This Friday, May 15, Marathi cinema enthusiasts will have four new films to choose from: Baapya, Picture Boyz, Ladki Bahin, and Mission Ek Shodh Mohim. However, instead of celebration, the weekend brings familiar woes: a severe shortage of screens for filmmakers and a lack of awareness among potential viewers.
A Recurring Problem
This situation is not new. Multiple weekends have seen similar struggles. There have been instances where shows were canceled because only one person bought a ticket, making it economically unviable. The industry has long needed better content and marketing strategies, yet it continues to fight for screens. Only a handful of producers are repeat and bankable, and 80% of films follow predictable patterns—love stories or historical dramas. The few films that offer something worthwhile often fail to attract footfall, a key metric in the business.
The Competitive Landscape
Bollywood remains a juggernaut compared to the Marathi industry, and the rise of South Indian films has deepened the crisis. While some argue that post-COVID cinema is all about Indian cinema without regional boundaries, the reality of budgets, reach, and returns tells a different story. The Malayalam industry, by contrast, has cracked the code: it already had strong content and used the OTT boom to gain national recognition. Today, audiences in Delhi know actors like Dulquer Salmaan and Fahadh Faasil. Can the same be said for Marathi cinema?
Key Questions for Marathi Cinema
- Content vs. Stardom: Are filmmakers prioritizing audience needs over chasing stardom? Good content can lead to stardom, but not vice versa.
- Audience Support: Are those who criticize Marathi actors for speaking Hindi or English willing to watch Marathi films before championing the language?
- Visibility: If the target audience is unaware of a film, who is watching it?
Potential Solutions
There is no single solution. Dedicated budgets and marketing teams could help. Pushing boundaries with innovative stories might attract viewers. Alternatively, reviving iconic but defunct single-screen theaters in Maharashtra for Marathi films could create a win-win scenario. Whatever the approach, the industry must unite to produce good films that draw audiences.
This partly cynical piece comes from Mihir Bhanage, who hopes to witness the Golden Age of Marathi cinema soon.
