- Date of Release: 12 September 2025
- Genre: Drama, Thriller
- Language: Marathi
- Watch On: Theatres Only
Dashavatar
Introduction
It is interesting how the Dashavatar form of drama is the connecting thread between two independent father and son stories from the Marathi film industry – namely Picasso (2019) and the new Marathi film Dashavatar (2025). If in Picasso, it was Pandurang (Prasad Oak) who didn’t have enough money to enroll his son for an overseas painting competition, the crux of the conflict between Madhav (Siddharth Menon) and Babuli (Dilip Prabhavalkar) forms the starting point of Dashavatar. The common ground is in the form of both Pandurang and Babuli being Dashavatar artists in their individual communities, and yet this artform acts both as a catalyst for both the tales (atleast to begin with). The chief conflict between Madhav and Babuli isn’t about the unemployment of Madhav despite being educated – it is more to do with the deteriorating health of Babuli that forces Madhav to stick by his side. In fact Babuli is also adviced against his participation in the the Dashavatari artform given the issues with his health and sight, thereby causing Babuli to rebel and continue with his acts, much to the dismay of Madhav. But it is this strange turn of fate, that has kept this father and son duo intact and in constant touch with each other.
Story & Screenplay
Written by Subodh Khanolkar, the cold open of Dashavatar has seeds of a Shakespearean tragedy that is sprinkled in the narrative. In a scene, the ominous sign erupts from the statue of a deity – wherein you see a coloured fume emerging from the ground. As per Babuli, it is a sign that the deity is angry and that a sin is committed on her soil. Interestingly in the same scene, you see a forest ranger Wadekar (Bharat Jadhav) trying to shoot a black panther, only to be distracted and saved in the nick of time by Babuli. While this fleeting incident is enough to give you a glimpse into the ominous future of Babuli, it also establishes a parallel between Babuli and Lord Vishnu – one that is the protector of the land, a fact further established through the various roles of mythological entities that Babuli has been carrying out over the years as a part of his Dashavatar trope.
One of the defining themes in the narrative is with respect to capitalism that slowly begins to engulf the scenic Konkan village. The setting remains that of a peaceful protest that takes place in the wake of a mining project that threatens to rob the identity of the community and the locals. It is one of those conflicts that are in the background, but they would soon take centerstage, even as the cabinet minister cum rich industrialist Sarmalkar (Vijay Kendre) would offer a job to Madhav, who continues to stick by the side of his aging father. The more specific conflict lies in Sarmalkar greed of wanting to earn a hefty buck by extracting cobalt, a mineral that is prevalent below the statue of the village deity, even as Madhav remains oblivious of this fact. This, until a tragedy soon occurs turning the fate of Babuli and Madhav forever!
The template of the narrative remains that of good versus the evil – even as you witness a string of attacks on Babuli, at times physical and otherwise mental, even while the villagers witness a murder. The only person by Babuli’s side remains Madhav’s love interest Vandana (Priyadarshini Indalkar), who like her name offers salutations to Babuli. And in many ways, the character of Vandana can also be equated to Kaali Maa, given the kind of atrocities she faces in order to bring to life her wrath towards the end of the drama (again incidently equated to Bhairavi that takes place after Hanuman Jayanti).
The mythological relevance of Dashavatar – the ten avatars of Lord Vishnu, is directly correlated to the riveting revenge saga that follows with respect to Babuli who is known to take the form of Rudra. This is more inclined to the destruction mode of Lord Vishnu coupled with a trait of sacrifice that Babuli has had to endure on a person front. The different avatars of Vishnu take form one by one – even as the lines of reel and real blur for Babuli who starts to hunt down the culprits. It is interesting how each death is associated with one form of Lord Vishnu (although it doesn’t cover all the ten avatars), and that is something that adds texture to the drama.
One of the minor criticisms that I had was with respect to the subplot involving a late investigation – wherein a new character Michael D’Costa (Mahesh Manjrekar) is introduced. And one of the reasons why this didn’t exactly sit right is because of the predictability of the drama. This wasn’t a whodunnit and the entire proceedings were predictable although the linkage of the murders with mythology did add texture. But the investigation by itself felt a little unwarranted given how there already was a cop character in the mix who could have lead this charge. This specific plot-point added crucial minutes to the narrative, even as the second hour did feel like a stretch to an extent whilst even being repetitive.
The writing does get back on track in the final act even as the chain of events play out against the backdrop of a Dashavatari drama on the occasion of Hanuman Jayanti. This particular setting also acts as a callback of sorts, given that the building blocks of this drama is a heartfelt father and son story. In a previous scene (at the start), you see Madhav telling Babuli on only to perform his Dashavatari acts on Hanuman Jayanti, perhaps his last, that circles back to this scene. And yet contrary to the revengeful themes in the second hour, the avatar that Babuli ensues is that of forgiveness and peace, only to tie it up to Bhairavi featuring a larger segment of chaos and poetic justice. The mythological themes perfectly add up at the end, in a moving finale that is a sight to behold along with right proportions of emotions in play!
Dialogues, Music & Direction
The dialogues are rich in mythological references in the film that consistently add texture to the drama. The music is good but atleast a couple of songs were unwarranted, particularly in the first hour. These songs act as circuit-breakers in a drama that is largely engrossing. The BGM is rousing and heightens the impact of various scenes, particularly when a parallel is drawn with respect to the drama and the mythological commentary in play. The cinematography is excellent, and yet again I can assert the point of the importance of shooting in real locations, something that invariably adds depth to the narrative. Here, the village of Konkan is beautiful but more importantly rooted with the themes explored in the narrative, something that automatically adds texture in the narrative while highlighting the importance of the land in question. In a way, the village also plays a character fighting for its own identity that adds depth to the drama. The visual extravaganza towards the end, is a sight to behold as well wherein the frames are beautifully conceptualized and structured.
The editing is largely good although the second hour does have a few lags that needed to be ironed out. Director Subodh Khanolkar does an incredible job in elevating the drama beyond iys written material. On the face of it, the narrative follows a good versus bad template in the wake of a revenge saga. But the incorporation of mythology while drawing frequent parallels in the narrative, and emphasizing on the importance of the characterization of the protagonist, collectively ensure that the drama makes a lasting impact. Subodh shows great depth with his technical skills as well, tactfully elevating the impact of various scenes and maintaining a firm grip on the proceedings. The direction remained impeccable through and through.
Performances
The performances are wonderful by the members of the cast. The veteran Bharat Jadhav shines despite a limited screen time as Wadekar, wherein in smaller antics are enough to infuriate you. Aarti Wadagbalkar as Constable Ujjwala has her moments to shine too, in a small little character arc that she carries out rather well. Sunil Tawde as Parab, Abhinay Berde as Monty and Lokesh Mittal as Mansukhani are competent and they definitely leave a lasting impression. Ravi Kale as Tandel and Vijay Kendre as Sarmalkar are deftly vile characters with shades of grey, and they use their expressions rather well to showcase the intimidating trait of their characters. Mahesh Manjrekar as D’Costa is understated and manages to hold his own despite his entire subplot being seemingly unnecessary in the larger scheme of things.
Priyadarshini Indalkar as Vandana is excellent to witness here in a character that ranges from being quietly charming to simmering with anger. Her screen presence is enough to make her stand out amidst a group of talented performers. Siddharth Menon as Madhav is sincere and earnest while delivering a heartfelt performance. He uses his body language to showcase his warmth and empathy towards his father that forms the fundamental building blocks of the drama. He was a treat to witness in a character that did emote wonderfully well.
Dilip Prabhavalkar as Babuli is the soul of the drama here. His transition is symbolic of the brief coming of age template, but what really stands out are his expressions that almost cover the entire spectrum. He is child-like with his mannerisms at the start, almost being playful with his tone until transitioning to a helpless elderly statesman that later simmers in a fire of revenge. These are drastically contrasting emotions much like what the character Babuli essays on stage, and he really nails every beat of his character. This 81 year “young” performer has yet again delivered an acting masterclass, in a character that stays with you, long after it has ended!
Conclusion
Despite a few shortcomings in the second hour, Dashavatar is a riveting revenge saga with the use of interesting mythological tropes, and boasting of incredible performances that makes for a solid watch. Available in a theatre near you.