Film Bazaar Online, hosted by India’s National Film Development Corporation (NFDC), has selected over 20 projects this year that will get a chance to secure a backing from Indian and international producers, directors, programmers, financiers and sales agents at Open Pitch Online. The projects originate from 11 countries and feature a diverse range of Indian and European languages including Assamese, Bengali, English, German, Hindi, Kannada, Konkani and Malayalam. Akshay Bardapurkar’s Raavsaheb is one of these prestigious projects.

Raavsaheb is directed by Nikhil Mahajan who has won acclaim for Marathi-language features June, Pune 52, Baji and Godavari. The film’s screenplay is written by Mahajan himself along with Prajakt Deshmukh and Shripad Deshpande. It is an environmental thriller produced by Jitendra Joshi and Nehha Pendse Bayas along with Akshay Bardapurkar’s Planet Marathi. The film is touted to be an edge of the seat thriller featuring top of the line prosthetic and VFX work. It is to be shot on location in the Tadoba Tiger Reserve in Chandrapur, Maharashtra. It will feature many more leading faces of the Marathi film industry. Bardapurkar & Mahajan duo will strike again after the first ever TVOD release of June on Planet Marathi OTT.

Akshay Bardapurkar of Planet Marathi envisions great heights for his upcoming project. The filmmaker says, “I have worked with Nikhil in the past and I can vouch for the talent he demonstrates as a director. Planet Marathi believes in making good content overcome hurdles and to let good entertainment tae spotlight. We are excited to pitch this amazing film to our global delegates. This is a wonderful opportunity for Marathi talent to get recognized for their talent.

Director Nikhil Mahajan says “The screenplay of Raavsaheb is close to our hearts. We know that with the backing of Planet Marathi and my dear friend Akshay, as a team thats Nehha, Jitendra and me are thrilled to collaborate with him again through which we will be able to represent Marathi talent on a global platform. This also opens up doors for many Marathi projects that seek a better scale for their creative projects.”

The makers are planning an elaborate festival rollout to be followed by an international theatrical release. More details about the film are to be shared once the film goes on floors. The production is slated to begin in February 2022.

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The Filmfare Award winning director Sameer Vidwans has proved his mettle in the industry ever since his directorial debut Time Please in 2013. His films Dhurala, Anandi Gopal, YZ, Double Seat, Mala Kahich Problem Nahi, have won many accolades in Indian and international film festivals. Although love stories have been Sameer’s field of play, horror has been a genre that he never dabbled into. Knowing his attention to detail, his passion for filmmaking, and his curiosity inspiring work with the past films, Hakamari too is bound to make it big. The story is penned down by the Dil Dimag Aur Batti fame Rushikesh Gupte. This Sahitya Parishad Award winner has written many novels like Danshkaal, Daityalay, Ghangarda, Andharvari, and Kaljugari. Hakamari has been by far his most appreciated and film-adaptation-worthy work by Rushikesh. 

Filmfare award winner actress Sonalee Kulkarni aka the Hirkani of the Marathi film industry has consistently amazed her fan following with her work. Staying true to her art, this actress and dancer has been attaining new heights with every film from Ajintha to Classmates, and from Mitwaa to Hampi. This Poshter Girl has proved her talent in Bollywood with big banner films like Singham and Grand Masti alongside seasoned actors. Sonalee now ups the game a notch by entering the world of film production with Hakamari with her younger brother Atul Kulkarni under the banner of The Fledgers Entertainment. Talking about her current venture she says, “Even before I was an actor, I was a producer. Ever since my days as a student of Radio, TV, and film production in my post-graduation days, I have been fascinated with the craft of bringing together a cinema. Marathi film industry holds a humongous reserve of talent within. I aspire to be the one stinging it together to present masterpieces of entertainment for my audience. Associating with Planet Marathi and Sameer Vidwans is like working with a dream team. Akshay’s vision for Marathi cinema and Sameer’s craft is exactly what it needs for a film like Hakamari.”

Akshay Bardapurkar, CMD of Planet Marathi also opened up about his project saying, “Hakamari challenges the typical horror cinema. It is an interactive web film set in a different era, that touches a broad range of topics like superstition, folklore, mystery, love, and horror. It is Planet Marathi’s first web film and we are thrilled to venture into a space so dynamic and futuristic. With Fledgers, A3 media & events, and Sameer onboard we will make audiences move to the edge of their seats with excitement.” 

Rib-tickling excitement will grip fans of regional cinema, now that the dream team Akshay Bardapurkar, Sonalee Kulkarni and Sameer Vidwans announce their Marathi Web Film Hakamari.

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While the world overcomes a pandemic, the lockdown has brought about newer ways and genres in which the entertainment sector can maximise its audiences pan India with the internet playing a key role. As per KPMG’s India Media and Entertainment Report 2020, “robust growth in digital infrastructure and content supply allowed the digital segment to post a 26% growth in FY20 despite a slowing economy, with digital and OTT advertising growing by 24%.” Planet Marathi plans to deliver rich, contemporary and diversified content through advanced technology for consistent streaming across devices. VMC will be investing upto USD 5 million into Planet Marathi for strategic equity in the venture.

Announcing the partnership, Mr. Abhayanand Singh, Group CEO, Vistas Media Capital PTE Limited said, “The Indian OTT space has grown significantly over the last few years but there is still an opportunity to capitalise on in the regional segment. The Marathi audience across the globe is a large one which for many years has patronised good content important for the digital space. We are thrilled to partner with Planet Marathi to launch this platform and fill a need-gap.”

VMC is a Singapore based Media Investment Holding entity that owns and invests in multiple media related businesses, companies and assets in Capital Markets and Private Equity. Golden Ratio Films,  a subsidiary of VMC has had a strong focus on content creation, marketing and distribution across feature films, web series and short films across budgets in Hindi, Marathi, Tamil and English in India & Hollywood. Vistas Media Capital has also sponsored and listed a $100 million Special Purpose Acquisition Company (SPAC) IPO on Nasdaq in August 2020 to strengthen their hold on the global media and entertainment sector.

Akshay Bardapurkar, Head & Founder, Planet Marathi said, “Marathi viewers today are devoid of digital entertainment in their native language barring a few shows or movies on television or other platforms. With this insight, introducing an exclusive Marathi OTT shall fill a void that the Marathi entertainment industry has been facing. We also plan to expand our reach globally and VMC is the perfect partner to take the first step with us in this journey. We look forward to this long term association with VMC”.

Planet Marathi, the game changer of Marathi  digital world, as termed by Forbes India  in 2017, is an established brand in Marathi Media and Entertainment. The brand has played a pivotal role in initiating and setting trends in the Marathi film industry, be it a tie up with multi social media giants branding and promotions of Marathi cinemas or even image building for celebrities through Planet Talent.

Golden Ratio Films (GRF) has previously partnered with Planet Marathi for Amitabh Bachchan and Vikram Gokhale starrer AB Aani CD in 2019 followed by Goshta Eka Paithanichi and now the much  awaited Chandramukhi. GRF’s recent releases include the web series JL50 and Bhonsle with Abhay Deol and Manoj Bajpayee respectively.

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Produced by Planet Marathi and Golden Ratio Films, the film will be directed by Prasad Oak, scripted by Chinmay Mandlekar, cinematography by Sanjay Memane, art direction is by Nilesh Wagh. After a long gap Ajay Atul will be scoring music for a marathi film.

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In the wake of a letter sent by Akshay Bardapurkar requesting to offer subsidy to Marathi film producers, despite movies not releasing in theatres. Mah CM Uddhavji Thackeray’s office has acknowledged the receipt and has assured necessary help in the matter. Marathi film producer Akshay Bardapurkar is best known for his work as a path-breaking filmmaker and has been a torch-bearer of Marathi talent in the industry. He has always encouraged fresh talent, passionate filmmakers, and disruptive thinking in the Marathi entertainment industry.

As the multiplexes are forced shut due to COVID-19 impact, many filmmakers across Bollywood and Hollywood too, are moving towards digital releases rather than holding the film’s release for the cinema halls. While Hindi and English films enjoy enormous production and marketing budgets, Marathi filmmakers struggle to stay afloat in these trying times. The government subsidies are also not a solace anymore. A film becomes eligible for government subsidy only after it is screened in the cinema halls for the specified duration. Marathi filmmakers are now in a tough spot due to the lack of financial support from the government in addition to the existing challenges.

This current reality is unfortunate for the Marathi film ecosystem and producer Akshay Bardapurkar fears the current situation may demotivate regional filmmakers to create quality content. In his experience, even his latest release AB Aani CD, that marked the debut of Bollywood legend Amitabh Bachchan in Marathi entertainment, suffered from lower margins and impact despite being a perfect blockbuster recipe.

Akshay Bardapurkar is yet again stepping forward to salvage the situation for fellow filmmakers. He has approached the CM of Maharashtra Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray and the Minister for Medical Education, and Culture of Maharashtra, Amit Deshmukh to support Marathi filmmakers. Akshay has requested the State in a personal letter seeking a remedy. He appeals, the digital releases of Marathi films should be treated equivalent to their theatrical releases and Marathi filmmakers should be allowed to avail subsidies irrespective of the medium.

This step taken by Akshay is a ray of hope for the industry as it will help Marathi producers to leverage the government support and offer more entertaining content to the audiences without compromising the quality of production. This initiative will help the entire ecosystem of Marathi entertainment to thrive.

Akshay Bardapurkar stands in solidarity with his fellow Marathi filmmakers in battling this crisis. He says, “Marathi films are already struggling with cut-throat competition from Hindi and International films in availing theatres, distribution, audience support, and budgets. The pandemic has made matters worse. Producers are grappling with the current market realities and barely managing to remain operational. In such times, what Marathi filmmakers need is strong financial backing. Government support in the form of subsidy is needed now more than ever and I can’t stress enough on this point. The current norm says, only theatrical releases that are screened for a specific duration can avail subsidies from the state. It is our earnest request that digital releases should also be allowed a leeway given the current circumstances as theatrical release isn’t an option anymore!”

It’s good news for Marathi film makers, as an assurance has been relayed from the government and the efforts put in by Akshay Bardapurkar will bear fruits.

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