Marathi cinema will regain its glory: Sachin Khedekar

Panaji (PTI): Actor-turned-director Sachin Khedkar feels the screening of four Marathi films in the Indian Panorama section at International Film Festival of India in Goa has helped in resurrecting the position of Marathi cinema, while posting it on the global screen.

"From a golden era to an unexpected low and now again back on its way to regain glory, Marathi cinema is growing ommercially at an unexpected pace," Khedekar said at IFFI.

"It is heartening to know that four Marathi movies are being screened in the Indian Panorama section. There was a time when Marathi film industry was on a decline but now the picture has changed and I am delighted that the face of Indian Cinema is changing," said the veteran actor, who has potrayed memorable roles in films like 'Astitva' and 'Subhash Chandra Bose'.

'Avedhe Se Aabhaal' directed by Bipin Nadkarni, 'Kaalchakra' directed by Vishal Bhandari, 'Mai Baap' directed by Gajendra Ahire and 'Harvalele Indradhansh' directed by Dhiraj Meshram are the four films that feature in the prestigious Indian Panorama section in IFFI this year.

"What is inspiring is that Marathi movies are finding slots and wider acceptance in multiplexes too which indicates that at both commercial and parallel levels, the cinema is progressing well," Khedekar said.

The actor also agrees that the change in Marathi cinema has elicited a welcome response while drawing a large number of movie lovers.

"Cinema is a serious prospect; it should not be viewed only as an entertainment package but as a medium which thrives on creative inputs and actors coming of age while lending excellence to it in the form of new stories, skills and subjects," he added.

Khedekar, who is in the state for the screening of his film 'Kalchakra' has a word of praise for IFFI 2007.

"The 38th film festival is organised very sharply and is very well set up. It has more focus on the cinema and not the peripheral activities," he said.

The actor is also excited with the overall concept of IFFI 2007 as "this environment of the film festival will attract the film makers, actors who can react on a serious note."

Currently Khedekar is busy with his forthcoming projects like Ketan Mehta's 'Rang Rasia' (on Raja Ravi Verma), Ajay Devgan's 'You, Me and Hum' and Ashiwini Bhave's production 'Kadhachit'.