Natsamrat review
written by Souranath Banerjee
Marathi Cinema and Nana Patekar both at their best form.
My Ratings: 4.2/5.
Maharashtra is one of the very few states which has managed to enrich the tradition of theatre in India through all these decades of 
our ever-increasing love for Cinema.
Then again, the accessibility, the flow of money, the immense popularity/fame and the ability to create the impossible – all being in favor of Cinema, could theatre ever compete with the popularity of a film?
Probably not, but keeping aside the Theatre Vs Cinema debate for another time, let’s acknowledge the fact that screenplays which are essentially based on significant dramas have always given birth to films of great quality and popularity!
The play A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams was later 
made into a popular movie by Elia Kazan by the same name, then the drama Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? by Edward Albee was successfully adopted for the screen by director Mike Nichols, the legendary film Throne of Blood by Akira Kurosawa is a direct adaptation of William Shakespeare’s Macbeth, and George Bernard Shaw‘s ‘Pygmalion’ transformed into My Fair Lady by acclaimed director George Cukor.
All exceptional films built upon extraordinary plays from all across the world!
And recently, reputed Indian film maker Mahesh Manjrekar made a film Natsamrat (language Marathi), adopted from an iconic Marathi play 
of the 70s by the same name, written by famous Marathi play-writer Kusumagraj.
Interestingly, this remarkable film is not only special for it’s theatre adaptation but then, Natsamrat itself is a tribute to the grand tradition of Marathi theatre!
An aging theatre artist Ganpat Ramchandra Belwalkar (Nana Patekar), versatile and renowned, takes his leave from the stage and expects to lead a peaceful retired life with his devoted wife and caring children (and their extended family) but soon finds out that with growing age and fading popularity nothing remains the same as expected.
In between the articulate poems and the priceless extracts from many famous plays, the film masterfully brings out the emotional 
story of an aged couple who has become a nuisance to their own children, a mere botheration and a reason of embarrassment in their modern lifestyle.
Then again, the film is also a celebration of friendship, of human relations, bondings, emotions and pure empathy.
But of course, the prime reason to watch Natsamrat is none other than Nana Patekar and his exceptional performance.
Like everybody else, I have been admiring Nana Patekar as a class 
actor in many of his earlier films like Ab Tak Chhappan, Parinda, his recent Hemalkasa and even his over enthusiastic character in Krantiveer but with this role as the ‘Natsamrat’ he has given his lifetime best.
And very well supported by Medha Manjrekar, Vikram Gokhale, Mrinmayee Deshpande, Sunil Barve and others, the overall acting standard is superbly maintained.
Great music by Ajit Parab (who also acted in the film) and cinematographers Ajith V. Reddy and V. Ajith Reddy needs a special mention for their camera work.
Natsamrat is a film that not only makes Marathi Cinema proud but it is undoubtedly one of the best Indian films of recent times.
Go watch it, it’s totally worth it.
Poster courtesy: marathistars.com
This is one such film that makes you nostalgic and 
