A woman who spent decades performing for village crowds, won two Presidential honours, and still died with unpaid hospital bills. That is the real story behind Shraddha Kapoor’s upcoming film Eetha.
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The makers of the upcoming biographical drama ‘Eetha’ have officially released the film’s teaser online. The teaser had first been screened exclusively in cinemas alongside Maddock Films’ Cocktail 2, which released on June 19. Following strong audience response and growing chatter on social media, it has now been made available on digital platforms.
The teaser runs for 2 minutes and 18 seconds. It opens with a charged atmosphere as an enthusiastic crowd calls for a performance from a dancer named Eetha.
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The clip shows Kapoor returning to the stage just minutes after childbirth, a sequence that has sparked widespread discussions across social media platforms. The narrator’s line in the teaser translates to: “If you want something sweet, go for paan, and if you want to watch a storm dance, watch Eetha.”
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Just two hours before the teaser dropped, the makers released a set of posters featuring Shraddha Kapoor in vibrant traditional attire. One visual shows the actress dressed in a striking yellow saree adorned with ghungroos, walking through a sea of lanterns and cheering spectators.
Eetha is backed by Maddock Films and directed by Laxman Utekar. The film stars Kapoor as legendary Marathi Tamasha artist Vithabai Narayangaonkar and is slated to arrive in cinemas on August 28, during the Raksha Bandhan weekend.
Eetha reunites director Laxman Utekar and producer Dinesh Vijan following the success of Chhaava. The film also stars Randeep Hooda, Nana Patekar, Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub, and Siddharth Jadhav. The music has been composed by Ajay-Atul.
To portray Vithabai authentically, Shraddha underwent rigorous training in traditional Maharashtrian dance forms including Lavani and Gavlan.
Vithabai Bhau Mang Narayangaonkar was born in July 1935 in Pandharpur, Solapur district, Maharashtra. She grew up in a family of artists. Her father, Bhau-Bapu Mang Narayangaonkar, was a renowned Shahir, and his Tamasha troupe was widely popular.
At the age of just 13, she launched her own Tamasha troupe in 1948. Through the 1950s, 1960s, and the decades that followed, she became one of the foremost ambassadors of Tamasha and Lavani.
One of the notable events of her life was the period when her child was born. She was nine months pregnant while performing for her audience. It was during the performance that she got to know she was about to deliver. She went backstage and delivered the baby, cut the umbilical cord with a stone, and returned to the performance. The audience was surprised to see her without the baby bump.
Her remarkable performances earned her the title “Tamasha Samradini.” She received honours from the President of India twice, first in 1957 and again in 1990, for her contribution to Indian folk arts. She also entertained Indian soldiers during the Sino-Indian War of 1962, helping improve morale during a tough time in the country’s history.
In 2006, the Maharashtra government instituted the Vithabai Narayangaonkar Lifetime Achievement Award to honour individuals who have made significant contributions to preserving and promoting Tamasha.
Despite her fame and the honours she earned, Vithabai is said to have been in financial distress in her final years. Her hospital bills after her death were met by contributions from donors. She passed away on January 15, 2002.
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