Was a bit scared to work with dad Mahesh Manjrekar in Panghrun, says Gauri Ingawale

As a child, Gauri Ingawale acted in films like Kaksparsh (2012), Kutumb (2012) and Kokanastha (2013). As a grown-up, she is making her debut in Mahesh Manjrekar’s period drama Panghrun (2022). Her character is not only the main lead but also a challenging one of a young widow who is married off to a man old enough to be her father.

When she was offered the role, Ingawale was obviously happy, but that wasn’t the only emotion she felt then. “I was also a bit scared as I had to work with Pappa [she is Manjrekar’s adopted daughter]. Plus, this character is from a bygone era and there are no references. And at a young age I had to play mother to two children. But I did as per Pappa’s instructions,” she told Cinestaan.com.

Giving more details about her character, she said, “Lakshmi is a 17- or 18-year-old girl who gets married at a young age and becomes a widow. But her hair is spared because her father is working with the Portuguese. There she also learns Western dance. In general, she is a bubbly girl. But when she is married off to a man of her father’s age, we can see different shades of her.”

Ingawale is primarily a dancer and has been practising the art ever since she can remember. “I have been dancing since the age of three,” she said. “I was a contestant in the Hindi dance show Chak Dhoom Dhoom. Pappa saw me in that show and signed me for Kutumb [Manjrekar produced the film]. I had no relationship with acting. I was only into dance."

She added, “After 10th [standard], I took lessons in dance from Nalanda University. I learnt Bharatnatyam there. They used to teach us every emotion. This is what helped me in Panghrun. In the film, I am doing ballet. It was choreographed by Phulwa-tai [Khamkar].”

In Panghrun Ingawale had to perform Western dance in a nauvari (traditional nine yard) saree. “I had never worn a nauvari before,” she said. “In my childhood for dance competitions, I had worn but those were the readymade ones. Here I had to wear it in the proper [traditional] way. However, I later realized it is very comfortable. As dancing in a nauvari is comfortable, it really wasn’t a challenge to act while wearing it.”

Looking back, Ingawale feels the entire experience of shooting Panghrun was beautiful. “Because the full team helped me, especially Pappa,” she said. “As he is also an actor, he used to enact some scenes for me. I used to then perform accordingly. He had told me not to prepare anything and to come on the sets with a blank slate.”

Given the close personal bond Ingawale shares with Manjrekar, the question whether he is a different person on the sets as compared to the home was an obvious one. “He is different on the sets and at home,” she said. “He is obviously strict on the sets. But he isn’t as strict as people think him to be. If things happen the way he wants, he is happy. In between, during the breaks, he also has fun.”

Ingawale has many scenes in the film with Amol Bawdekar, who plays her much older husband. She felt that as a person he is very much like his character, Antu guruji. “I met him for the first time for this movie,” she said. “He is simple and sweet, just like his character in the movie. Even after the scene is cut, his nature would be the same. There was no change. He is also a brilliant singer. He used to sing in the breaks in between and it was wonderful listening to him.”

Panghrun also sees an unusual relationship between Ingawale and the character played by the young Rohit Phalke. “We are almost the same age,” she said. “I found a very good friend in him. We used to have fun on the sets. He is very talented. He even writes plays and poetry. As I didn’t have any connection with acting, I got to learn a lot from him.”

Panghrun was first screened at the MAMI Mumbai Film Festival in 2018. Ingwale has unforgettable memories of that event. “It was an overwhelming experience,” she said. “I can never forget how one aaji [grandmother] came towards me with tears in her eyes. She showered her love and said she loved my work. I was moved. I can never forget this incident. I personally love people of our grandmother and grandfather’s age. Others also liked the film and appreciated the music.”

Panghrun was originally set for release in April 2020, but the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent shutdown of theatres disrupted that plan. “I think everything happens for a reason,” said Ingawale. “So whether it released in 2020 or now, it’s the same. We actually had fun in the lockdown. We shot a song and a short film in the building with Pappa and others. We were waiting for theatres to reopen because this film is meant for the big screen.”

After playing the main lead in her first film as a grown-up, what is Ingawale looking forward to next? “I haven’t thought much,” she said. “But I would like to do subject-oriented roles. I am not saying commercial cinema is not good. But I feel there should be a good subject even in the commercial space.”

Panghrun is set to be released in theatres on 4 February.