Only Malayalam and Marathi industries are delivering true content in Indian cinema, says director Mahesh Manjrekar

Mahesh Manjrekar

Veteran filmmaker and actor Mahesh Manjrekar has delivered a powerful critique of the Indian film industry, spotlighting Malayalam and Marathi cinema as the only two industries that continue to prioritise meaningful content over commercial formulas. In an interview with India Today Digital, Manjrekar offered a brutally honest perspective on the current cinematic landscape, lamenting the challenges that regional content-driven cinema faces in an increasingly commercialised space.

“Content-wise, Malayalam and Marathi are the only industries which give content, otherwise it is all commerce,” he declared.

Manjrekar, known for his fearless storytelling and bold opinions, pointed out that while Marathi cinema is rich in storytelling, it suffers due to limited exposure and lack of scale. Even in Maharashtra, Marathi films are often overlooked, with audiences gravitating towards big-budget Hindi films.

“You talk, but you don't watch it. My problem is different. We are a state where, I think, 100% of people understand Hindi. That's the biggest problem,” he said, highlighting how Marathi audiences tend to opt for flashy Hindi films rather than supporting homegrown cinema.

Drawing comparisons with the thriving South Indian film industries, Manjrekar emphasised the disparity in budgets and reach. “What happens today when a South film is made—their audience is huge. Their collections are huge. So, they can afford to make a film which is at par with a Hindi film, budget-wise. So, then they go pan India,” he explained.

Yet, he remains confident that Marathi films can hold their own if given a level playing field. “You let us make a big Marathi film and release it pan India, it will definitely do well, because we have got great content,” he asserted.

He also critiqued the sheer volume of Marathi film releases, suggesting that consolidation and collaboration could yield better results. “Concentrate on quality, then quantity. Right now, from now till the second week of May, at least 10 Marathi films are coming,” he noted.

Offering a solution, he added, “If five producers come together, instead of spending 5 crores on each film, they make a film of 25 crores, it will definitely make a big difference.”

Manjrekar highlighted another unique challenge Marathi filmmakers face—competing against their own Hindi films. “I do a film in Marathi and in Hindi, and release it in Maharashtra—I’m giving competition to my own film.”

He criticised the myth of South Indian cinema’s pan-India dominance, pointing out that only a handful of South films have actually succeeded nationally. “Suddenly there is a big thing—South Indian films are all pan-India. I want to tell the same audience, in the last 10 years, only eight films have been made. Eight! Not even one a year.”

Despite the hurdles, his belief in Marathi cinema remains unshaken. “We come across subjects which are valid, we have great subjects. But we will come out of it. I am sure we will come out of it.”

Mahesh Manjrekar will next appear in the upcoming Marathi film Devmanus, directed by Tejas Prabha Vijay Deoskar. Co-starring Renuka Shahane, Subodh Bhave, and Siddharth Bodke, the film is slated for release on April 25.