“I AM GLAD THAT I HAVE ACTED IN MADHURI DIXIT’S FILM PANCHAK & DIRECTED & ACTED IN PRIYANKA CHOPRA’S FILM PAANI”

ADDINATH KOTHARE tells JYOTHI VENKATESH

Addinath Kothare has been praised a lot for playing cricketer Dilip Vengsarkar in the recently released ’83’. In this exclusive interview for Mayapuri as well as bollyy.com, after the screening of his latest Marathi film Panchak, the well known actor cum director ADDINATH KOTHARE tells JYOTHI VENKATESH that Marathi Cinema has succeeded in breaking records and has been able to transcend across the world Cinema crossing all the thresholds Over to Addinath Kothare

Do you feel Marathi films haven’t yet been able to break that barrier and become pan India films, like say KGF and Kantara?

There are Marathi films that have reached pan-India. There are films like Court, Sairat, Fandry and Shwaas. I think, in today’s times’ languages are no more a barrier. We watch content across all languages. A story decides whether it is pan-India or not. It’s the story that decides if it’ll be pan-India or not. Not the language.

You have worked in Madhuri Dixit and Dr Nene’s Marathi film Panchak. How was the experience?

The film Panchak has been produced by Madhuri Dixit Nene and Dr Nene and directed by Jayant Jathar and Rahul Awate. I feel blessed to have the opportunity to have worked with Madhuri Dixit herself. We did present our film at the recently held 21st Pune International Film festival and she was really happy to see my work and appreciate how everyone loved the film. I hope this film reaches its heights. I just cannot wait for the film to reach the mass audience soon.

What attracted you to accepting Panchak?

What I liked about Panchak was that it has a great producer like Madhuri Dixit, fabulous script and a director duo like Jayant Jathar and Rahul Awate. I am glad that I was approached by Madhuri Mam, Nenesaab and Mr Ajgaonkar from their team. I went ahead to listen to the script and was blown away. It is very rare to spot the right script as an actor and hence I grabbed the project especially since I was overwhelmed to the core.

What is Panchak all about?

Panchak has been set in a small village of Konkan and is the story of human psychology towards fear of death. It is all about taboos through a humorous perspective. Dead man Anantrao is speaking through a crow’s body as it is a popular belief. Anantrao introduces the whole family while they are mourning his death. The drama erupts as the purohit announces that since the death happened in a particular asterism, the whole family is under threat of Panchak, which predicts five deaths in the family of the dead man in just one year.

What\n is the star cast of the film Panchak?

The film also stars like Tejashri Pradhan, Anand Ingale, Nandita Patkar, Bharati Acharekar, Vidyadhar Joshi, Satish Alekar, Sagar Talashikar, Dipti Devi, Ashish Kulkarni, besides me that is. The director duo Jayant Jataar and Rahul Awate are amazingly talented. Rahul has written and directed the film while Jayant has edited and directed the film

Is Panchak a regressive film?
Definitely not. Panchak is out and out a family entertainer with a unique storytelling and a great star cast. Panchak is the story of restoring faith, not blindly but with open eyes and also an open heart. Faith and reason definitely do not go hand in hand and the fear of death starts playing in the minds of each and every character in the family

If Panchak has been produced by Madhuri Dixit, your directorial debut venture Paani has been produced by Priyanka Chopra. Isn’t it?
Yes. I have directed my directorial venture Paani which has been produced by Priyanka Chopra who had earlier made the award winning Marathi film Ventilator

Your next release will be Shaktimaan in Marathi. Tell me something about it?

Shaktimaan has been directed by Prakash Kunte with Spruha Joshi,Vidyadhar Joshin and last but not the least Priyadarshan Jadhav in the cast.

Your last release in Hindi was 83 directed by Kabir Khan. Did you always want to play Dilip Vengsarkar?

There were so many characters in the film. But I was offered Dilip Vengsarkar. I was extremely honoured to be a part of the project and there is no other way I would have it, because Dilip Vengsarkar is a living legend and not for nothing is he called a Colonel.

Did you get to interact a lot with Dilip Vengsarkar in order to prepare for the character?

I did interact with Dilip Sir because it was part of our process. We were made to interact. I had many sessions with Dilip sir in MCA. He was extremely kind and friendly and open-hearted with me where he would welcome me anytime.

Is it true that you are acting in not just one but two investigative web series being made by the national award winning director Sudhir Mishra?

Even as acclaimed filmmaker Sudhir Mishra’s recently released action thriller series – Tanaav – is receiving an encouraging response from the audience, the filmmaker has already moved on to directing two more web series. Based on an excellent book, Mishra has roped in Ranvir Sheorey, Kishore Kadam, Saba Azad, Sai Tamhankar and Rajesh Tailang, besides me for this investigative web series of his.

What do you think about the OTT scenario today?

OTT is the future especially because technology has entered the living rooms of every one today. I enjoyed being part of web series like City of Dreams and Criminal Justice.

What do you think about the Marathi film industry of which your illustrious dad Mahesh Kothare has been a leading light?

I should say that Marathi Cinema has succeeded in breaking records and has been able to transcend across the world Cinema crossing all the thresholds. It is like the days of the doyen of Marathi as well as Hindi Cinema -V Shantaram have come once again and Marathi Cinema has come a full circle