Animation and VFX (Visual effects) are rapidly changing the landscape Marathi CinemaBringing a new level of visual storytelling and technical innovation to the industry.
Though they may not be able to match Hollywood standards right now, the thinking and approach are definitely moving in the right direction. Who knows, they might reach that level in the coming years. Let’s discuss the rapid change that has come in Marathi cinema with the use of technology.
Leading Marathi films and performances:
‘Zombivali’
Director Aditya Sarpotdar’s ‘Zombivali’ deserves full marks for its concept. Films in this genre rely heavily on VFX and prosthetics, and ‘Zombivali’ succeeds on this front by making zombies scary and believable.
‘Mitwa’
Swapnil Joshi’s ‘Mitwa’ featured the work of 30 artists from Vertex Volt, who contributed to 3D character designing and animation, matte painting, particle effects, rotoscoping and compositing. The film involved around 325 VFX shots, such as transitions between shots using rotoscoping and compositing, text formations in the sky through smoke emitted from a 3D jet plane, and close-up shots of 3D birds.
windbreak
Known for its VFX, this historical epic ‘Pawankhind’ is loved by the audience. The film casts Ankit Mohan as Raijirao, Chinmay Mandlekar as Shivaji Maharaj, Ajay Purkar as Baji Prabhu Deshpande, Prajakta Mali as Srimant Bhavanil, and others.
Sher Shivraj
Digpal Lanjekar’s historical epic was based on the life of Maratha warrior ‘Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’. Cinematographer Reshmi Sarkar handled the VFX scenes brilliantly. The film was based on an incident from the life of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, where he defeated Afzal Khan.
Animation and VFX have revolutionized Marathi cinema:
Shreyash Jadhav
After impressing the audience with his debut directorial venture ‘Mee Pan Sachin’, ‘Pune Rap’ fame Marathi rapper King JD aka Shreyash Jadhav is gearing up for his much-awaited film ‘Jantar Mantar Choomantar’.
Sharing some thoughts on what Shreyash thinks about the role of animation and VFX in Marathi cinema, Shreyash told ETimes, “As a producer and director in this new age of contemporary cinema, I am thrilled to adopt the extensive use of VFX, CGI, animation, motion capturing, AI and more in my past and upcoming projects. These techniques greatly enhance my creative vision. One of the films produced by my company Ganraj Studios, Prabha Shivaji Raja (2018), holds the distinction of being the first Marathi animation film focusing on a Maharaja.”
Elaborating further, he said, “I have directed a film called Jantar Mantar Choomantar, which is a horror-comedy that has over 1,000 VFX shots. I believe this will be the first Marathi film in the history of Marathi cinema with such extensive use of VFX. The film is set to release later this year, and its VFX work, which has been going on for two years, is something the audience will experience soon. The quality of VFX in this film is at par with top-level Hindi and South Indian films.”
Akshay Bardapurkar
National Award winning filmmaker Akshay Bardapurkar is in the news for his two films ‘Chhatrapati Tararani’ and ‘Raosaheb’.
The filmmaker told ETimes, “VFX and animation are fast becoming the most important pillars of cinematic storytelling across the world. Marathi cinema is not there yet, but is not far behind either. Both Tararani and Raosaheb use VFX and animation as an integral tool of storytelling and both films have cutting-edge, international quality of VFX.”
Akshay said, “Both Anuj Deshpande (Raosaaheb) and (Parth Gajjar) Tararani VFX have done a phenomenal job considering the budget constraints of Marathi cinema.”
Navjyot Bandiwadekar
Navjyot Bandivadekar made his directorial debut with the Marathi feature film ‘Gharat Ganpati’. The film starred Nikita Dutta, Ashwini Bhave, Bhushan Pradhan, Shubhangi Latkar and Ajinkya Dev in pivotal roles.
Shedding some light on the impact of animation and VFX in Marathi films, Navjyot said, “Animation and VFX have revolutionised Marathi cinema. They have opened up new dimensions of creativity and storytelling. It empowers us filmmakers to tell our stories in ways we never imagined, breaking the boundaries of creativity and imagination. By integrating these techniques, we can now bring to life stories and visions that were once confined to the imagination, thereby pushing the boundaries of Marathi cinema.”
Pushkar Jog
Actor Pushkar Jog is in the news these days after the announcement of his upcoming film, which is based on Artificial Intelligence (AI). This will be the first Marathi film based on AI.
When asked about the role of animation and VFX in Marathi films, Pushkar said, “I believe technology has come a long way, just like the shift from shooting on film in the 90s to shooting digitally now. As technology continues to evolve, Artificial Intelligence (AI) is going to have a significant impact on filmmaking. For filmmakers specialising in techno, sci-fi or VFX-heavy films, advancements in AI will make their job much easier and more comfortable for technicians. This is undoubtedly the future of cinema.”
Elaborating further, Jog said, “Just as no one could have predicted the shift to digital filmmaking or the rise of OTT platforms as the future of content consumption, AI is set to revolutionise our industry. While it won’t replace the magic of theatre or traditional cinema, AI will enhance the creative process in ways we are just beginning to understand. I would love to see more of AI integration in Marathi cinema. I have already experimented with it in my film ‘Dharm AI Story’, where I explored the adverse effects of misusing AI and the dangers of supporting such behaviour. Like any powerful tool, AI has its pros and cons. It can make life easier but also presents scary possibilities, like the ability to replace and manipulate faces through coding. So, AI should be used constructively rather than destructively, just like social media should be handled.”
Marathi filmmakers are increasingly adopting innovation, recognising the important role of animation and VFX in modern filmmaking. Despite the budget constraints traditionally faced in the Marathi film industry, producers are now allocating adequate funds to ensure high-quality VFX. They understand that every penny invested in VFX yields an output that far exceeds its cost, increasing the overall value of the film
