuisance of tremendous proportion! For example; If ‘Hindutva’ is really that important to him, why doesn’t the film ever feel the need to justify this love, passion or obsession or whatever it is! Why don’t we really peep into his psyche? Or why don’t we really understand the origin of his principles?
• Even sparring all that, on a narrative level the whole screenplay is a mess with the most abrupt ending I have seen in a Marathi film in a long long time!
• Many colleges feel like straightforward advertorials for the political party that is behind the making of this film. Never do we get an actual sneak peek into the functioning (both financial & manual) of this huge political party that wins in the state elections for the first time by the end of the film.
• Also, the film does bore you a bit in the second half as we never manage to relate with the protagonist or feel anything for him or even against him.

Final Verdict: One needs to open one’s conscience & understand that after all this is just a film. So one can decide on their own that how much do you want the film to affect you? Both in an inspiring & in a depressing way!

Rating: 3/5

The post Thackeray Movie Review: Cinematic Wonder in the First Half and A Mess in the Second! appeared first on MarathiStars.

Just some time back there were disputes over the price of food items sold at multiplex theatres! A popular lady writer even wrote on twitter implying & mocking that should we expect multiplexes to sell vada pav! Well now the lady must be shocked as ‘Vada Pav’ is being sold at multiplexes! That too no ordinary ‘Vada Pav’ but the ‘Shiv Vada Pav’!

Thackeray releases in theatres on 25th January in Hindi as well as Marathi. ‘Carnival Cinemas’ is associated with the film & are one of the producers! Hence they have introduced ‘Shiv Vada Pav’ in their food & beverages section!

The post ‘Shiv Vada Pav’ now in Multiplexes Thanks to ‘Thackeray’ appeared first on MarathiStars.

The much awaited trailer of Balasaheb Thackeray ‘Thackeray’ biopic is finally here. Starring Nawazuddin Siddiqui in a role of a lifetime! The film covers the controversial & celebrated life of Maharashtra most loved political figure post independence! The film has been made in both Marathi & Hindi! Sachin Khedekar the star Marathi actor has dubbed for Nawaz in the Marathi version!

Interestingly the trailer of the Marathi version is edited differently from the Hindi version. Both trailers highlight two different sides of the iconic politician. While the Hindi trailer putforths the ‘Hindu’ within Balasaheb, the Marathi trailer represents the ‘Marathi Manoos’ who fought for his people!

Nawazuddin looks perfect for the part as evident from the trailer. The production value of this film is truly a new milestone for Marathi cinema. Director Abhijeet Panse seems to have recreated the whole era in which Balasaheb ruled over people’s heart so perfectly! Also seen in the film is the Bollywood actress Amrita Rao making a comeback in films. ‘Thackeray’ releases on 25th January 2019 in both Marathi & Hindi!

The post Thackeray Trailer: The Biopic We All Were Waiting For! appeared first on MarathiStars.

Balasaheb Thackeray has been a cultural icon for Marathi Manoos! After being a leading political leader he was also a talented cartoonist! He started from humble beginnings & one day became the voice of the Marathi Manoos. Now, this inspiring life story of Balasaheb is all set to be told on the big screen. And who better than Shivsena MP & Editor of Samna Sanjay Raut could tell this story?

Sanjay Raut has experienced Balasaheb’s journey very closely. Hence he has written & produced ‘Thakre’ film a biopic on Balasaheb! Router’s Entertainment L.L.P’s ‘Thakre’ film is currently being shot under the direction of ‘Rege’ fame Abhijeet Panse & starring Nawazuddin Siddiqui in & as ‘Thakre’.

Set in the Mumbai of 1960s the film has sets that perfectly reflect that time, Nawazuddin too looks so much like Balasaheb & the teaser of the film has excited the audiences. All this has made Carnival Motion Pictures all excited to produce this film alongside Sanjay Raut. The same banner got much success with their last film ‘Sachin: A Billion Dreams’. This film is also being produced in Hindi, Malayalam & other languages alongside Marathi.

Produced by Sanjay Raut & Dr. Shrikant Bhasi, Abhijeet Panse directorial ‘Thakre’ is set to release in theatres on 23^rd January 2019 all over India!

The post Sanjay Raut’s ‘Thackeray’ Film To Release in Marathi, Hindi, Malayalam and other Languages appeared first on MarathiStars.