• Review: Girlfriend
• Director : Upendra Sidhaye
• Star Cast: Amey Wagh, Sai Tamhankar, Rasika Sunil, Isha Keskar, Suyog Gorhe, Kavita Lad, Yatin Karyekar & Sagar Deshmukh
• Screenplay: Upendra Sidhaye
• Producer: Anish Jog, Ranjit Gugale, Afeefa Nadiadwala Sayed, Kaustubh Dhamne, Ameya Patil & Salil Datar

Quick Viewpoint: ‘Girlfriend’ is a smart emotionally strong romantic comedy that both addresses the typical traits of the genre & also redefines most of them on it’s own! It also incorporates the changing definition of love in today’s social media savvy world.

What Works? 

• To start with, both Amey Wagh and Sai Tamhankar are exceptionally good in the film! Especially Amey has totally succeeded in convincing us that ‘Nachya’ is a real person with real issues and real fantasies! He uses a completely different physicality and mannerisms than his previous roles. Whereas Sai’s portrayal of ‘Alisha’ adds a unique sense of wonder to the film (talking more about her would be spoilers) along with her usual charm. And their chemistry together is what elevates the film overall, otherwise the narrative of the film might have felt a bit fabricated.
• Writer-director Upendra Sidhaye has crafted the film in two clearly distinct segments; up until the interval and after the interval. Both halves still work even when narratively the twists are a bit hard to believe. The strangeness of the second half is a bit difficult to digest at first (even when we are thoroughly entertained in the journey) but slowly as the characters before us start unveiling their inner natures & their chemistry starts mingling together, in no time we buy the strangeness! The film in fact celebrates “strangeness” in many ways.
• For the first time in Marathi cinema we are seeing actual understanding of our new social media infused societal culture. No longer can we have a private life when we have chosen to have people surrounding us. We are judged everywhere & in every way now. The film doesn’t criticize this new societal behaviour but it recognizes all of that. And in a rom com genre that is no lesser accomplishment to start with!
• A recent Hindi film ignited a debate about glorification of morally wrong things done by the “hero” of the film. Here, there are a few morally questionable things that our “hero” indulges in, but the contrasting approach given to the character of the “heroine” completely baffles our train of thought and makes us feel stupid to even think of anything of this sort in the first place! Now that’s what good story tellers do, they smartly manipulate you! 
• Girlfriend’s another big strength is that it never lets us realize how beautiful it is technically and how much hard work has been done by every department of the film! Later when the film keeps lingering in our mind we realize all those little details that made the film so wholesome!

What Fails? 

• Nothing. Absolutely.

Final Verdict: Urban Rom Coms made anywhere in India today are slightly similar to each other consciously or otherwise. But ‘Girlfriend’ stands out in all of them because of it prioritizes the people in the love story more than the love story itself! As we only buy into the love story when we love the people in it!

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Zee Marathi’s ‘Majhya Navryachi Bayko’ has garnered lots of love & appreciation from the audiences. The trio of Radhika, Gurunath & Shanaya have become like family for the audiences and the chemistry between the characters too is flawless. Just recently we met Isha Keskar as the new ‘Shanaya’. She replaced Rasika Sunil in the serial.

Isha too is fond of shopping in her real life just like ‘Shanaya’. And her style sense too is very hatke & fun! One can say this based on her get up in the recently held Zee Marathi Awards 2018 Nomination Party! The theme of the party was ‘Neon & Pop’ & Isha explored the theme in her own way! She stood out among the guests at the party!

Isha wore a neon florescent coloured outfit along with a pink boa & a pink wig! Isha carried the look very confidently throughout the party! Isha has been nominated in three categories; Best Character, Best Villain & Best Comic Character in this year’s Zee Marathi Awards!

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Zee Marathi Awards is an award show that celebrates the serials & shows off Zee Marathi. Both the audiences & the artists look at it as their own function & eagerly await it every year. The excitement too is very high amongst the fans & the industry about who’ll win in different categories & who’ll perform what skits & dances! Similar to this actual event there’s a nomination part of these awards!

This year’s theme of Zee Marathi Awards 2018 Nomination Party was ‘Neon & Pop’! The number of Marathi stars attended this party & followed the theme through their costume & get up. Stars of Chala Hawa Yeu Dya, Sagar Karande & Shreya Bugde hosted this party! This time there will be a tough fight between Tuzhat Jeev Rangala, Majhya Navryachi Bayko, Jago Mohan Pyare, Lagira Jhala Ji, Baaji & Tula Pahate Re. These serials are nominated in different categories like Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Siblings, Best Jodi, Best Family, Best Serial, etc.

The list of guests for this party included Subodh Bhave, Abhijeet Khandkekar, Anita Date-Kelkar, Isha Keskar, Hardeek Joshi, Akshaya Deodhar, Bharat Ganeshpure, Bhau Kadam, Mahesh Kothare, Shruti Marathe & others. All the Marathi stars enjoyed themselves as most of them are usually busy working for entertaining us! It will be exciting to see which serial wins the most awards this year!

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Every Monday to Saturday at 7 pm in the evening, it had almost been a habit of the whole Maharashtra to tune in to Zee Marathi to watch the epic mythological serial ‘Jai Malhar’. But soon this won’t be happening. Yes, ‘Jai Malhar’ serial is a few episodes away from going off-the-air.

‘Jai Malhar’ has proved to be a game changer in the world of daily soaps. It was a brave attempt on Zee Marathi’s part to create such a magnum opus, big-budget mythological serial. The serial became an inseparable part of the common man’s life. Whether it’s bringing ‘Ganpati Idols’ who appear like Lord Khanderay or whether it’s the unforgettable music, or the many important incidents in the story.

‘Jai Malhar’ has crossed over 900 episodes! And reportedly the 942nd episode will be the last. This serial was produced by veteran actor, filmmaker & producer Mahesh Kothare & it’s a gift from Kothare sir that the audiences of Maharashtra can never forget even after it goes off-the-air.

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On the occasion of Mahashivratri, Zee Marathi will be telecasting a special event based on Jai Malhar- a popular series depiction life of Khandoba, an avatar of Shiva. Yelkot Yelkot Jai Malhar will be telecast on 6th March at 7 pm on Zee Marathi.

The event was organized in Pune where all the actors from Jai Malhar performed. Devdutta Nage (Khandoba), Isha Keskar (Banu) and Surabhi Hande (Mhalsa) performed on various songs from the series. Devanand Mali’s powada, artistes from Jejuri performing on Jagar and Gondhal will be the highlight of this event.

Mahesh Kothare-producer of the series will interact with the audience and narrate some interesting trivia about the behind the scenes of this serial. Sankarshan Karhade will be the host for this event.

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Isha Keskar mostly known for her role as Banu in popular serial attended a Kojagiri event in Dhanakwadi arranged by Guru Dutt Mitra Mandal and Janta Raj.

“As I am a Punekar, I love Dhanakwadi, and I have decided to make this city as my home.” She said while speaking on the occasion. The event was also attended by actresses Poonam Kapse and Neeta Madhale. As a diwali gift, home appliances were distributed to under-privileged families by the trust.

The main attraction of this event was girls with costumes of Banu. The event was attended by dignitaries like Iqbal Shaikh, Shraddha Parande, Pramod Patil, Sagar Bodgire, Sandeep Bhatewara, Prashant Bogam, Jagdeesh Kumbhar, Prashant Girkar, Amit Kuchekar et al. The event was hosted by Vitthal Jadhav.

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The dubsmash videos are going viral these days. People are bitten by this bug including our very own celebrities.

Recently, ‘Jai Malhar’ fame Isha Keskar posted her video on the social networking site. The actress along with her co-actors is seen grooving to wedding song (Banubaya) of Khandoba and Banu.

The fans are getting a sneak-peek into the life of their favourite celebrities through these videos.

Check out Isha Keskar’s dubsmash right here:

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“I will work in the film industry and other arts till my last breath and today I am proud to be awarded the Pune Sanman award for my popular TV show ‘Jai Malhar‘ after my film ‘Zapatlela’ won the same award and the paying public have always loved me and this is my biggest reward and I will always try to entertain them and not aim for Lifetime Achievement Award and I will always like to thank those who have awarded me with more good work and entertainment.

On behalf of Salaam Pune, as a part of the Maharashtra Day celebrations , Kothare was presented the award at the hands of eminent poet and litterateur F.M Shinde and also present were Salaam Pune chief Sharad Lonkar, executive officer Sharad Choradiya, when the ZEE MARATHI show ‘JAI MALHAR’ was adjudged the BEST MARATHI SERIAL for a lavish presentation and popularity and on this occasion the handsome and hunky actor Devdatt Nage and Surbhi Hande who plays Mhalsadevi and Isha Keskar who plays Banu in the show were adjudged the popular new faces and Devdatt said that he thinks about exercising all time, be it late in the night too and also want to urge the youth from keeping away from vices. And the best star pair on TV went to Suyash Tilak and Suruchi Adarkar for their popular ZEE MARATHI show ‘Ka Re Durava‘ who said that receiving this first award has made their families proud and will also help their future career and thanked the Puneites. Also the most popular comedy show went to a Hindi show for the first time namely ‘Taarak Mehta Kaa Ooltah Chasmaah’ on SAB TV and it was received by the producers Asit Modi and Neela Modi.

For a popular youth oriented show , the award went to Sanjay Jadhav’s show ‘Dil Dosti Duniyaadari‘ starring Swanandi Tikekar, Amey Wagh, Survart Joshi, Pooja Thombre, and Reshma Patil who received it at the hands of Prafulchandra Chate. A dance medley was performed and choreographed by Mallika Barve and Yogesh Tanpure, and Mayuresh Lonkar. The showstopper was a three and half year old Dhairyashil Dangmali who brought the house down with his rendition of the popular song ‘Mauli MAULI‘.And music director Adi Ramchandra sang a few Marathi ghazals of FM Shinde . Veteran journalist Arun Lonkar , actor Radha Kulkarni from ‘Ase He Kanyadaan’, Mithila Naik from ‘Aadesh’, actress Vrinda Bal, actor Nikhil Vairagar, music director Harshit Abhiraj, Narendra Bhide, Kedar Shinde of Agabai Arrecchya 2, directorand producer andunit of ‘A PAYING GHOST , Producer MK Dhumal, director Yogesh Vanve, Deep Kadam, Deepak Savakhande, were felicitated. Santosh Chordia emceed the show in his comic ways and Harshit Abhiraj made the musical farewell.

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We have all heard of the grand Khandoba-Banu marriage in fables, stories, and folk tales , keertans, and bharud and now we will get to see the splendour and pomp of this marriage on the show JAI MALHAR on ZEE MARATHI which tells the story of Malhari Martand and is very popular . Khandoba who came to protect the people of Jejuri from two demons Mani Mall who came down from Mani Chul mountains and this lavish story of Khandoba is being lapped up by the viewers on this show Jai Malhar. The killings of demons Mani Mall, the coronation ceremony of Khandoba, his marriage to Mhalsadevi, the game of stakes between them, Khandoba’s absolvement of Jejuri, and staying as a cowherd in Banai’s house have all been interestingly narrated in the show. Now the next step is the marriage of Khandoba and Banu as promised and will be witnessed by the universe and all the gods and goddesses and this will be shown on a 2 hours special episode on ZEE MARATHI on 3RD May at 7.30 pm and on the same day the daily events in their life will be beamed from 10 am to 7.30 pm.

After losing in the game ofdice to Mhalsadevi Khandoba has renounced Jejuri and he has become an ascetic and renounced Lord Shiva too but Mhalsadevi tries to bring him back to Jejuri but to no avail. But what fate has written can’t be changed and Khandoba sticks to his resolve but Mhalsadevi is in a state of shock when she comes to know that Khandoba had perpetrated all of this and now he is marching towards Chandanpuri to get Banu so she puts all obstacles in their marriage and curses Khandoba to get an old man’s appearance but Khandoba overcomes all obstacles to reach Chandanpuri but then Banu doesn’t recognize him and then Khandoba tries to test Banu and he stays in her house as Khandu Gawda as a servant. So to test her he kills all her sheep andthis enrages Banu and she orders him to make all her sheep alive but Khandoba puts a strange condition that she should marry him if he makes all her sheep alive and Banu who loves her sheep more than her life agrees and Khandoba puts turmeric anointment on the sheep andmakes the sheep alive making Banu and the entire Chandanpuri amazed with this miracle and the Lord gives them his real appearancemaking Banu very happy.

Now all preparations for the grand marriage of Khandoba and Banu are taking place in Chandanpuri in the Kingdom of Raja Nal, Naldurgaa; and the sky is the pandal and mother earth is taking a beautiful appearance with flora and fauna but Mhalsadevi is enraged and tries to stop this marriage with the help of Lord Indra.
This segment will see dazzling special effects composed in a Marathi show for the first time and a special song sung by Pravin Kunvar and composed by A V Prafulchandra is the highlight of this special episode which will be telecast on a special two hour episode on 3 May at 7.30 pm on JAI MALHAR on ZEE MARATHI.

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Zee Marathi’s popular serial “Jai Malhar” will be celebrating marriage ceremony of Khanderai and Mhalsadevi in a special two-hour episode on Sunday, 17 August at 7 pm. The marriage ceremony has been shot extravagantly and shows various traditions and customs of bygone era.

Khanderai is one of the most popular deities in Marathi culture. It is believed that, Khanderai and Mhalsa were married on the auspicious day of the full moon in the Paush month of Marathi calender. Khanderai’s ardent devotee had expressed her wish that he should get married in her village. The entire village is now ready for this ceremony. All heavenly gods and goddesses will be coming for this ceremony. However, Khanderai has a very problem before this marriage. He has already promised to meet to his another devotee Banai on the same day. There is already a prophecy if Khanderai goes alone somewhere on his marriage day, a catastrophe will occur. It will be interesting to see how Khanderai will clear all this confusion and fulfil his promise for his devotee and fulfil his role as a groom.

Marriage Ceremony of Khanderai-Mhalasa

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The serial is produced by Mahesh Kothare. The role of Khanderai has been played by Devdutt Nage, while Mhalasa and Banai are played by Surabhi Hande and Isha Keskar respectively.

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