After the highly acclaimed National award-winning Kaccha Limbu (2017), Prasad Oak has returned as a director with the film Hirkani (2019). The film sees him join hands with filmmaker Rajesh Mapuskar who is the creative producer in the project.
The film is based on the real-life story of Hirkani which dates back to the seventeenth century during Shivaji’s reign in Raigad. Hirkani was a milkmaid who used to sell milk inside the Raigad fort. As per Shivaji’s strict rules, the main gate of the fort had to be closed at sunset.
One day, Hirkani gets late while selling milk and reaches the main gate after it’s already closed. She is worried since she needs to feed her child at home, down the steep mountain. Even after pleading, the guard doesn’t agree to open the gates. Hirkani then takes the almost impossible task of going down the hill on foot.
The film is co-produced by Hindi filmmaker and producer Lawrence D'Souza, who also produced Mapuskar's Ventilator (2016).
The film stars Sonalee Kulkarni as Hirkani. The makers have shared the motion poster of the movie which features impressive animation of the Raigad fort, demonstrating the great distance Hirkani has to travel.
The film is written by actor-screenwriter Chinmay Mandlekar and shot by cinematographer Sanjay Memane, who is making his directorial debut with Man Udhaan Vara (2019).
Hirkani will be released on 24 October during Diwali.