EXCLUSIVE: Addinath Kothare on the journey of making Paani, “I haven’t seen such a hands-on producer like Priyanka Chopra Jonas”

Known Marathi star Addinath Kothare is making his directorial debut with the Marathi movie Paani. The film has won the National Award for Best Film on Environment Conservation/ Preservation. In an exclusive chat with Bollywood Hungama, Addinath said that he hadn’t thought about the fruits of his actions while making the film.

He said, “I have learnt from my father (veteran artiste Mahesh Kothare) and in my observations that whenever you think of the end result to start something, you never reach there, especially when it’s about art. The birth of the idea needs to be from an honest and genuine place. I have observed that whenever someone decides to make a ‘commercial film’ or a film for this or that reason, it never happens.”

Priyanka Chopra Jonas’ banner Purple Pebble Pictures has produced the film while Addinath’s company Kothare Vision has line produced it.

Paani has been a long and challenging journey for Addinath. “Right from the conception to the release, I have spent seven years in this journey,” he said.

His journey of making Paani was met with a lot of challenges and changes. “Initially, I desired to act and direct this film,” said Addinath. “But as I started pitching the project, I realized it wasn’t flying because no producer or studio was ready to back me because they didn’t believe that I could deliver on this dream of mine. They thought how a debutant director can direct and act at the same time. I spent a year and a half to two years pitching the project to various big producers in Marathi and Hindi.”

Then Priyanka came to his rescue. “Later, I thought that directing this film is more important to me than acting, so I stepped back as an actor. I felt the story needs to be told by any cost. Then I stumbled upon my friend Neeraj Udhwani. We used to work together in Manmohan Shetty’s company. He is a writer. He told me that the creative producer from Priyanka Chopra’s banner Rashmi Kulkarni is looking for a good Marathi script. I narrated the concept and story to her, and she loved it. Then the readings and narrations happened. Finally, Priyanka, Madhu ji (Dr. Madhu Chopra) and Siddharth Chopra heard the script. They all loved it.”

Following this, Addinath showed the cast options to Priyanka. “But she said, ‘Why don’t you play it yourself?’ I looked at my writer and he looked at me. I said that was my desire, but I realized it was hard to sell me being a debutant director. She, Priyanka, Madhu ji and Siddharth entrusted and backed me. I am fortunate that I found producers like Priyanka and Purple Pebble Pictures,” he said.

These weren’t the end of challenges for Addinath as he and his team had to shoot in the extreme heat of Marathwada in the summer. “I was hoping to shoot it in January,” he said. “But by the time it was greenlit, it was March. So, I had no option but to shoot in May. I wanted to capture that harshness of the parched landscape of Marathwada region. January, February and March are bearable as the temperatures are not so high. But destiny was such that we had to shoot in the brunt of the heat in May in 45 to 47 degrees. That was a life-altering experience for all of us.”

Addinath was amazed by Priyanka’s involvement in the project. “She gave very essential inputs, which were so valuable to me,” he said. “One particular edit input that she gave kind of resolved a knot for me. It was extremely instrumental. I have not seen such a hands-on producer, who, at the same time, does so much else. She is doing a Hollywood film and web series and social work. Yet she finds the time to be hands on with a regional film. To reach the level where she has, you need only one thing that is hard work.”

Paani is inspired from a real-life story. It tells the tale of Hanumant Kendre who gets engaged to Suvarna (Rucha Vaidya). However, the marriage is called off after her family realizes that Hanumant’s village is drought ridden and the people are required to travel long distances to fetch water. As Hanumant is head over heels for Suvarna, he vows to solve the water crisis in his village, so that he can marry her. He receives unconditional support from Suvarna.

Relating this to his real struggle while making this film, Addinath said, “This woman from a small town stood up for this man because she believed in what he was doing against her family. I found two Rakhmais (Goddesses) who stood by me in this journey – Priyanka Chopra and Neha Barjatya.” Addinath revealed that Neha was also instantly impressed when she heard the film’s narration and stood by him and Paani.

Paani is releasing on October 18. When asked how much he is thinking about the box office, Addinath laughed and said, “I have got butterflies in my stomach. I am extremely excited and at the same time very anxious, edgy… It’s a mixed emotion. I can’t say it in one word. Words are falling short with what I am going through right now. This will be the first time that I will be seeing the audience react to this child of ours.”

Also Read: BREAKING! After Max Factor launch, Priyanka Chopra to attend premiere of Marathi film Paani in Mumbai

from Featured Movie News | Featured Bollywood News - Bollywood Hungama
via