Marathi cinema’s first Filmfare night is a ‘Lai Bhaari’ affair

MUMBAI: Nose-rings, nine-yards, cocktail gowns and sunglasses—it was a ‘lai bhaari’ evening for Marathi cinema on Friday. A constellation of stars from the Marathi film industry descended upon Thane on Friday to welcome a coveted black lady into their midst. She arrived in style atop a doli to the sound of lejhim and Nashik dhol, tacitly declaring that she was here to stay.
The Ajeenkya D Y Patil University Filmfare Awards 2014 (Marathi)—the first-ever Filmfare awards for excellence in Marathi cinema—was held at the Kashinath Ghanekar Natyagruha on Friday. Among the films that took home multiple black ladies were the commercially successful ‘Lai Bhaari’ (which marked the debut of actor Riteish Deshmukh in Marathi cinema), ‘Fandry’, which explores the caste system through the eyes of a Dalit who falls in love with an upper-caste girl and ‘Rege’, which underlined the curiosity of kids about the world of crime.
Veteran Marathi actor Ramesh Deo received the lifetime achievement award for his contribution to the industry. “This was a much-maligned industry when I started off. I was called the black sheep of the family. It is thanks to the love showered by the audience that I have been in the industry for almost 68 years and I don’t get tired when I am working, as that is my life. Without acting, there is no Ramesh Deo,” said the 86-year-old actor.
Actor Kranti Redkar shone in a peach gown as the host, while her co-anchors Prasad Oak and Pushkar Shotri stole the thunder with their self-deprecatory exchanges. “Don’t descend into Diwali Pahaat anchoring mode,” one warned the other, who was busy spouting chaste Marathi. Their self-confessed “poor jokes” ranged from “Winners get Filmfare, others take care” to “Everything is fair in Filmfare”.
“Filmfare is as prestigious as the Oscars,” said actor Riteish Deshmukh, going on to reason why Marathi cinema deserved the black lady. “It was a Marathi manoos that first gave us the gift of cinema,” said Deshmukh, referring to the legendary filmmaker Dadasaheb Phalke. “The first national award in 1953 too went to a Marathi film called ‘Shyamchi Aai’. And now, with films like ‘Court’, it is safe to say Marathi cinema has put Indian cinema on the global map,” he said.
Bollywood actors Varun Dhawan and Tabu made a surprise cameo to present awards and floored the audience by spouting lines in Marathi. “I’ve requested Riteish Deshmukh to take me as a cameo for his next film,” joked Dhawan.
The highlight reel of the evening glowed with sizzling performances by actors Sachin Pilgaonkar and Sonali Kulkarni. “The first Filmfare award that I got was for a Marathi film in 1979,” recalled Pilgaonkar.
As she covered the gamut from Marathi to South Indian, Bollywood to ‘I am a Barbie girl,’ in her sizzling performance, actor Manasi Naik teamed her shimmering nine-yard sari with a pair of shades, look that summed up the night when Marathi cinema got a shot of Filmfare glamour.
The title sponsor for the event was Ajeenkya D Y Patil University, associate sponsors were Shivtara properties Pvt Ltd & Sheetal Creations, the event was powered by Suhana, telecast partner was Colors Marathi, the travel partner was Maharashtra Tourism, radio partner Radio Mirchi, multiplex partner Orienta Cine Advertising, event agency was Netsurf Entertainment and the event consultants were Oxygen Entertainment.