Vikram Phadnis directorial ‘Smile Please‘ starring the likes of Mukta Barve, Lalit Prabhakar, Prasad Oak, Aditi Govitrikar & others is set to release this Friday! We chatted with the Bollywood fashion designer turned Marathi filmmaker on this occasion regarding the film & beyond!

You have worked in Bollywood for many years. What was the first revelation you had when you entered Marathi film industry? 

Nice question! Yes, I did a mistake. I underestimated the talent of Marathi artists! More than underestimating them I think I didn’t really knew them. But then I became familiar to the power of Marathi talent!

You used to watch Marathi films? 

No, not really. I recently started watching Marathi films after many years! When I was a kid my parents used to take me to watch Marathi plays & I had a fading memory of it. Now during Hrudayantar (his first Marathi film) I started watching other Marathi films to know what is happening! I didn’t even knew

Marathi actors face to the name! I only knew Sachin Pilgaonkar, Sachin Khedekar, Mahesh Manjrekar & Ashwini Bhave!

Do you believe the Marathi audience is different from Hindi audience and so on? Or you think audience is audience and it’s same everywhere! 

Hindi is a universal language in India so everybody watches it. We don’t watch Telugu and Tamil films much unless we are a part of that industry or we are passionate about that cinema! And those people won’t watch Marathi films! That’s why it’s called regional cinema. So the difference is there but there is no problem that it is there! Every state has their regional cinema and Hindi releases everywhere. It is bound to be that way. Having said that sometimes some film rise above this and people watch movies of other regions!

This is your second consecutive film with Mukta Barve. How was the process different than the first time? 

Both of my films are emotional. In both my films the woman is the main protagonist. In the first film she was the narrator, and now in the second film she revolves around the main conflict. It could have gone wrong, we would have falled on our face and people would have said that this is a sequel of Hrudayantar! It could have been risky for her for more and people could have said that he has made the same film again. Because people look at actors later but they will see the teaser/trailer and say that it looks like the first!

But it doesn’t look like that!

Because I am doing a sensitive subject! If I was doing a comedy, horror, action, rom com it would not have! since the genres are similar. I know my weaknesses that I can’t do an out & out and comedy or an action film. And I also know my strengths. Like in chess we know which pawn should be moved in which direction similarly I know how to Mukta in the right direction. If I moved her to the same direction or the wrong direction I would be moving her to the dead end. But Mukta has the versatility in her that she can give two different option in films with similar genres! Also I wanted Mukta to be a part of this journey as this is a tribute to my mother!

You said now that both your films are emotional. Along with that both your films are also concerned with illness, in this case mental illness. 

I would hate to call it a illness! Because I’ve seen it from close quarters. I don’t think it’s a illness, it’s a phase that you go through. I am happy right now. 6 minutes later if I’m sad doesn’t mean I’m ill! I would hate to call it a sickness also! It’s a condition. People who think it’s a sickness or illness, it’s not right. Stability and instability comes in your life like day and night! After the night the day comes! I want to bring this to the forefront that when such condition arise in our lives defeat is not the answer! We shouldn’t loose hope and say to others ‘Chal Pudhe Chal Tu’!

For whatever this film is about there may not be pharmaseutical remedies. You may not be taking a pill to cure yourself. But if your mind and your soul are right are positive and healthy, you can face what the condition of this film is!

The post Vikram Phadnis Interview: ‘Smile Please’ is a Tribute to My Mother appeared first on MarathiStars.

Doctor turned model and model turned actress Aditi Govitrikar is again living a doctor’s role, this time in a new Marathi film ‘Smile Please‘. The film also stars Mukta Barve, Lalit Prabhakar & Prasad Oak! We made her open up about this new film, role and also about Marathi cinema!

Ringa Ringa (2010) was your first Marathi film. And now you are in Smile Please. How do you think Marathi cinema has evolved over the years? 

I think Marathi cinema has always had powerful content! Yes there was a time when ‘comedy’ had taken over but after that superb content has been continued! It has been a journey of ups and down but still all genres are working, maybe except Horror in my understanding. Different slice of life stories too are working for the audiences.

You have worked with Vikram Phadnis (the director of ‘Smile Please’) as a model. And now you are working with him as a actor. How is the director in him different than the fashion designer in him?

He has thought me everything as a model. From how to pose to how to walk on the ramp. And as a director his unseen side was came in front of me! He is super talented! I asked him why he didn’t direct for so many years! The way he tells stories, emotions and his understanding about relationships, not in a dramatic way but in a very subtle way he shows all of that on the screen. It touches everybody’s heart!

What is the importance of your character in the story of the film?

As you can see in the trailer I play a doctor in this film. But she isn’t just a doctor to Mukta’s character but also a close friend of her. They go back together from their college days. So there are many aspects to the character both as a friend and as a doctor! I can’t reveal beyond this!

Which are some of your favorite Marathi films? 

(Director Vikram Phadnis prompts ‘Hrudayantar’) Yes that is one of my all time favorite films! But Deool, Anandi Gopal and many others are among my favorite films!

The post Aditi Govitrikar Smile Please Interview: Vikram Phadnis is a Super Talented Director! appeared first on MarathiStars.

‘Smile Please‘ this Friday’s big Marathi release stars a big star cast of Mukta Barve, Lalit Prabhakar, Prasad Oak, Aditi Govitrikar and others. The film deals with a mental condition and how does a person tackle it! We chatted with Mukta Barve about the film and her role in this film!

What does ‘Smile Please’ the title of the film stand for in the context of the film?

Every actor in the film is saying it currently but I believe it’s the message of the film that needs to reach out to viewers who watch the film. These two words ‘Smile Please’ have become very redundant in our world today, when people say ‘Smile Please’ we laugh artificially for a photo! It is not just a physical action but it has to be imbibed into a person! The film believes nothing is difficult in this world! If we try happiness is achievable!

You have played many important and challenging roles in your career. What was challenging in this role of yours? 

The fun part about this role was that I didn’t have the luxury of using emotional memory of this character which I usually have! Which in fact is the base of all characters and you’ll know when you watch the film that why I couldn’t use it! And hence I had to unlearn many things as the role demanded it! Many things I learned it in a new way. It’s like you have to communicate what’s inside of you to the audiences but without the usual mediums that you have to communicate! Definitely this was a challenging role and I had to approach it a very new way!

The chemistry between you and Lalit Prabhakar is evident from the trailer. How was your experience working with him? 

It was great. I had seen his recent film ‘Anandi Gopal‘. I like his screen presence very much. He brings a lot of energy on the screen. And his character in ‘Smile Please’ brings a lot of positive energy on the screen. And as a co-actor he is always thinking about the film and the whole script. And he even has queries to ask to the director. So when I do scenes with him I feel that we travel together in this journey. He is not like an independent player who scores his 100 alone! So I enjoy the give & take while working with him.

Is Prasad Oak’s role in ‘Smile Please’ an extended cameo of sorts or a proper full fledged role? 

I had worked with him in ‘Ek Dav Dhobipachhad’. But we hadn’t worked together to this length! So yes he has a proper big role in the film! It was Vikram’s (director Vikram Phadnis) decision to not reveal much about his role in the trailer as the he wants the audiences to be surprised in theatres!

The post Mukta Barve Interview: I had to Unlearn Many Things for ‘Smile Please’! appeared first on MarathiStars.

After the success of ‘Hrudayantar‘ fashion designer turned filmmaker Vikram Phadnis is back with his new film ‘Smile Please‘ starring Mukta Barve, Prasad Oak & Lalit Prabhakar. The film deals with the subject of mental health and how should one tackle it! And on the same theme a new anthem song for Smile Please, titled ‘Chal Pudhe’ has been released today. And the song stars so many Marathi stars all together on one platform!

From Urmila Matondkar, Chinmay Mandlekar, Umesh Kamat, Sagaraika Ghatage, Mahesh Manjrekar, Shriya Pilgaonkar, Mrinal Kulkarni, Sonali Khare, Sachin Pilgaonkar, Spruha Joshi, Mitali Mayekar, Renuka Shahane, Sharad Kelkar, Manasi Naik, Megha Dhade, Sai Lokur, Priya Bapat, Prarthana Behere, Tejaswini Pandit, Siddharth Chandekar, Chinmayee Sumeet, Harshada Khanwilkar, Bhushan Pradhan, Pushkar Shrotri, Vaibhav Tatwawadi, Mrinmayee Godbole to the starcast of the film that includes Prasad Oak, Lalit Prabhakar, Mukta Barve, Trupti Bhoir & Aditi Govitrikar! Along with that Vikram Phadnis himself is also a part of the song!

Overall there are total 32 Marathi Stars together in one song! The lyrics of the inspirational song are penned by Manndar Cholkar, the music is composed by Rohan Rohan & the singers to lend their voices include Avadhoot Gupte, Mugdha Karhade, Bela Shende, Rohan Pradhan, Sachin Pilgaonkar & Gwen Dias! Smile Please releases in theatres on 19th of July and it promises to be a inspiring film about loving our own self & living life to the fullest!

The post Chal Pudhe (Smile Please Anthem) Song: 32 Marathi Stars Together in an Inspiring Song! appeared first on MarathiStars.

From films like Baban, Hampi, Shentimental, and along with many Marathi films India’s first space film ‘Tik Tik Tik’, A.R. Rehman’s musical concert ‘One Heart’ all of this is part of Sunshine Studios’ repertoire. Ankit Chandiramani of ‘Sunshine Studios’ has now made an entry into Marathi cinema as a presenter with upcoming film ‘Smile Please’ starring Mukta Barve, Lalit Prabhakar & Prasad Oak!

Ankit Chandiramani is a hugely respected name in the field of film distribution. After working under many reputed companies like Rajat Enterprises, DAR Motion Pictures & Zee Studios, two years back Ankit Chandiramani started ‘Sunshine Studios’! In the last two years he has distributed more than 80 films! While overall he has an experience of over 700 movies. Along with Indian films he has also distributed Hollywood blockbusters like ‘The Dark Knight Rises’ & ‘Fast & Furious 6’!

“I am very happy to enter the Marathi industry as a presenter. In recent times Marathi films have been exceptionally successful. We were looking for a good story for a long time, and then we found ‘Smile Please‘. Directed by fashion designer turned filmmaker Vikram Phadnis who previously made ‘Hrudayantar‘, ‘Smile Please’ is a heart touching story that will definitely connect with the audience!” said Ankit Chandiramani.

‘Smile Please’ hits theatres on 19th July!

The post Ankit Chandiramani Presents First Marathi Film ‘Smile Please’ appeared first on MarathiStars.

Fashion Designer turned filmmaker Vikram Phadnis is back with his second Marathi film ‘Smile Please‘ after the success of Subodh Bhave-Mukta Barve starrer ‘Hrudayantar‘. This time too with he continues his partnership with Marathi’s most loved actress of our time Mukta Barve. And this time around Mukta is being paired along side the young & dashing Lalit Prabhakar. Whereas Prasad Oak is also a part of the star studded cast.

The teaser of the film was recently released. While the film again looks as lavish as Vikram Phadnis’ previous film the teaser doesn’t give away much about the film. Maybe there is a hint that Mukta Barve in this film is suffering from the Alzheimer’s disease! In ‘Hrudayantar’ we saw Vikram Phadnis dealing with subject of cancer & now too it seams the subject might be about another disease!

This film also marks the comeback of super model turned actress Aditi Govitrikar into Marathi cinema. She was long back seen in a few Marathi films mainly Sanjay Jadhav directorial psychological thriller ‘Ringa Ringa’! ‘Smile Please’ truly seems to be one of the most awaited Marathi films of 2019!

The post Smile Please Teaser: Refreshing New Jodi of Mukta Barve & Lalit Prabhakar appeared first on MarathiStars.

• Movie : Smile Please (2019) | स्माईल प्लिज
• Producer : Nisha Sujan & Saanika Gandhi
• Director : Vikram Phadnis
• Studio : A Hashtag Film Studios & Krtyavat Production
• Star Cast :
  • Mukta Barve
  • Lalit Prabhakar
  • Prasad Oak
  • Aditi Govitrikar
• Story : Vikram Phadnis
• Screenplay : Vikram Phadnis & Iravati Karnik
• Dialogues : Iravati Karnik
• Lyrics : Mandar Cholkar
• Sound : Rohit Pradhan
• Music : Rohan Rohan
• Background Music : NA
• Cinematography (DOP) : NA
• Editor : Faisal Mahadik & Imran Mahadik
• Creative Head : Monika Dharankar
• Art Director : NA
• Costume : NA
• Make-up : NA
• Choreography : Bosco Martis & Vikram Phadnis
• Co-Producer : NA
• Visual Promotions : Humming Bees
• Publicity Deisgn : Milind Matkar
• Digital Promotions : Sameer Bhosale
• DI Colorist : NA
• Genre : Drama
• Release Date : 19th Jaly

Synopsis : NA

Smile Please Marathi Movie Photos/Poster:

Smile Please Marathi Movie Trailer:

The post Smile Please (2019) – Marathi Movie appeared first on MarathiStars.