Padma Vibhushan Ilaiyaraaja Scores Music for a Marathi Film ‘Gondhal’!
Bringing Maharashtra’s rich tradition and culture to new cinematic heights, the film ‘Gondhal’ is set to release this November. The recently launched poster has already generated an overwhelming response from the audience. However, beyond the poster, what has truly become the talk of the town is the film’s spectacular technical team. After all, when the story of a tradition is brought alive on the big screen, it demands the vision of a dream team – something ‘Gondhal’ has been blessed with.
Directed by #SantoshDavkhare, who previously won a National Award for his short film Agyat, ‘Gondhal’ boasts the legendary Padma Vibhushan Ilaiyaraaja, whose soul-stirring compositions in films like Sindhu Bhairavi, Rudraveena, Sagara Sangamam, Pazhassi Raja and Vishva Thulasi have earned him multiple National Awards and redefined Indian cinema.
Adding further brilliance is Amalendu Choudhary, the acclaimed cinematographer behind films like Harishchandrachi Factory, Nude, Stree, Chhichhore, Kaccha Limbu and Fukrey 3. Editing has been handled by the seasoned Ashish Mhatre, known for his impactful storytelling touch in films such as Gharat Ganpati, Sangeet Manapman, Raanati and Ani Dr. Kashinath Ghanekar.
The film’s technical finesse is further elevated by National Award-winning makeup designer Shrikant Desai (Sam Bahadur, Chhava), and costume designer Sachin Lovalekar (Sam Bahadur, Cycle). Art direction is helmed by Sandeep Meher, who previously designed Dangal, while sound design comes from Jayesh Dhakan, credited with Life of Pi and Slumdog Millionaire. The casting is by Romil (Laapataa Ladies), and color grading by Makrand Surte (Red Chillies Color) with credits including Main Hoon Na, Krrish 3, Chak De India and Chennai Express.
Such an assembly of stalwarts is a rare feat in Marathi cinema, ensuring that ‘Gondhal’ will deliver nothing short of a world-class cinematic experience.
The grandeur of the film is clearly reflected in its poster, which has amplified the excitement around its teaser launch. Based on Maharashtra’s cultural tradition of Gondhal, the film promises to weave together storytelling, music, and performance with unparalleled brilliance.
Speaking about the project, director Santosh Davkhare said, “Though the concept of ‘Gondhal’ is rooted in tradition, our approach has been to present it at an international scale. Working with such a powerhouse technical team has been an incredible experience. I am confident that audiences will witness grandeur like never before. Moreover, this film will leave a lasting mark not only in Maharashtra but across India, with certain elements being showcased on 70mm for the very first time in the country.”
Presented by Davkhare Films, ‘Gondhal’ is written, scripted, and dialogued by Santosh Davkhare, with Diksha Davkhare as co-producer.
The film features a stellar cast including Kishor Kadam, Ishita Deshmukh, Yogesh Sohoni, Nishad Bhoir, Anuj Prabhu, Suresh Vishwakarma, Madhavi Juvekar, Aishwarya Shinde, Kailash Waghmare, Prabhakar Mathpati, Vitthal Kale, Praveen Dalimbkar, Sharad Jadhav, and Poonam Patil in pivotal roles.
By Keerti Kadam