From state to screen: Attend a festival of Marathi cinema this I-Day

Watch modern-day classics like Natsamrat, Ringan, Daaravtha and Mitra.

Next weekend, cultural space Godrej India Culture Lab is celebrating Marathi Cinema Now, a festival of eight Marathi films released in the last two years.

A still from Highway Ek Selfie Aarpar.

The lineup includes this year’s blockbuster Natsamrat and the National Award winning Ringan (the Quest); the 2015 film of the iconic play Katyar Kaljat Ghusali; smaller successes like Highway Ek Selfie Aarpar and Vakratuna Mahakaya; and Daaravtha and Mitra, which explore LGBT themes. The event kicks off with the premiere of Halal, well received at several international festivals.

“We wanted showcase the different facets of contemporary Marathi cinema,” says the Lab’s curator Kevin Lobo. “The recent films, both big and small, have explored subjects that mainstream cinema often doesn’t.”

A still from Daaravtha, which explores LGBT issues.

Saurabh Devendra Singh, founder of 1018mb, the online viewing platform that has curated the films, says that the variety is what makes Marathi cinema so compelling today. “The Maharashtra government has played it smart by keeping film costs low. This gives younger filmmakers a chance, allows for pathbreaking creation, offers more exhibition spaces, and makes it easy to invest in a project. The result is a wealth of amazing films. We thought, ‘Why not showcase that?” he says.

Read: Sairat isn’t a fluke, Marathi cinema has consistently produced such gems

The screenings of Halal, Ringan and Natsamrat will be followed by a discussion with that film’s cast and crew.

What: Marathi Cinema Now, a festival of contemporary Marathi films

Where: Godrej ONE, Pirojshanagar, Vikhroli East

When: August 12 to 14

Cost: Entry is free; registration is mandatory

To register, go to indiaculturelab.org