'Natsamrat' to 'Vaastav', Marathi teleplays that depict rich culture and traditions

Playwrights like Ashok Patole, Anand Mhasvekar, Vijay Tendulkar, Mahesh Elkunchwar, Shekhar Tamhane, Makarand Deshpande and Ashok Samel among many others have enriched Marathi theatre with their insights into social issues and the human condition.

Agnipankh: Written by Eklavya Sakpal, 'Agnipankh' is a period drama set in newly independent India where social restructuring is threatening to overturn the feudalistic zamindari system. The play also questions patriarchy embedded in feudal empires by placing a fiercely strong matriarch Durgeshwari or 'Baisaab' at the centre of the narrative. Filmed and directed by Ganesh Yadav, 'Agnipankh' stars Mita Vashisht as 'Baisaab' along with Dinkar Gawande, Gulki Joshi, Prabhat Sharma, Satyajeet Dubey, Satyajit Sharma, Sheetal Singh and Somesh Agarwal.

Hamlet: This immortal tragedy by Shakespeare is about more than just the fatal flaw of indecision. It is also about how love, loss, grief, the hunger for power and guilt define and reshape human destinies. In this, Sumeet Raghavan essays the role of the enigmatic Prince of Denmark who wants to avenge his murdered father but is wracked by moral questions, his unexpressed love for Ophelia, his hatred for his uncle and his anger towards his mother. Tushar Dalvi, Sunil Tawade, and Mugdha Godbole also star in this play directed by Chandrakant Kulkarni.

Natsamrat: This classic play penned by VV Shirwadkar (Kusumagraj) has the Shakespearean gravitas of a 'King Lear' as it delineates the life of an acting stalwart Ganpat Ramchandra Belwalkar, who after reaching the pinnacle of success, has to face failure, heartbreak, betrayal from his own children and ignominy. In this teleplay, Mohan Joshi essays Ganpat Ramchandra Belwalkar while Rohini Hattangadi, Shweta Mehendale, Sushil Inamdar and Bhakti Desai play other pivotal parts.

Vaastav: Inspired by Mahesh Manjhrekar's film, this gritty teleplay depicts the struggles of a lower-middle-class family in Mumbai and the tragedy of Raghu, an unemployed young man who is forced to take to crime when it becomes impossible to make a living with dignity. As he grows in stature in Mumbai's underworld, moral lines blur and he spirals into darkness.