National Award-winning actor Addinath Kothare is currently gearing up for the release of Panchak, produced by Madhuri Dixit and Sriram Nene. The central theme of the film revolves around Addinath's character's journey in seeking a common platform amidst chaos, challenging traditional beliefs, and providing a unique perspective to the storyline. The Free Press Journal caught up with the actor for an exclusive interview.
Opening up about his role, Addinath says, "My role is a departure from my previous work. The director had an interesting requirement – the character must be left-handed. This was a new challenge for me as a natural righty, but I managed to pull it off convincingly. It almost feels like I was born to be left-handed for this role. My character is a budding scientist with deeply ingrained scientific beliefs, driven by ambitious dreams."
He adds, "The narrative unfolds with a significant event – the death of the character's father. Subsequently, a priest enters the scene, warning about the impending Panchak, signifying the potential death of the fifth family member unless a ritual called shanti is performed. However, my character staunchly opposes any form of ritual. The characters then grapple with the fear of death, creating a humorous dynamic that adds depth to the film."
Sharing his experience of collaborating with Madhuri, Addinath gushes, "While I was shooting for '83, I received a call from Madhuri's team. Both Madhuri and Dr. Nene insisted I play this character. Initially, someone else was considered for the role, but Madhuri advocated for me, stating that the character suits my personality. This was a tremendous compliment and a great honour for me. I felt on cloud nine when I learned about it. Both Madhuri and Dr. Nene are incredibly passionate individuals. They were actively involved in every aspect of filmmaking."
Addinath, who has worked in Marathi and Hindi films, explains what difference he finds in both the industries. "There's no difference in the people working or the talents involved. The primary distinction lies in the budget, with Hindi cinema catering to a larger audience base. Marathi cinema's audience base is not as extensive yet, but there's a gradual shift. Marathi content is crossing over, and non-Marathi audiences are eagerly watching Marathi films, contributing to an expanding audience base," he shares.
Looking back at his journey in the industry, Addinath says, "I don't believe it's easy to carve a place in this world unless you're talented. I received opportunities early in my career because I was born into a film family. However, these opportunities didn't sustain because I was new, immature, and overly competitive. I faced a slump in my career, prompting me to introspect. Gradually, I began to evolve, learn, and took steps like participating in my first theatre play. Since then, I've been working on myself, experiencing slow but steady growth. I firmly believe that hard work is the only path forward and there are no shortcuts."
