Zee Studios and Ocean Film Company bring forward Dashavatar (Marathi), a film rooted in the traditional folk theatre of the Konkan region. The story revolves around an ageing drama artiste, his family’s struggles, and a fight for justice.
The Storyline
Babuli Mestri (Dilip Prabhavalkar) is a celebrated theatre artist who performs in the folk drama form of Dashavatar. Due to old age, his son Madhav (Siddharth Menon) urges him to stop acting. But Babuli refuses, partly because Madhav is unemployed despite being educated.
Madhav survives by making and selling toys. He is in love with Vandana (Priyadarshini Indalkar) and dreams of building a future with her. Babuli promises that he will give up acting once Madhav finds a stable job.
With the help of the village sarpanch, Madhav finally gets work at a mining company owned by cabinet minister Ashok Sarmalkar (Vijay Kenkare). But when Madhav challenges the corrupt practices of Sarmalkar, his manager Mansukhani (Lokesh Mittal), and the sarpanch, he is murdered. To cover up the crime, policeman Parab (Sunil Tawade) projects the incident as a suicide by a heartbroken lover.
The rest of the film shows how Babuli and Vandana expose the truth and take revenge on the corrupt men.
Screenplay and Direction
The story by Subodh Khanolkar may not be very original, but the climax introduces a fresh twist. The villains are killed by people disguised as theatre performers, giving the drama an unusual finish.
The screenplay is engaging but becomes predictable at times, with less shock value than expected. Still, the revenge track holds excitement, keeping the audience involved. Dialogues by Guru Thakur are decent and flow well with the storyline.
Director Subodh Khanolkar handles the subject effectively, blending the flavour of folk theatre with a social revenge drama.
Performances
- Dilip Prabhavalkar delivers a powerful performance as Babuli Mestri.
- Siddharth Menon portrays Madhav with confidence and sincerity.
- Priyadarshini Indalkar adds strength to the film as Vandana.
- Ravi Kale impresses as the manipulative sarpanch Aaba Tandel.
- Vijay Kenkare plays the corrupt minister well.
- Sunil Tawade as policeman Parab and Mahesh Manjrekar as inspector Michael Decosta offer moderate performances.
- Bharat Jadhav as forest officer Laxman Wadekar and Abhinay Berde as Monty provide average support.
The rest of the ensemble, including Lokesh Mittal, Aarti Wadagbalkar, Shweta Kudalkar, and others, lend adequate performances that support the main storyline.
Music and Technical Aspects
A.V. Prafullchandra’s background score creates the right dramatic mood, while his songs are serviceable. The cinematography by Devendra Golatkar captures the essence of rural life and the grandeur of folk theatre beautifully.
The action sequences are functional, and the editing by Faisal Mahadik is sharp, ensuring a steady pace. The production design by Sanjeev Rane adds authenticity to the setting.
Final Verdict
On the whole, Dashavatar is a fair entertainer. It combines folk art with a tale of corruption, family struggle, and revenge. While the story may feel familiar, the performances, technical strength, and unique climax make it worth a watch.
The film released on 12 September 2025 in Mumbai cinemas, including Plaza Theatre, and has received a good initial response from the audience.
Rating: ★★★☆☆ (3/5)
