Mahesh Manjrekar admits that he initially wasn’t too keen on Sagar Deshmukh playing Pu La Deshpande. However, the actor-director is glad that he listened to creative director Amol Parchure’s suggestion about casting Sagar. “His casting in Bhai: Vyakti ki Valli was purely by chance. When his name was first suggested, I wasn’t convinced. When I met him in office and then when I saw the edited version, I knew that no one else would have pulled it off like he did. He has taken the role to a completely different level,” says Mahesh, who has directed the film that will release in two parts.
Having been in the industry for over three decades, wasn’t he sceptical about releasing a film in two parts? “It is true that the most brilliant thought or idea will strike you in the bathroom (laughs). I was cutting the film like a fool, and then it struck me, ‘why can’t I release it in two parts?’ There is a risk as it is one story releasing on two days, it is not like a Dabangg 1 and 2. But I am positive.”
He adds that it would be unfair to limit the legend’s stories for the sake of a short-length film. “If you are making a portrait, you can’t cut off the features of a person because of lack of space. Similarly, I could not cut out important and relevant portions of Pu La’s life to make a film spanning two hours.”
The Natsamrat (2016) director is glad that he chose this subject, despite his writer refusing to touch it. “It was the anger and need to prove a point to the writer that I embarked on this journey. That apart, I am really fascinated by this man’s life and his stories.”
{{/usCountry}}The Natsamrat (2016) director is glad that he chose this subject, despite his writer refusing to touch it. “It was the anger and need to prove a point to the writer that I embarked on this journey. That apart, I am really fascinated by this man’s life and his stories.”
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