One film is not enough to tell Pu La Deshpande’s life story, says Bhaai producer Ajit Andhare

The Mahesh Manjrekar-directed PL Deshpande biopic Bhaai: Vyakti Kee Valli will become the first Marathi film to be released in two parts. This was announced at the film's trailer launch yesterday. 

“There was so much of matter in the film; so many incidents and depth. When the film was getting ready in the edit, we realized we cannot narrate this story in just one part. So, for the first time, we are making a Marathi film in two parts,” said Ajit Andhare, COO of Viacom18 Motion Pictures.

Explaining the decision, director Manjrekar added, “Somebody asked me whether it is possible to narrate Pu La’s life story in two and a quarter hours? I said, who told you we are narrating the film in that runtime? But at that time we hadn’t decided to make it in two parts.” 

The filmmaker said that generally in biopics the subject is a person excelling at just one profession. “But Pu La Deshpande was a personality who worked in different fields. So, if you are making his biopic, it is necessary to not neglect any aspect. Also, there are many characters in his story. So, instead of editing out some character, why not make it in two parts? In Tamil and Telugu they did Baahubali [in two parts], so we can do that with Bhaai-bali,” he joked. 

Raj Thackeray, chief of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), of which Manjrekar is a part, was the chief guest at the trailer launch. He pointed out that the state had not seen another humorist of the calibre of Deshpande. “I hope after Mahesh’s film is released, the new generation will get inspired and we will get to see a new wave of literature in Maharashtra,” Thackeray said.

The first part of the movie will be released on 4 January 2019. The second part will follow on 8 February 2019.