𝗠𝗲 𝗩𝗮𝘀𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗼 is a saga of classical music. This cult classic Marathi movie depicts the journey of multifaceted vocalist, Pandit Vasantrao Deshpande. His was proficient in singing several ragas (many of them were rare), thumri, dadra, ghazal, bhajans and natya sangeet.
The character of Vasantrao is essayed by his grandson, Rahul Deshpande who himself is a renowned singer of the present era. Rahul Deshpande has excellently performed and his singing takes the movie to a different level. There are 22 songs in this movie, including classical, light, folk, Ghazal, and Sufi music. The music of the movie is awesome and is scored by Rahul along with Bhushan Mate. Story is written by Nipun Dharmadhikari and Upendra Sidhaye.
This story is about a singer who is devoted to music right from his childhood. From his initial days of learning music, he gets completely immersed in music. He learns music from various musicians and even goes to Lahore for seeking musical training. The movie is a beautiful amalgamation of remarkable story and timeless music. The song “Ram Ram” (Lori sung by Shreya Ghoshal) is the backbone of the movie and it remains throughout the movie in the form of a background score. It is a treat to listen to musical pieces of Begum Akhtar, and Master Deenanath Mangeshkar in the movie. Director Nipun Dhamadhikari has very well justified this powerful story with his flawless direction. The film is made realistically, showcasing the struggles faced by Pandit Vasantrao Deshpande in his musical career.
Aarush Nand and Gandhar Joshi, have played the younger versions of Pandit Vasantrao. In his young age, his urge of learning music and his perseverance is very well emoted on screen by the young actors. Till the age of 40, he chooses his family’s responsibilities over his passion for music. The pain and dilemma is so immaculately expressed by Rahul Deshpande. Life is not easy for him even when he decides to pursue music as a career after crossing 40. One can feel his agony when his diverse style of singing is suppressed due to the strict musical boundaries set up by a certain class of society. His life encounters many hurdles but he is blessed to have the strong support of his mother, wife, and his beloved friend, PL Deshpande. The play, “Katyaar Kaljaat Ghusli” proves to be the milestone of his successful career and he gets everlasting fame after playing the role of Khansaheb in the epic drama. The entry of P L Deshpande (played by Pushkaraj Chirputkar) in the movie acts as a mood booster.
All the actors are phenomenal in their roles. Rahul Deshpande’s authentic acting will mesmerize you. He should make more movies on musical themes. Anita Date in Vasantrao’s mother’s character looks very real. It is a delight to see Ameya wagh performing as Master Deenanath Mangeshkar. His dialogue delivery wrenches one’s heart. Pushkaraj’s comic timing impresses a lot and one can enjoy humor amidst the serious storyline.
The movie is 3 hours long and keeps you engaged till the end with beautiful musical compositions. There are some scenes in the second half which could have been edited. Also, the movie focuses more on the struggles of Pandit Vasantrao Deshpande. The makers should have shown more glimpses of his successful career also, especially his contribution in Marathi film industry as a singer and actor. They should consider making a sequel of this movie. That will be another musical treat to all Vasantrao Deshpande fans. It is a must-watch movie for all music lovers. Please do watch the movie in theatre. You will get a feeling of attending a live concert. Also, the movie has subtitles, so non Marathi speaking audience can enjoy the movie as well.