भव्यदिव्य बालगंधर्व कान्समधे

मराठी रंगभूमी आणि नाट्यसंगीताच्या क्षेत्रात सुवर्णयुग निर्माण करणारे नारायण श्रीपाद राजहंस , अर्थात बालगंधर्व यांचा जीवनपट उलगडून दाखवणा-या ‘ बालगंधर्व ’ या मराठी चित्रपटाचा वर्ल्ड प्रीमिअर यंदाच्या कान्स इटंरनॅशनल फिल्म फेस्टिव्हलमध्ये होणार आहे.

बालगंधर्व युग सुरू होऊन १०० वर्षं पूर्ण होत असतानाच प्रसिद्ध कलादिग्दर्शक नितीन देसाई आणि दिग्दर्शक रवी जाधव या जोडीनं त्यांच्या जीवनावर आधारित ‘ बालगंधर्व ’ या चित्रपटाच्या निर्मिती केली आहे. सुबोध भावेनं यात बालगंधर्वांची भूमिका साकारली आहे, तर संगीताची धुरा कौशल इनामदार यांनी सांभाळली आहे. गेल्या नोव्हेंबरमध्ये बालगंधर्वच्या चित्रीकरणाला सुरुवात झाली होती. आता हा चित्रपट पूर्ण झाला असून ‘ चंद्रकांत प्रॉडक्शन ’ च्या या भव्यदिव्य उपक्रमाचा प्रीमिअरही तितकाच भव्यदिव्य असणार आहे. यंदाच्या कान्स आंतरराष्ट्रीय चित्रपट महोत्सवात हा चित्रपट प्रदर्शित होणार आहे.

बालगंधर्वांनी मराठी रंगभूमीला प्रचंड योगदान दिलंय. त्याबद्दल त्यांचे ऋण व्यक्त करण्यासाठीच आपण या चित्रपटाची निर्मिती केली आहे. ‘ बालगंधर्व ’ ची भव्यता पाहून अनेक जण स्तीमित झालेत आणि आता ‘ कान्स ’ मध्ये प्रीमिअर झाल्यानंतर भारतीय सिनेमाला आंतरराष्ट्रीय स्तरावर मानाचं स्थान मिळेल, असा विश्वास नितीन देसाई यांनी व्यक्त केला. कान्सशिवाय, व्हेनिस, बर्लिन, टोरांटो इथंही हा चित्रपट दाखवणार असल्याचंही त्यांनी आवर्जून सांगितलं.

येत्या ६ मे रोजी बालगंधर्व भारतात प्रदर्शित होतोय.

The world premiere of Marathi film Bal Gandharva based on the life and times of one of the greatest singers and actor of Marathi theatre Narayan Shripad Rajhans, better known as Bal Gandharva, will take place at the Cannes International Film Festival this year.

Acclaimed art director Nitin Desai, who has forayed into film production with this movie which will release in India on May 6, expressed confidence that Bal Gandharva will make the country proud at the international level.

"The grandeur and scale on the movie will take Indian cinema to the next level," Desai who has worked on over 100 Bollywood movies told PTI.

Desai said representatives of international film festivals who have seen the rushes of the film are extremely impressed with the production quality and the scale.

"Apart from Cannes, the film is likely to be screened at Venice, Berlin, Toronto," Desai said adding that he will release Bal Gandharva in India in Marathi with English sub-titles.

Bal Gandharva was not just an actor and singer but a showman with a divine voice who dedicated his life to his art.

"When Bal Gandharva's play Maanapmaan opened in Pune on March 12, 1911, his daughter had passed away in the morning the same day. But, still the legend went ahead with the show, enthralled the audience before going back home to grieve behind closed doors. Our film is a tribute to the Master," he added.

Desai said since he had worked on realistic and commercial movies, he wanted to strike a right balance for his own production.

"My film had to have my style of grandeur but at the same time not compromise on researching the subject," he added.

He said ever since he decided to turn producer with a Marathi movie first, he was looking at subjects involving great men and women from Maharashtra.

"Actor Subodh Bhave who plays the title role of Bal Gandharva brought up the subject as he had read about the legend and was mighty impressed. Within 12 seconds of our discussion, we decided that we had to make a movie on Bal Gandharva," Desai said.

Bal Gandharva was famous for his roles of female characters in Marathi plays. Women would not act on stage in those days.

He acted in numerous classic Marathi plays and was one of those who were responsible for making Sangeet-Natak (musicals) and Natya-Sangeet (songs in those plays) popular among common masses.

He was a disciple of Bhaskar-buwa Bakhale who scored music for Swayamwar. Govindrao Tembe scored music for Manapman. While Bal Gandharva's composer of choice was Master Krishnarao (Krishna Phulambrikar).

The songs rendered by him are, to date, considered as classics and his singing style is greatly appreciated by Marathi critics and audiences.

He acted in plays written by Annasaheb Kirloskar, Govind Ballal Deval, Shripad Krishna Kolhatkar, Kakasaheb Khadilkar, Ram Ganesh Gadkari, Vasant Shantaram Desai.

Desai said the non-Maharashtrians who have heard the music of Bal Gandharva can not stop raving about it.

"I have shown the Marathi film with English sub-titles to several people and have received praises for the music. This shows that even though people can understand a movie in a different language by reading sub-titles, such things are not required for those who have a ear for good music. It proves that music knows no boundaries," he said.

He will release the music album on April 4, on the occasion of Gudi Padwa.

"I have invited several bigwigs from the music field and two songs from the film will be performed live. This will help generate a buzz about the film," Desai said.

Speaking of his other productions, Nitin Desai said he was making a movie on Ajanta Ellora in Marathi and English. Similarly, the script of his trilingual movie on Shivaji is being finalised.

"A Hollywood writer is working on the English version of the movie on Shivaji. I have registered the title in Los Angeles as well. The casting will begin after I release Bal Gandharva and the movie is likely to go on floors by the end of the year," he added.