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By:

Bharati Dubey

17 May 2026 at 1:38:10 am

Raja Shivaji sparks a new era for Marathi cinema

Mumbai: As Raja Shivaji marches steadily towards the Rs 100 crore mark, the film has reignited debate around the future of the Marathi film industry. Having already crossed Rs 80 crore at the Indian box office, the historical drama is now only the second Marathi film after Sairat to achieve the milestone. Its success has raised a larger question within the trade: can a major blockbuster finally attract sustained investment into Marathi cinema, an industry often marked by cycles of growth and...

Raja Shivaji sparks a new era for Marathi cinema

Mumbai: As Raja Shivaji marches steadily towards the Rs 100 crore mark, the film has reignited debate around the future of the Marathi film industry. Having already crossed Rs 80 crore at the Indian box office, the historical drama is now only the second Marathi film after Sairat to achieve the milestone. Its success has raised a larger question within the trade: can a major blockbuster finally attract sustained investment into Marathi cinema, an industry often marked by cycles of growth and slowdown? Much of the buzz surrounding the film stems from the support it received from prominent Hindi film stars, several of whom reportedly came on board to back the project and the industry. Trade analyst Girish Wankhede believes the film’s biggest achievement lies in the scale of collaboration it represents. “The real strength of Raja Shivaji lies in its creative ensemble star cast, which Riteish Deshmukh successfully brought together. By roping in heavyweight Hindi stars like Abhishek Bachchan, Sanjay Dutt, and Salman Khan, the film showcases the immense combined value of cross-industry collaboration. This strong gesture of Hindi cinema’s biggest names extending full support to a Marathi project has created a powerful impression, generating tremendous curiosity and respect for Marathi cinema among audiences, investors, and other industries. It underscores how Marathi films can now command pan-Indian attention and star power,” he says. At the same time, Wankhede feels it may still be premature to call the film a runaway commercial success given its production scale and costs. “What is heartening is the visible new energy and creative fuel that Riteish Deshmukh has infused into Marathi cinema. With him at the helm of affairs, the film looks strong and polished, and this momentum, further amplified by the star support, is already drawing serious attention from investors who were earlier hesitant about the regional space,” he adds. Producer Suniel Wadhwa, Co-Founder and Director of Karmic Films, says the film’s performance could play an important role in rebuilding investor confidence in theatrical cinema. “The success of Raja Shivaji could significantly improve investor confidence in theatrical cinema, especially at a time when many non-film investors have become cautious about the sector. If the film succeeds as a large-scale theatrical event rather than just an opening weekend phenomenon, it will reinforce the belief that culturally rooted Indian stories still possess massive commercial potential across regions and demographics,” he says. However, Wadhwa points out that the industry continues to face deep structural challenges. “One of the biggest is the shortage of true theatrical stars who can create urgency for audiences to step into cinemas. Streaming has created visibility, but not necessarily ticket-selling mythology. At the same time, India remains heavily under-screened, and even strong films often struggle with inadequate show slots, limited showcasing windows, and overcrowded release calendars. Many films today are judged within the first 48–72 hours, leaving little room for organic word-of-mouth growth,” he says. According to him, the theatrical business is evolving rather than disappearing. “Audiences are now reserving cinema outings for event-driven experiences — spectacle, emotion, mythology, action, horror-comedy, and culturally resonant storytelling. Films that can create that collective viewing urgency will continue to attract both audiences and serious investment capital,” he adds. The Marathi film industry has witnessed a mixed year so far. More than two dozen films have released, but only a handful — including Raja Shivaji, Kranti Vidyalay Marathi Madhyam, Aga Aga Sunbai Mahnatay Sasubai, and Super Duper — have performed strongly at the box office. Veteran journalist Dilip Thakur believes Marathi cinema has already begun regaining momentum after the slowdown caused by the pandemic. “New Marathi films are getting launched regularly. The upcoming film Bapya had its screening at Sunny Super Sound, which was attended by non-Marathi journalists in big numbers. The story of Bapya is complex and difficult to make. The point here is that a producer agreed to put his money into the film. Sabar Bonda was another difficult subject which won an award at Sundance. So, producers willing to invest money in such subjects is one positive sign,” he says. Thakur also points to the continued appetite for mainstream Marathi entertainers. “The boom after Sairat still exists in Marathi cinema. There was a setback for four years because of Covid, but the industry has gained momentum. Ravi Jadhav’s new film Fulawara, based on tamasha folk art, will soon go on floors in Pune,” he says. He further notes that Marathi cinema is increasingly attracting investors from outside the industry. “Most Marathi films have non-Marathi investors. They are putting in money because there is business in Marathi cinema. But not every film becomes a hit. Subhash Ghai also produced a few Marathi films. If the subject is good, people are willing to invest,” he adds. Not everyone, however, is convinced that one major hit can alter the industry’s fortunes overnight. Nitin Datar, president of the Cinema Owners Association, remains cautious about reading too much into the film’s success. “Only one film success is not going to bring investors. In the last five years, out of nearly 500 films produced, the success rate has not been encouraging,” he says. Datar acknowledges that the presence of Hindi stars has helped boost the film’s commercial appeal but stresses that Marathi cinema still lacks enough bankable stars capable of consistently drawing audiences to theatres. “The production houses and directors have attracted audiences. Unfortunately, producers haven’t been successful in attracting financial assistance, which has resulted in low production and advertising budgets. But if films succeed in pulling audiences over the weekend, exhibitors automatically increase shows and reduce screenings of underperforming films from other languages. The audience is always there, waiting to visit theatres in large numbers for a good film,” he says. For now, Raja Shivaji has undeniably given Marathi cinema a strong moment in the spotlight. Whether that momentum translates into long-term financial confidence and sustained industry growth remains the larger question.

Is Caste-Based Census an Empowerment Tool or a Catalyst for Division?

As political leaders revive caste-based counting, the promise of empowerment risks being overshadowed by a dangerous drift from the goal of true social equality.

When political self-interest begins to sit atop the shoulders of societal welfare, the chasm of social inequality only deepens. Hostility among castes and communities intensifies, and eventually, this gives rise to social anarchy. In India, a determined movement to annihilate caste was initiated with the hope that if caste could be eradicated, social inequality would significantly reduce. Brotherhood would flourish, and the dream of a progressive society could become a reality.


However, instead of bolstering this movement with moral and ideological strength, political leadership chose to pit castes and religions against one another for electoral gains. As a result, caste identities have grown sharper. And now, sounding the trumpet of a caste-based census adds yet another layer of complexity to this volatile mix. What exactly will this census achieve? How will society benefit from it? These remain unanswered questions. But one thing is clear — it will widen the existing social disparity gap. Hence, even as the nation makes economic strides, this move may well push it toward greater social unrest.


Caste-based enumeration dates back to the 19th century in India. The outcomes of those early experiments were stark — rather than fostering unity, they sowed division, leading to the eventual discontinuation of such censuses. Today, only Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes are counted in official statistics. The broader categorisation of so-called "upper castes" and Other Backward Classes was halted.


Notably, even in the second decade of the 21st century, the UPA government under Dr. Manmohan Singh undertook a similar exercise. However, Singh — a globally respected economist — recognised the potential perils in the data and shelved the file. Ironically, the same Congress party that then closed the door on a caste-based census is now vocally championing it, with party scion Rahul Gandhi aggressively advocating it as if it were the sole path to India’s development. In interviews across Indian and international media, Gandhi projected the census as a panacea for social justice.


At that time, the BJP-led government under Narendra Modi opposed caste-based enumeration. Yet, surprisingly, just before the Bihar assembly elections, the Centre announced support for such a census — a move widely considered a strategic attempt to counter the opposition. In this game of political one-upmanship, the core issue of social inequality has been sidelined conveniently.


Census operations in India have continued uninterrupted. British civil servant John Henry Hutton, who served as Census Commissioner during the colonial era, is often credited with initiating caste-based enumeration. Hutton’s anthropological work on the Naga tribes and his observations on India's caste structure remain well known. But how many castes are there in India today? Even the proponents of such a census and their political patrons may not have a clear answer.


One survey pegs the number of castes and sub-castes at a staggering 4.5 million. One can only imagine how sharply defined these identities are. Making caste-wise population data public could very likely lead to further fragmentation, sparking new battles over representation and entitlements, rather than promoting unity.


Behind the renewed push for a caste census lies a clear electoral calculus. The formula is simple: more population, more benefits. In princely Kolhapur, RajarshiShahu Chhatrapati implemented a caste census in the early 20th century, aligning representation in local governance accordingly. But that effort had a progressive social vision behind it. Today’s census, however, is unlikely to be so well-intentioned, especially given how much influence ruling regimes exert over bureaucratic machinery.


Previously, three states undertook caste-based censuses enthusiastically. However, the results came as a rude shock to many — the assumed population figures of certain communities turned out to be lower than expected, impacting their share in reservations.


So, the question stands: will India plunge into a numbers game of percentages and proportions, or will it strive to dismantle the caste structure altogether — to lift the toiling, marginalised, and neglected classes out of social disparity? Even though a caste-based census may seem like a tool for empowerment, it risks becoming a dangerous detour in the fight against inequality.

(The author is a senior journalist based in Kolhapur. Views personal.)

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