Director

Mahesh Kothare

Mahesh Kothare is a bona fide legend who practically rewrote the rulebook for Marathi cinema. Starting out as a child actor in Hindi films back in the 1960s, he eventually traded the mainstream spotlight for something bigger—revolutionizing regional filmmaking. His directorial debut, Dhoom Dhadaka (1985), was a massive hit that proved Marathi films could pack serious entertainment value, and he's been on a roll ever since. The man's filmography reads like a greatest-hits collection: Zapatlela (1993) created Tatya Vinchu, a ventriloquist dummy villain that became absolutely iconic in Indian pop culture. Over a career spanning more than six decades, Kothare's racked up major awards including the National Film Award for Best Children's Film for Chimani Pakhar, cementing his status as a creative powerhouse. What really sets Kothare apart is his obsession with pushing technical boundaries in regional cinema. He didn't just make entertaining films—he brought cutting-edge technology to Marathi movies when nobody else was even thinking about it. Zapatlela 2 (2013) made history as the first-ever Marathi film shot in 3D, and before that, he pioneered CinemaScope and Dolby Digital sound in the industry. This tech-forward approach elevated production standards across the board and proved that regional films could compete on every level with big-budget Bollywood releases. His production company, Kothare Vision, continues creating mythology-based content that keeps his creative vision alive, proving that innovation and storytelling aren't just buzzwords for him—they're a way of life.