‘Stage’ To Expand The Canvas of Marathi Entertainment!
Marathi cinema is considered the birthplace of Indian filmmaking, as the father of Indian cinema, Dadasaheb Phalke, belonged to Maharashtra. Over the years, Marathi entertainment has earned recognition at national and international award platforms, with its films leaving a distinct mark globally. In today’s digital era, while Marathi audiences have embraced digital entertainment, there has been a growing concern about the lack of quality Marathi content on existing OTT platforms. Addressing this gap, India’s largest regional OTT platform ‘Stage’ has now made a grand entry into Marathi.
The official announcement of Stage Marathi was made at Veda Kunba Theatre in Andheri. The event was attended by Stage co-founder Praveen Singhal, Stage Marathi Content Head Rajesh Pathak, along with prominent figures from the Marathi entertainment industry, including Anant Mahadevan, Chinmay Mandlekar, Kshitij Date, Shreya Bugade, Urmila Jagtap, Pushkar Jog, and Nisha Parulekar. Several Marathi projects to be streamed on Stage Marathi were also announced at the event. It was emphasized that Stage is not just an OTT platform, but a movement.
Founded in 2019, Stage is India’s first dialect-based OTT platform. After achieving success in Haryanvi, Rajasthani, Bhojpuri, and Gujarati languages, Stage is now committed to delivering high-quality, culturally rooted, and family-oriented content to millions of Marathi viewers in their own dialects.
Speaking at the launch, co-founder Praveen Singhal expressed his excitement about entering the Marathi market. He highlighted how language and dialect change every few kilometers in India, and how people connect more deeply with stories told in their native tongue. He said that Stage was founded with the vision of preserving and promoting cultural identity. After years of struggle and experience in other languages, the platform is now ready to bring Marathi cinema into every household. He also urged Marathi audiences to subscribe to Stage, which officially launched on May 1.
Stage Marathi Content Head Rajesh Pathak emphasized the rich cultural diversity of Maharashtra, noting that the state has over 200 dialects, including Khandeshi, Varhadi, Konkani, Malvani, Nagpuri, Satari, Kolhapuri, and Ahirani. Each dialect carries its own traditions of theatre, folk art, and storytelling, but many lack a proper platform. In today’s digital age, Stage Marathi aims to bridge the gap between artists and audiences by providing a dedicated space for such content. He added that Maharashtra has immense literary and artistic wealth, and this platform will give creators an opportunity to showcase their stories. Stage Marathi, he said, is a new alternative to address challenges in the Marathi entertainment industry and to deliver high-quality content to discerning audiences.
The platform will feature several Marathi titles, including Ilu Ilu 1998, Sakhe Ga Sajani, Dating Setting, Plus Minus, Premacha Tamasha, Pahila Prem, and Mazi Vali Love Story. Among these, glimpses of Dating Setting, Ilu Ilu 1998, and Sakhe Ga Sajani were showcased at the event. The web series Dating Setting stars Kshitij Date and Shreya Bugade in lead roles.
By Keerti Kadam