Natrang- 2010

Introduction

Natarang is a 2010 Indian Marathi-language drama film produced by Ravi Jadhav and starring Atul Kulkarni and Sonalee Kulkarni. Natarang is an artistic word for artist, particularly a theatre artist. The film's original music and songs were created by the music team Ajay-Atul.

The movie Natarang, based on Anand Yadav's 1978 Marathi book of the same name, shows the journey of young artists as they confront obstacles from their family, friends, and society before realising their impossible dream. Natarang, which is set in the 1970s against a rural Maharashtrian background, emphasises the feelings associated with gender inequality as well as the sacrifices made by an artist out of love for his craft.

Table Of Content

• Details
• Plot
• Release
• Casting
• Crew
• Character Analysis
• Songs
• Box Office Collection 
• Awards
• Conclusion

Details

Plot

The story centres on the life of Guna, a tamasha artist who resides in a Maharashtrian village.He loses his labourer work due to unanticipated events, and together with his friend and mentor Pandoba, he finds himself in a situation where they must start a theatre company. Guna is certain that without a female dancer, his group cannot succeed.  After a long search Pandoba finds Naina, the daughter of Yamunabai, his former lover, who is ready to dance for the company if it has a Nachya character, a man who acts in a feminine way. Due to the transgender custom, nobody wants to play the part, so Guna decides to play the part himself. Because he is so passionate about the arts, he  accepts the task of playing the part.

Guna works hard to nail the part despite receiving little help from his family, and his play quickly finds success. However, as a result of their popularity, two local politicians who want to capitalise on their success for political gain drag the play into their power battle. In the meantime, Guna's father passes away in his village while his wife and boy are harassed by other villagers. Guna's performance is attacked, and rival political gangs set fire to his theatre. Guna is charged with group rape and being a eunuch. Nevertheless, Guna persists in his stage career even after being rejected by his family and discouraged by his peers; Naina is his only co-performer.

Guna works hard to nail the part despite receiving little help from his family, and his play quickly finds success. Due to their popularity, two local politicians, who want to capitalise on their success for political gain, become embroiled in a power battle, which causes the play to become involved. At the same time, Guna's father passes away in his village while his wife and boy are harassed by other villagers. Guna's performance is attacked, and his theatre is set on fire by competing political gangs. Guna has been charged with group rape and eunuchdom. Nevertheless, Guna continues in his stage career even after being rejected by his family and discouraged by his group; only the naina become his co-performer.

The marriage of Guna and Naina married each other and successfully played the art in front of the public.  At the end of a major awards ceremony, elderly Guna, known as Gunvantrao Kagalkar, receives the lifetime achievement medal.

Release

Natarang had its world premiere on 1st January 2010 at the Cinemax Multiplex in Andheri, Mumbai. Celebrities from both the Marathi and Bollywood film industries attended the premiere.   It was the first time that a Marathi film had a grand premiere.  On 22 January, it was re-released with English subtitles due to popular demand. As of 2017, it was the highest-grossing film.

Casting 

• Atul Kulkarni as Gunvantrao Guna Kagalkar. 

• Sonalee Kulkarni as Nayna Kolhapurkarin, the lead dancer in Guna's troupe.

• Vibhavari Deshpande as Daarki Kagalkar, Guna's wife, was upset with his participation in the Tamasha.

• Kishor Kadam as Pandoba, Guna's friend and mentor.

• Priya Berde as Yamunabai, Nayna's mother and Pandoba's former love interest.

• Amruta Khanvilkar in a special appearance in the Lavaṇi song Wajle ki Bara.

Crew

• Director- Ravi Jadhav

• Screenplayer- Ravi Jadhav

• Story by- Anand Yadav

• Producer- Nikhil Sane, Amit Phalke, Meghana Jadhav

• Lead Actors- Atul Kulkarni, Sonalee Kulkarni, Kishor Kadam, Vibhavari Deshpande, Priya Berde

• Cinematographer- Mahesh Limaye

• Editor- Jayant Jathar

• Music by-  Ajay–Atul

• Production companies- Zee Talkies, Athaansh Communications

• Distributor- Sadik Chitalikar (Zee Talkies)

Character Analysis

Guna- The film's main character, played by Atul Kulkarni. Guna is a tamasha artist who is struggling financially. He is dedicated to the art form and wishes to see it succeed.

Sonalee Kulkarni plays Rani, Guna's second wife. Rani is a loving wife who supports Guna through the  bad situation. 

Kishor Kadam plays Pandoba, Guna's friend and fellow tamasha artist. Pandoba is a devoted friend who assists Guna in times of need.

Vibhavari Deshpande plays Keshav, a wealthy businessman who wants to modernise the tamasha art form. Keshav is the film's main antagonist.

Yamuna, played by Priya Berde, is a young village girl who is passionate about tamasha and wishes to learn from Guna.

Songs

Play

Ajay Atul composed the original and background scores, which were based on Guru Thakur's song lyrics. The film's script and story demand period compositions and traditional dance numbers, as seen in Lavani and Gavalan. Vijay Chavan received special recognition for his dholki performance.

Box Office Collection

Natarang had a successful statewide cameo, earning Rs. 70 million in the first three weeks of its run. In the first quarter of 2010, Marathi films earned Rs. 200 million, overtaking Bollywood in both box office collections . Natarang, Shikshanachya Aaicha Gho by Mahesh Manjrekar, and Harishchandrachi Factory by Paresh Mokashi earned more than Rs. 160 million at the box office.

Awards 

Conclusion

Natrang is a visually stunning and thought-provoking Marathi language film that addresses important issues such as gender identity, social stigma, and the power of art. The film's exceptional cast performances and mesmerising music contribute to the overall experience, making it a must-see for anyone interested in Indian cinema and theatre.