Novel lives

More than her stupendous popularity post Hum Aapke Hain Kaun or the peerless persona on Surabhi there is something more constant in her that the world prefers to identify this women with. Her unremitting smile. That is what even Jackie Shroff confessed to have found in a director after doing over 150 films. Keeping it consistent while exploring a serious subject Renuka Shahane beckons with her directorial debut Rita, which stars Shroff and Pallavi Joshi along with her.

Adapted from the Marathi novel,Rita Welinkar,written by her mother and eminent author and critic Shanta Gokhale it largely revolves around the protagonist Rita played by Joshi. Shroff plays Vitthal Salvi who is a mentor and boss to Rita. The trio was in the city at a discussion,that was conducted by Mukta Organisation. Having taken many liberties while converting it visually Shahane who also plays the role of Saraswati,says she had visualised the images and characters ever since she read it first. “The image of Rita that I had constructed in my mind has accurately been put across on screen with a wonderful team to pull it off. However I have diverted a bit from some descriptions in the book to deflect attention to whatever I wanted to portray. A journey from 17 to 40 years of age could have been convincingly covered only by Pallavi who blends glamour,sensuality and simplicity besides being there in every household through the television,” she adds.

Joshi who has remained skeptical about commercial cinema describes this film as an old dream realized of sharing screen space with Shahane. “I was back on the big screen after 14 years and after testing my refrainment very hard. I would not call it a comeback but finding myself once again on that screen. Rita has a bit of every quality and every woman can relate to her. Could not say no to such a beautiful script. Renuka herself being a fabulous actor,while narrating the scene to us she would get into the character and we would aptly understand what she wanted.”

With little hold up from her parents,the story has Rita relying on her boss Vitthal Salvi,eventually falling in love with him,a relationship that proves tumultuous.For Shroff this is also his first Marathi film. “I was narrated the script in twenty minutes and I instantly accepted. Gokhale was a fine writer and Renuka has proved to be a fine director. We have been treated extremely sensitively extracting the exact act on camera and it has been a wonderful experience,” he adds.