{ "id": "eparg4yqkj", "slug": "natarang", "title": "Natarang (नटरंग)", "updated": "2026-11-01", "topic_path": [ { "id": "culture", "label": "Arts and culture", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture" }, { "id": "culture.performance", "label": "Screen and stage", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen", "label": "Film and television", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen.films", "label": "Films and standalone screen works", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen.films" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works", "label": "Individual films by title and year", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.indian-cinema", "label": "Indian films (individual works)", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.indian-cinema" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.indian-cinema.marathi-films", "label": "Marathi films", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.indian-cinema.marathi-films" } ], "geo": [ { "id": "geo.ind.t2001.culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.indian-cinema", "label": "India · 2001 to 2020: Indian films (individual works)", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.ind.t2001.culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.indian-cinema", "path": [ { "id": "geo.ind", "label": "India", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.ind" }, { "id": "geo.ind.t2001", "label": "India · 2001 to 2020", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.ind.t2001" }, { "id": "geo.ind.t2001.culture", "label": "Arts and culture", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.ind.t2001.culture" }, { "id": "geo.ind.t2001.culture.performance", "label": "Screen and stage", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.ind.t2001.culture.performance" }, { "id": "geo.ind.t2001.culture.performance.screen", "label": "Film and television", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.ind.t2001.culture.performance.screen" }, { "id": "geo.ind.t2001.culture.performance.screen.films", "label": "Films and standalone screen works", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.ind.t2001.culture.performance.screen.films" }, { "id": "geo.ind.t2001.culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works", "label": "Individual films by title and year", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.ind.t2001.culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works" }, { "id": "geo.ind.t2001.culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.indian-cinema", "label": "Indian films (individual works)", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.ind.t2001.culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.indian-cinema" } ] } ], "excerpt": "Natarang (नटरंग), also spelled Natrang, is a 2010 Marathi drama film directed by Ravi Jadhav, based on Anand Yadav's 1978 novel, starring Atul Kulkarni as Guna, with music by Ajay–Atul and a National Film Award for Best Marathi Film.", "snippet": "Natarang (नटरंग), also spelled Natrang, is a 2010 Marathi drama film directed by Ravi Jadhav, based on Anand Yadav's 1978 novel, starring Atul Kulkarni as Guna, with music by Ajay–Atul and a National Film Award for Best Marathi Film.", "node": "culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.indian-cinema.marathi-films", "markdown": "# Natarang (नटरंग)\n\n**Natarang** (नटरंग) is a 2010 Indian Marathi-language drama film directed by Ravi Jadhav, based on Anand Yadav's 1978 [Marathi novel](https://www.edgepedia.org/marathi-novel) of the same name, about a village laborer who founds a Tamasha troupe and is forced to choose between his art and his social standing.[1](https://www.asiapacificscreenawards.com/films/natarang) It was released on 1 January 2010, produced by Zee Talkies with Nikhil Sane, Amit Phalke, and Meghana Jadhav as producers, with music by the composer duo Ajay–Atul.[2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/natarang) The film won the [National Film Award for Best Feature Film](https://www.edgepedia.org/national-film-award-for-best-feature-film) in Marathi and made Jadhav's debut as a feature director.[3](https://kadawara.com/natrang-2010/)\n\n| Key fact | Detail |\n|---|---|\n| Release | 1 January 2010, worldwide; world premiere at the Cinemax Multiplex in Andheri, Mumbai[4](https://www.tring.co.in/popular-movies/natrang) |\n| Source | Based on *Natarang*, a 1978 Marathi novel by Dr. Anand Yadav[1](https://www.asiapacificscreenawards.com/films/natarang) |\n| Box office | ₹120 million (₹12 crore) lifetime; ₹70 million (₹7 crore) in the first 21 days[3](https://kadawara.com/natrang-2010/) |\n| Awards | National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Marathi (2010); National Film Award for Best Music Direction[3](https://kadawara.com/natrang-2010/) |\n\n## Spoilers\n\n### Plot\n\nThe film is set in a small Maharashtrian village in the 1970s. Guna (Gunvantrao Kagalkar), a poor village laborer and body-building wrestler, is passionate about Tamasha, a theatrical folk art form of [Maharashtra](https://www.edgepedia.org/maharashtra), and his only dream is to play the role of a king just once in his life.[5](https://dff.nic.in/images/Documents/45_57thNfacatalogue%20-%20.pdf) After losing his job, he sets up his own theater company with his friend and mentor Pandoba.[6](https://www.zee5.com/movies/details/natrang/0-0-65)\n\nThe company's survival depends on a nachya, a man who performs a woman's role on stage, a part nobody is willing to take because of the stigma attached to it. Guna takes the role himself, a decision that puts his life into turmoil.[5](https://dff.nic.in/images/Documents/45_57thNfacatalogue%20-%20.pdf) • [4](https://www.tring.co.in/popular-movies/natrang) As he becomes more successful as a performer, he faces resistance from society, his wife, and even his own father, and the film explores gender identity, societal norms, and the pursuit of one's passion.[3](https://kadawara.com/natrang-2010/) The National Film Awards synopsis describes it as a look into the life of an artist, his trials and tribulations, and a tale of hope, conviction, and triumph.[5](https://dff.nic.in/images/Documents/45_57thNfacatalogue%20-%20.pdf)\n\n### Cast and characters\n\n- **Sonalee Kulkarni** as Nayna Kolhapurkarin, the lead dancer in Guna's troupe[4](https://www.tring.co.in/popular-movies/natrang)\n- **Vibhavari Deshpande** as Dwaraka (Daarki) Kagalkar, Guna's wife[4](https://www.tring.co.in/popular-movies/natrang)\n- **Kishor Kadam** as Pandoba, Guna's friend and mentor[4](https://www.tring.co.in/popular-movies/natrang)\n- **Priya Berde** as Yamunabai, Nayna's mother and Pandoba's former love interest[4](https://www.tring.co.in/popular-movies/natrang)\n- **Amruta Khanvilkar** in a special appearance in the lavani song \"Wajle ki Bara\"[4](https://www.tring.co.in/popular-movies/natrang)\n\nKulkarni prepared for the role through a deliberate physical transformation. He has said that he gained nearly 16 kilograms to shoot the first part of the film, in which Guna is a well-built wrestler, then took a two-month break and lost about 18 kilograms in 42 days before shooting the second part, crediting his gym trainer Shailesh Parulekar.[7](https://www.loksatta.com/manoranjan/marathi-cinema/marathi-actor-atul-kulkarni-birthday-special-article-social-responsibilities-along-with-acting-sva-00-3905014/)\n\n## Music\n\nThe songs became extremely popular after release, and the film won the National Film Award for Best Music Direction.[8](https://www.marathi.tv/movies-films/natrang/) • [3](https://kadawara.com/natrang-2010/)\n\n## Release and box office\n\nNatarang premiered on 1 January 2010 at the Cinemax Multiplex in Andheri, Mumbai, which one source describes as the first time a Marathi film had a grand premiere; it was re-released on 22 January with English subtitles after popular demand.[4](https://www.tring.co.in/popular-movies/natrang) Lifetime collections are given as ₹120 million (₹12 crore; about US$1.5 million).[4](https://www.tring.co.in/popular-movies/natrang) The film is listed as a superhit, and as of 2017 one source described it as the highest-grossing Marathi film.[8](https://www.marathi.tv/movies-films/natrang/) • [4](https://www.tring.co.in/popular-movies/natrang)\n\n## Reception and awards\n\nThe film won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Marathi (the Rajat Kamal) and the National Film Award for Best Music Direction in 2010, along with Maharashtra State Film Awards for Best Film, Best Director, Best Screenplay, and Best Music Director, and Zee Gaurav Puraskar awards for Best Film, Best Director, and Best Actor ([Atul Kulkarni](https://www.edgepedia.org/atul-kulkarni)).[3](https://kadawara.com/natrang-2010/) • [6](https://www.zee5.com/movies/details/natrang/0-0-65) At the Munich Film Festival 2010 it won an Honorable Mention for the One Future Prize for Ravi Jadhav, and Atul Kulkarni was nominated for the Asia Pacific Screen Award for Best Performance by an Actor.[9](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1590129/awards/) On IMDb the film holds a rating of 8.5/10 from about 2,500 votes.[10](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1590129/ratings/)\n\nThe film has remained a reference point in [Marathi cinema](https://www.edgepedia.org/marathi-cinema) more than a decade after release; a 2022 retrospective article credited its combination of Ajay–Atul's music, Guru Thakur's dialogues and lyrics, Zee's co-production, and the performances of Jadhav, Kulkarni, Kadam, and [Sonalee Kulkarni](https://www.edgepedia.org/sonalee-kulkarni) for its success.[11](https://www.marathisrushti.com/articles/11-years-of-natrang-movie/)\n\n## Context in Marathi cinema\n\nTamasha, the folk performance tradition the film depicts, combines lavani song and dance and has long been a distinct genre within Marathi cinema, used to articulate a rural cultural milieu and the anxieties of modernity.[12](https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/9781119048206.ch12)\n\n## References\n\n1. [Natarang, Asia Pacific Screen Awards](https://www.asiapacificscreenawards.com/films/natarang)\n2. [Natarang, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/natarang)\n3. [Natrang (2010) Drama, Kadawara](https://kadawara.com/natrang-2010/)\n4. [Natarang – Plot, Songs, Cast, Reviews, Tring](https://www.tring.co.in/popular-movies/natrang)\n5. [57th National Film Awards catalogue, Directorate of Film Festivals, India](https://dff.nic.in/images/Documents/45_57thNfacatalogue%20-%20.pdf)\n6. [Watch Natrang on ZEE5](https://www.zee5.com/movies/details/natrang/0-0-65)\n7. [अतुल कुलकर्णी birthday special, Loksatta (10 September 2023)](https://www.loksatta.com/manoranjan/marathi-cinema/marathi-actor-atul-kulkarni-birthday-special-article-social-responsibilities-along-with-acting-sva-00-3905014/)\n8. [Natrang Movie Cast, Story, Review, Songs, Marathi.TV](https://www.marathi.tv/movies-films/natrang/)\n9. [Natarang (2010) Awards, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1590129/awards/)\n10. [Natarang (2010) Ratings, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1590129/ratings/)\n11. [नटरंग चित्रपटाची अकरा वर्षे, Marathisrushti (1 January 2022)](https://www.marathisrushti.com/articles/11-years-of-natrang-movie/)\n12. [The Tamasha Film: Gender, Performance, and Melodramatic Form, Aarti Wani, Wiley](https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/9781119048206.ch12)\n\n---\n*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Films and standalone screen works › Individual films by title and year › Indian films (individual works) › Marathi films*\n\n*Initially written Oct 3, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026; Nov 1, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*\n\n*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*\n\nLicense: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license\n", "same_as": [], "url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/natarang", "markdown_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/natarang.md", "license": { "name": "Edgepedia Community License 1.0", "url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license", "summary": "Free with credit, commercial use included. AI training is open to everyone. For other uses, organizations over USD 100M in revenue or 100M monthly users license separately.", "spdx": "LicenseRef-Edgepedia-Community-1.0" }, "credit": "\"Natarang (नटरंग)\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/natarang. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "credit_md": "\"[Natarang (नटरंग)](https://www.edgepedia.org/natarang)\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), [https://www.edgepedia.org/natarang](https://www.edgepedia.org/natarang). [Edgepedia Community License 1.0](https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license).", "credit_html": "\"Natarang (नटरंग)\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/natarang. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "speakable": "Natarang, also spelled Natrang, is a 2010 Marathi drama film directed by Ravi Jadhav, based on Anand Yadav's 1978 novel, starring Atul Kulkarni as Guna, with music by Ajay–Atul and a National Film Award for Best Marathi Film." }