The successful run of the films like ‘Kaksparsh’ and ‘Tukaram’ clearly indicates what type of films the Marathi audience and others prefer to watch. There have been enough of comedy films in Marathi. Moreover, many of them have been a copy of Bollywood films or based on the same old themes tried before in Marathi during 80s and 90s. Why can’t Marathi film makers try out something different, to pose a challenge to Bollywood ? The Regional films in south have established their own identity. In Marathi cinema, the above mentioned two films have proved it, not bothering about their release time; whether it coincided with big banner Hindi film or not.

Marathi films like ‘Deool’, ‘Jogwa’, ‘Babu Band Bajaa’, ‘Mala Aai Vhaychay’, ‘Harishchandrachi Factory’, ‘Balgandharva’, ‘Shikshnachya Aaichha Gho’, ‘Lalbaug Parel’, tried something realistic; while some action films in the recent past like ‘Arjun’, ‘Mi Shivajiraje Bhosale Bolto’, ‘Fakta Ladh Mhana’ and few others, proved that Marathi films are nowhere behind Bollywood, even in technical matters.

Marathi film industry has the biggest advantage of having many talented stage artistes. They fit into any type of roles in films, as for them, performance is very important, rather than flexing their muscles. But, unfortunately, many talented artistes have wasted their caliber, performing in traditional comedy films made by all such film makers, for whom getting the subsidy from the Government has only been the motive. Many such films have come and disappeared in a week’s time. It is only when they are shown by some TV channels, people come to know about their release. By the way, why there was no Marathi film released last week and during this week, only film officially released i.e. ‘Saheb’ has found just one theatre in Mumbai that too in western suburbs, one in Thane and one in Navi Mumbai ?

Some film makers, taking into account the likes of young Marathi generation, who are net savvy and hardly read marathi newspapers; tried to make films of their interests, like music, romantic, etc; but even that didn’t work, to invite the young audience to the theatres. Best examples are recent films like ‘Satrangi Re’, ‘Jai Jai Maharashtra Majha’ and ‘Mumbai Pune Mumbai’, which did not draw the response from the target audience, as expected.

If Marathi film industry really needs to make progress with quality films, it’s high time that the Government of Maharashtra come forward with new incentive schemes, instead of the present subsidy scheme; to all those film makers, who succeed in inviting international audience and winning national awards. Let others do remake of Marathi films in their languages, instead of Marathi films attempting remakes of commercial Bollywood films. Today, we find some Bollywood film makers or Real estate people entering Marathi films as producers, because the Government offers subsidy. This is preventing the genuine talented film makers to come forward as producers.

We have many young talented film makers today, who are assisting reputed directors. If they are encouraged to make a film on a universal topic, let them get the assistance from the Government. A good script and delivering a message to the society in a realistic manner, is the need of the hour. It’s hard to believe that we are short of good script writers.