Another opportunity for Ghaath-maker Chhatrapal Ninawe at Berlinale

Independent filmmaker coming from a tribal background Chhatrapal Ninawe, who was stopped from screening his first Marathi feature film, ‘Ghaath’ at the Berlin International Film Festival by the producer last year, has been invited to screen it again in 2023. 

While the film was selected for screening at Berlinale back in January 2021, in February 2021, Jio Studios which produced the film had sent a restraining order to the festival, forbidding the film’s premiere. Drishyam Films was also the other producer for the film. However, any inquiries about the release of the film, which had finished shooting in 2019, would lead Ninawe to a dead-end. Frustrated, he voiced his anger and desperation over social media earlier this year. Following this, support started flowing in for him from the media, film critics, filmmakers, etc.

“The matter is not completely resolved yet. But the studio has been cooperative now. They said they are unable to release the film due to some legal reasons. But they are willing to help. So now, I am looking for a producer, investor or benefactor who would buy out the rights of the film from the studio,” Ninawe said.

Also read:

आदिवासी दिग्दर्शकाच्या मराठी फिल्मची निर्मात्या स्टुडियोकडूनच मुस्कटदाबी

The last date for him to apply for Berlinale is November 15, 2022. So if he is able to find a producer by then, he will be able to screen the film at Berlinale in 2023.

“I will be grateful to the media houses that took up my story and helped me raise my voice. Many people came out in my support. Now, if I am able to find a solution soon, I will finally be able to premier my film,” Ninawe says.

A thriller, Ghaath is set in Maharashtra's Naxal-affected region, based on the lives of tribal people, police and Naxalites. In 2020, the film was selected for the National Film Development Corporation’s (NFDC) ‘Work-In-Progress (WIP) Lab’ and won the Prasad Lab DI and Moviebuff Appreciation awards.