Kshitij Patwardhan on why Marathi cinema is rebuilding trust and how AI fits into his next film

Writer and director Kshitij Patwardhan, known for shaping some of Marathi cinema’s most emotionally resonant contemporary stories, believes the industry is on the brink of meaningful change. To him, the next phase of growth will come from a wider understanding of where Marathi films can travel and who they can reach. He points to the journey of Sabar Bonda, which was recently screened in New York, as an example of how stories rooted in local contexts can find global resonance. As he puts it, “If marketed properly, the entire world is at your fingertips.”

Patwardhan says filmmakers are beginning to think more strategically about international viewers, language adaptations and cultural universality. He believes this shift in perspective is helping Marathi cinema shed earlier limitations. With more films breaking out of traditional boundaries, he sees an industry slowly learning to claim a larger cultural space.

New voices building new confidence

For him, the strongest driver of this change is the emergence of new storytellers. Eight debutante directors made a mark this year alone, each connecting with audiences in different ways. This diversity of impact signals to him that Marathi cinema is regaining confidence from within. “Both these streams of mainstream and subordinate have now started working together,” he says, describing a healthier creative ecosystem where commercial ambitions and experimental impulses can support each other.

AI as a creative support for Uttar

Patwardhan is also experimenting with technology and AI in his upcoming film Uttar. He describes AI as “a process enhancer and not a process replacer.” While it helps refine drafts, he says, “AI can’t replicate the traumas, the embarrassments, the successes and other life experiences that we get from our childhood and our lives,” insisting that storytelling will always remain fundamentally human.

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