Hindi
Mahesh Manjrekar forms new entertainment company
MUMBAI: Mahesh Manjrekar, in association with Pune-based realtor Aniruddha Deshpande, has formed a new company. Named Great Maratha Entertainment LLP, it will produce and market films and TV serials in Marathi.
“We wish to make Marathi films that will give returns on investments rather than try to get financial support from the State Government. Over 100 Marathi films are released every year. However, only few of them are able to recover the investment. We wish to change this scenario,” observed Deshpande.
Averred Manjrekar, “Though Marathi cinema has explored diverse subjects, it is far from the standards of Bollywood. Probably that is why it still does not enjoy patronage of teenagers and youngsters. Systematic channelisation of investments in Marathi films for having good production values, use of latest technology and intelligent marketing will bring up the overall standard of the Marathi films and will help capture audiences.”
The new company is ready with four films scheduled for release over the next six months. The company, which is also adapting the cult Marathi play Natasamrat in a film form, has plans to release around eight films a year.
The company is also planning to set up a modern studio soon and is looking for space between Pune and Lonavala.
While Manjrekar has written, directed and acted in a host of Marathi and Hindi films, Deshpande is the managing director of City Corporation Ltd, a Pune-based real estate company.
Hindi
ZEE5, Applause announce new film Everybody Loves Sohrab Handa
Rajat Kapoor’s dark comedy thriller to stream on ZEE5 from April 10
MUMBAI: ZEE5 and Applause Entertainment have announced their next direct-to-digital collaboration, Everybody Loves Sohrab Handa, a darkly comic whodunnit set to stream from April 10.
Produced in association with Mithya Talkies and written and directed by Rajat Kapoor, the film marks the latest addition to a growing slate of genre-diverse titles from the two partners. Their previous collaborations include dramas, psychological thrillers and dark comedies, with this outing leaning into a layered murder mystery.
The film features an ensemble cast including Vinay Pathak, Ranvir Shorey, Waluscha De Sousa and Saurabh Shukla, among others. The narrative promises a mix of satire, strained relationships and hidden tensions, inviting viewers to look beyond the crime to the dynamics that lead up to it.
ZEE5 business head hindi and chief channel officer Andtv Kaveri Das said, “Our collaboration with Applause Entertainment has been instrumental in building a strong slate with titles such as Bloody Brothers, Mithya and Jab Khuli Kitaab. Everybody Loves Sohrab Handa is a natural progression, aligning with our focus on genre-led content that resonates with audiences.”
Applause Entertainment business head movies Sunil Chainani said, “This collaboration with ZEE5 continues to stand out for its diversity of genres and narrative styles. Everybody Loves Sohrab Handa adds a sharp, darkly comic whodunnit to that mix, driven by Rajat Kapoor’s distinct voice.”
Sharing his creative approach, Rajat Kapoor said he was drawn to the emotional layers behind the genre. “I was interested not just in the mechanics of a whodunnit, but the emotional violence that precedes physical violence. These are people who appear close, yet carry unspoken tensions that eventually surface.”
The partnership between ZEE5 and Applause continues to build on a shared focus on distinctive storytelling, with each project exploring a different tone and genre.
With its mix of humour, tension and ensemble storytelling, the film aims to offer more than just a mystery. It promises a closer look at the secrets people keep, and the consequences when they finally come to light.
